Dallas honors Michael Vick with key to city

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/thehuddle/post/2011/02/dallas-honors-michael-vick-with-key-to-city/1?csp=34

Philadelphia Eagles QB Michael Vick was awarded the key to the city of Dallas, igniting outrage in the animal rights community and controversy in local politics. Dallas politicians are at odds over Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway's decision to honor Vick , who beginning in 2007, served 19 months in prison for his involvement in a dogfighting ring.

Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert said the action went without his knowledge. Caraway defended the decision in an interview with ESPN: "The message and the kids are far greater than all this response about, 'Why give him the key to the city?' He is telling kids and exchanging with them the rights and wrongs of the things that he did and encouraging kids to further their education and to not deal with the drugs. To obey their parents and pick the people they hang around."

Leppert issued a statement Monday morning, saying that Caraway's action "was not sanctioned by my office and was not an official ceremonial honor on behalf of the City of Dallas." Caraway responded Monday that he cares "deeply about animals."

"Since making some bad choices, Michael Vick has devoted time to speaking to children about staying in school, staying away from drugs, making positive choices about picking friends, and the importance of education," Caraway said. "That was the focus of the event... For those reasons, Michael Vick deserves such an action from my office."


See also:

http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/dallas-cowboys/20110207-mayor-pro-tem-of-dallas-presents-key-to-city-to-michael-vick.ece

Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway presented Philadelphia Eagles quarterback and convicted felon Michael Vick a key to the city of Dallas Saturday.

Caraway said he believes "a great majority" of the people of Dallas would have supported his decision, despite Vick's conviction for running a vicious dog fighting ring.

"I gave it to him, sure I did. The wayward children that were there needed to have hope," he said.

Asked how he could think most people in Dallas would support the decision to give Vick a key when many see him as the face of cruelty to animals, Caraway responded that not everyone sees him that way.

"In the eyes of many people, he's a hero," said Caraway, adding that he doesn't condone animal cruelty.

:puke:



*edited to properly attribute a quote to Caraway

:popcorn:

He openly embraces it.

He should be locked up in jail rather than playing games and getting awards.

It was all done on the down low, very hush hush


**eta from the 2nd article in the OP: "Caraway did not say exactly where he was ("somewhere downtown" and "one of the clubs") or exactly who was sponsoring the event where he handed Vick a key to the city. He said the event occurred around 5 p.m. with children in attendance."

How would this inspire "hope"?

If fortunate enough to to land a fat contract with the NFL, what you do is take your $3 million signing bonus and start a dogfighting kennel. You have the "hope" of leveraging your massive wealth, just in case.

See, it's not about being poor and getting there. It's about being rich and cruel, and wanting to torture dogs. And yes, I will continue to pound this point into the ground.

:puke: :puke: :puke:

already honored for their service.

Fuck Vick.

What does Vick have to do with Dallas in the first place?

Michael Vick confronted by dog owner here (the video is a bit shaky but the audio is clear:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_Ra0J-V7ZM

Someone posted a response to his video that essentially says, "Leave Mike Vick alone!" It's titled "Haters Still on Vick for Animal Cruelty Charges"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPdGzk8ID2o