Fox Analyst Makes Ignorant Comments of Vick and Obama



"It's always my business"

 Fox analyst Tucker Carlson gave the harshest critique of Vick's past yet, saying the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback "should have been executed" for his gruesome dogfighting crimes.



Carlson was guest hosting for Sean Hannity's show on Fox News Channel on Tuesday night when he made the remarks. He led a panel discussion about President Barack Obama commending the owner of the Eagles for giving Vick a second chance after his release from prison. Vick served 18 months in federal prison for running a dogfighting ring.

"I'm a Christian, I've made mistakes myself, I believe fervently in second chances," Carlson said on the show. "But Michael Vick killed dogs, and he did [it] in a heartless and cruel way. And I think, personally, he should've been executed for that. He wasn't, but the idea that the president of the United States would be getting behind someone who murdered dogs?"

Now I've heard a lot of people talk about the Vick situation but I've never heard this type of venom being spit. Any reasonable thinking individual would agree that what Mike did was reprehensible to say the least. However, as I've stated before the man spent nearly two years in jail and lost more than $100 million in the process. But to suggest that he should have been executed is just out right hate. Not from the usual jealousy standpoint either.



"Thanks"

It blows my mind that people are still attacking this guy when he's clearly paid his debt to society and is working closely with the Humane Society and Community Groups to spread the word about animal abuse. I wrote an article entitled "Do We Love Our Dogs More Than Our Women" last month. It examined how none of the women's groups have ever come out in protest of Ben Roethlisberger for allegedly sexually assaulting women. In my opinion the issue of abusing human beings especially women is far more serious. I have a wife and a daughter and I couldn't imagine anyone harming them.

The President was simply making the point that it's commendable that the Eagles organization gave an x-offender an opportunity to make a living. Whether it was Michael Vick or anyone else. The system is broken when it comes to re-entry into society for convicted felons. They serve time in jail and when they are released no one will hire them. As a result, many of those same felons will commit additional crimes that will land them back into our prison systems.

According to the New York Times, The United States had a prison population of 2.4 million in mid-2008, greater than that of any other country, including China. Our per capita imprisonment rate of 750 per 100,000 individuals is several times greater than all other developed nations. It costs US taxpayers roughly $70 Billion per year to care for all of its prisoners, at a per-prisoner cost of roughly $30,000 per year.

For that reason Mr. Carlson, I believe that the President was completely in line to praise the Eagles for allowing one convicted felon the opportunity to redeem himself regardless of the crime. We've got two options here. We can either give them a second chance or wait for them to come through our windows in the middle of the night. What's your opinion?

Jay Graves
Information from The Associated Press and the New York Times was used in this report.