Update on Life

[TLRam1]

Michael Vick anyone?

[tz375]

Good question. Anyone want to jump into that one?

Has he paid his debt to society and should he be allowed to get on with his life?

Or -
Should he continue to pay for ever and not be allowed to do what he did before the crime and prosecution? Is that what Justice means in the USA? To never be forgiven and to be branded as an evil person for life, never to be allowed to be get back into the workforce?

That is what happens to many people who have been convicted of a crime no matter how serious or trivial. Once it's on the record, it's an indelible stamp that society never allows to fade.

The question of whether he should go back to making millions is a different question and if we think it's wrong for a felon to make millions, how come we think it's OK for college drop outs to make millions?

I can see both sides of teh Vick case and what it highlights more than anything else is how screwed up we are getting when we pay people multiple millions as sports Starts or as film celebs or as business people while almost a quarter of the country has no health insurance, the majority have no pension or 401K and 10% have no jobs.

What is it that justifies such a massive upward redistribution of wealth and why do we condone it?

Discuss.

[rngdng]

I will admit that the salaries of many of our citizens (and non-citizens) upsets me sometimes, because frankly, I'm a bit jealous. I will never understand why a sports hero or movie star is worth what they are paid.

When my job doesn't get done, large manufacturing facilities are unable to produce the materials needed for construction, textile industries shut down, and scientific research comes to a screeching halt. Why then, isn't my salary up there, too? Is it fair? Nope; but as my Daddy always told me, "life ain't fair".

I DO NOT believe in "sharing the wealth", even if it benefits me (which it won't.....). People like old Bernie need to be punished severely because they made their money dishonestly, but Vick hasn't done that. He gets paid as he does because he possesses a talent that OUR society has decided is worth huge money. I disagree. The dog-fighting thing is more a matter of morality than anything else. What he did has been done for centuries, and because of bleeding-heart groups like PETA, now it's a criminal act. The same people would put you or me in jail for deer hunting.

In my opinion, it's none of PETA's business, any more than it's my business if a woman gets an abortion. I won't participate in dog-fighting, or abortions, but I am nobody else's conscience or keeper. We don't need, and can't enforce laws that govern morality. It will never work.

Neither will Socialism. It's been proven over and over again. No law or government intervention will EVER make life fair to everybody.


FWIW.


Lane

[djfisher22]

I will admit that the salaries of many of our citizens (and non-citizens) upsets me sometimes, because frankly, I'm a bit jealous. I will never understand why a sports hero or movie star is worth what they are paid.

When my job doesn't get done, large manufacturing facilities are unable to produce the materials needed for construction, textile industries shut down, and scientific research comes to a screeching halt. Why then, isn't my salary up there, too? Is it fair? Nope; but as my Daddy always told me, "life ain't fair".

I DO NOT believe in "sharing the wealth", even if it benefits me (which it won't.....). People like old Bernie need to be punished severely because they made their money dishonestly, but Vick hasn't done that. He gets paid as he does because he possesses a talent that OUR society has decided is worth huge money. I disagree. The dog-fighting thing is more a matter of morality than anything else. What he did has been done for centuries, and because of bleeding-heart groups like PETA, now it's a criminal act. The same people would put you or me in jail for deer hunting.

In my opinion, it's none of PETA's business, any more than it's my business if a woman gets an abortion. I won't participate in dog-fighting, or abortions, but I am nobody else's conscience or keeper. We don't need, and can't enforce laws that govern morality. It will never work.

Neither will Socialism. It's been proven over and over again. No law or government intervention will EVER make life fair to everybody.


FWIW.


Lane

Gotta agree with most all of it Lane.The only time our celebs won't be worth the exorbitant salaries is when we quit going to games or movies because we can't afford it or won't spend it.Vick got screwed because of a morals clause in his contract.Unfortunately for him what we deem immoral here has great followings elsewhere in the world.Could you picture bullfighting in Heinz field or the Staples center?I think it would draw a great crowd, but the vocal few create the rules for the silent majority.

[jkevinlilly]

the vocal few create the rules for the silent majority.

Only if the majority roll over and let them.

Kevin