BET Airs First Episode of 'The Michael Vick Project,' Does He Have a Right to Speak?

On Tuesday, Feb. 2, BET aired the first episode of "The Michael Vick Project." Now usually I wonder what goes through BET producers' minds with some of the sitcoms they've run or movies they choose to show (i.e., "Soul Plane"), but every once in awhile they get it right. "The Michael Vick Project" would be one of those times. Keep in mind I am opposed to dogfighting and wrote "No Sympathy for Michael Vick," but this entire time I wanted to know what went through this man's mind to be the highest paid member in the NFL and participate in something like fighting dogs.

In the opening episode, Michael Vick explains how he became a football player, who introduced him to dogfighting, what made him buy his home to continue dogfighting and his involvement in this crime. He also explains why he originally did not admit to the charges and who blew the whistle making him finally plead guilty.

Now for those of you who followed the trial, you may know this information already, but what I found fascinating was the reaction from his fiancée, Kijafa Frink; his mother, Brenda Vick; his younger brother, Marcus Vick; and his father before Michael Vick went to prison.

I participated in the vote on BET's Web site about whether Michael Vick repaid his debt to society. Before I visited the Carroll Care Center in September 2009, I can guarantee you I'd have chosen "no." But after talking to the HSUS trainers there, particularly one of the most affectionate trainers-who was a previous dogfighter-it gave me the opportunity to find out just why someone would fight dogs. I'm still opposed to it, but I was surprised how much I learned about the dogfighting industry while covering the topic for a previous employer. For that reason, I chose "yes," and so did 92 percent of the voters. However, we all know that there are some people who are not satisfied to this day about Michael Vick's verdict, even after he served time in prison and spoke against dogfighting at countless locations.

I keep hearing that it's white people who care about dogs more than black people, but I find that accusation rather ironic because the first person I'd ever come in contact with who was fighting dogs was a young, white guy who could've been no more than 25 and proudly bragged about it on a Chicago Red Line train. He chatted in depth about his German Shepherd dogfighting business, and I waited patiently for him to give an address or anything that I could report him. The next person who I'd seen looking suspicious was a Latino guy at Chicago's lakefront who was yanking his pitbull puppy around with a leash way too aggressively. Up until the Carroll Care Center event, even after living on the south side of Chicago my entire life and definitely running into a rough crowd, I don't recall one black guy I knew fighting anybody's dogs. So this Michael Vick issue isn't a black and white thing-this is definitely an animal lover debate.

Now regardless of who fights dogs more often and how people feel about dogfighting now, I feel like he's done his time, learned his lesson and dog lovers need to let it go. You can't punish the man forever. Even when Michael Vick says he was wrong for participating, what I want to come from this program is for those who are involved to take a look at what the future holds for those who get caught. I think Michael Vick's story is incredibly important to those who just flat out don't realize how wrong it is to use dogs as a gambling sport with no regard for their lives. I commend BET for giving this football player that opportunity.