Unequal Forgiveness

Taking a break from health care complexities, I listened to sports radio as I drove around on errand runs. Michael Vick has been "conditionally reinstated" to play in the National Football League (NFL). For those of you who may not remember, Mr. Vick was convicted and served 19 months in prison for his role in a gambling operation that was centered around using specially trained (and horrifically abused) pitbull dogs as fighting animals.

The two talk show hosts (one of them a local former University of Washington quarterback) went back and forth on the merits of this reinstatement. One of the hosts said he would not hire him, the other was far more forgiving.

I believe that humanity, what makes us all human, is the capacity to change. To reflect and re-think our behavior. I believe in second, third, fourth chances. But here is a moment, a very important moment, for many people involved in the criminal justice system. It is a time for the NFL to use it's influence, for criminal defense attorneys, prosecutors, judges, probation officers to all say that in America, we must forgive everyone. Not just some highly talented quarterback who can help some team win. There are hundreds of thousands of ex-cons who can not find work, who are not accepted into schools, colleges, who are shunned. Now is the time, right now, to have that discussion. And the best person to lead it?

Michael Vick.