Nails and claws, and poor choices, oh my!

[randomposting]

So, I've been unhappy with a lot of things the President has been doing, but this really just pisses me off. I think he's officially lost my vote. What about you? Do you think Michael Vick deserved a second chance? How are you feeling about the current political situation

Comments

[nebris]

There are a number of sports figures who killed people while driving drunk who don't get a tenth of the hate Vick gets. Or the consequences either. This is just another example of skewed priorities and media exploitation.

~M~

[randomposting]

Clearly I'm not all right with that either. Sports figures get away with so much, and i find it horrendous.

And I don't know if it's a skewed priority to think that people who injure animals or children shouldn't be allowed to be in a job that makes them a role model. *shrug*

[nebris]

Who said anything about children? Now see how thoroughly you've been propagandized by The Security State. I did not say a word about 'children', but somehow you linked to that in your mind.

"The state must declare the child to be the most precious treasure of the people. As long as the government is perceived as working for the benefit of the children, the people will happily endure almost any curtailment of liberty and almost any deprivation." - Adolph Hitler (Mein Kampf)

And how did we get to the point where 'sports figures' have become 'role models'? By the Commodification of Everything. Because Vick makes millions as a ballplayer and gets millions more in Endorsements, he now becomes a 'role model'?

And you want to really talk about skewed priories? Vick's case has gotten ten times the covering and ranting as this case.

~M~

[sensibleken]

Wasn't following this at all but Obama makes a very good point. America has an extraordinary high incarceration rate. The vast majority of these people will get out of jail and if the debt is not considered repaid then it can in general lead to further criminality if the person finds themselves in a situation where they cannot get a job etc.

It may not be stictly true in this case as he is already quite wealthy id imagine. but the principle of debt repayment is the thing. The idea of correction, reform etc mean nothing if someone continues to be pilloried after they have served their sentence. It is an important factor in the creation of a 'criminal class'

[randomposting]

Definitely doesn't apply in this case because he was rich going in. I agree that the prison industrial complex is a huuuuge mess, but I'm one of those no tolerance for cruelty to animals or children, people. *shrug* I'm not too vicious in general but those are my triggers.

[harmonic_motion]

I think the "second chance" message is good. Obama probably didn't use enough political strategizing when he chose Michael Vick as his poster boy though. Still, the fact that it doesn't seem to be a politcally motivated endorsement makes it seem more genuine.

[randomposting]

I suppose that's very true. I bet his people were just banging their heads against the wall when he said it too. lol. I would have been. I kinda did anyway, and I just voted for the guy. He sure doesn't seem like the fellow I voted for anymore though. My national morale is looow. lol

[unwrittenformat]

So far I'm not impressed. I think the dont ask don't tell was a whole lot of hype for something that was not a big deal. It was important but not controversial really, and I don't think it's going to have that big of a change in the military. But I guess that seems to be the trend for a president that's turning out also be a whole lot of hype that's really not a big deal.

[randomposting]

I think the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell was long overdue. It's just horrible to me that members of the military can't talk about their significant others if they happen to be the same gender. I think that should have been repealed decades ago. But overall I really do agree with you. I voted for him, and I'm irritated. He seems to be bending over backwards to take it from the other side and do a lot of things that really aren't going to help us in the long run. The healthcare is a joke. My support for it died when the public option did. I just don't understand how we can live in a country that the largest for profit industry is our healthcare. It boggles my mind.

[ese_2]

I actually just wrote a whole journal entry on the Michael Vick topic. I feel that many people are so quick to judge without lending an open mind to the situation.

Also, I'm the poster child for political inefficacy. I feel that determining our president has much less impact on the outcome of our country as it is believed to. So my opinion of Obama is completely unbiased.

[randomposting]

I don't know how excessive cruelty to animals can be seen as anything but horrific, no matter how you look at it.

I agree with you to a certain extent. There's a lot of power that comes with being president and you can put it to positive use or not, and I haven't seen a lot of positive use yet. And it makes me sad cause I voted for him.