Kennedy and Vick: A Tragedy of Redemption?
Sen. Edward “Teddy” Kennedy and Michael Vick are two celebrities who triumphed over tragic situations. Whoa Nellie! Let me bring you in on my thought pattern this morning as I drove to work thinking about the loss of the “Senate Lion.” What is redemption and how does America tally its votes? Does the color of one’s skin define how much, if any, of that forgiveness vote one is to receive? Let’s recap the dreadful scenarios and their outcomes.
The Massachusetts treasure that served nearly half a century in the Senate died from brain cancer at the age of 77. Elected at age 30 to a Senate seat once held by his brother, then-president John F. Kennedy, Sen. Kennedy held true to his liberal family leanings as he championed the cause of the less fortunate and underserved. His years of service were honorable and most vital to all of the social legislation that passed during his tenure. From the 1965 immigration bill that opened U.S. borders to Asian and Latin American immigrants, to the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act that eased the path for women to sue for alleged wage discrimination, Sen. Kennedy successfully maneuvered the political waterways to effect change. He fought tirelessly despite the sinister activities of Pres. Nixon to pin impropriety on him and his family. He led the political effort to enact the Civil Rights Bill of 1990 whereby he found himself at odds with leadership in both parties. Many applauded his passion to make sure that Robert Bork did not join the Supreme Court and lastly, he broke ranks with the Democratic powers to support then Senator Barack Obama to endorse a “change – we can believe in.” America has much to be thankful for in the work of Sen. Kennedy.
However, Sen. Kennedy was no stranger to the redemption plea press conference. His alcoholism battles surfaced to the public domain numerous times. During a visit to the JFK School at Harvard in October 1991, he admitted his personal faults and “disappointment of friends,” which critics argue was only due to a tough upcoming reelection battle. In the announcement he recognized his shortcomings and challenges of his private life and took responsibility by admitting his need to overcome them. The situation that many felt kept him from the White House and continues to haunt his legacy was his admission of guilt of leaving the scene of an accident in Chappaquiddick (Martha’s Vineyard) on the evening of July 19, 1969. On that fateful evening, the senator drove his Oldsmobile off a wooden bridge and Mary Jo Kopechne, a former secretary to his late brother, Robert, died. The controversy surrounding his eight-hour delay in reporting the accident to the police is still a mystery. He pleaded to the public that he made a heroic effort, swam to safety, but he could not save her. Kennedy stated that he was “overcome by a jumble of emotions, grief, fear, doubt, exhaustion, doubt, panic, confusion, and shock…my conduct and conversation during the next several hours make no sense to me at all.” He served a two-month suspended sentence. Sen. Kennedy even went before the press to beg his constituencies for support as he considered resignation. Ultimately, he returned to work on July 31 amidst a firestorm of innuendos, suspicion, and distrust. America forgave him though and life moved on for our dear senator. He communicated with liberals and conservatives to pass legislation and advise presidents. Tragedy was conquered.
Michael Vick’s case has been analyzed and exorcised by critics and supporters. A rather reclusive NFL celebrity, Mr. Vick did not seek out the press like most leading quarterbacks and star players. His fame and money came primarily from outstanding play on the field. Mr. Vick continued his childish ways while in the league though and soon his activities bit him in the butt. Pun intended. He pled guilty and served an 18-month prison sentence for his involvement in the Bad Newz Kennel dog fighting operation. Besides funding the operation, his two partners said that Vick helped kill dogs that didn’t fight well, and that the three men “executed approximately eight dogs” in ways that included hanging and drowning. Mr. Vick displayed disgusting and disturbing behavior for a college-educated man. Does winning really make one forget past indiscretions for a man of color? Historically, no. Despite a plea to the public for a second chance and the opportunity to assist in the animal rights movement, Mr. Vick remains vilified and targeted by the press and zealous activists. Tragedy trumps performance. (Note: Kobe Bryant is a good case study for research.)
Now, it is very fascinating that one man pleads guilty to negligence in the accidental death of his friend and he overcomes (possibly due to his family name and skillfulness as a politician) to the extent that he can enjoy a life as the patriarch of the Senate. Did his drunken stupor and lack of action impede a possible rescue and survival? Time will never tell. Nonetheless, he rose from the ashes of national scandal and tragedy to serve in one of the most important elected positions in all of America – the U.S. Senate. He created, collaborated and connected ideas and people to make America a better place. Yet, the other man pled guilty to negligence in the death of man’s best friend – dogs. Did his ignorance and actions paralyze America? Time did tell – no. We got on with our lives and focused on survival during this recession by vacationing less, eating at home, reaffirming our faith, and communicating with our loved ones more. Although we followed the Vick story and held various passionate opinions, his life and destiny did not define our daily actions. Yet, today many can’t move past this tragedy and find forgiveness. Some Americans are still stuck on his illegalities and wish to keep him from employment. Mind you, this employment does not even touch on the magnitude of global political service but rather playing the game of his youth – football.
And should we be reminded that we are a capitalistic society that functions as a free market system. Jeff Lurie, the Eagles owner, has the right and privilege to acquire assets to generate profits. He views Mr. Vick as a valuable property and took the risk to pay him to increase brand awareness, increase ticket sales, and to help the team win. Mr. Vick should be given the opportunity to find and keep gainful employment. It isn’t like he is making life and death decisions for our society. He’s only playing the game of his youth. It’s just not that serious folks. In addition, it is a rather wasteful usage of energy and money to spend time picketing and developing strategies to get the Eagles to change directions. Wouldn’t that money be better spent organizing and fighting against current dog fighting operations or other abuses of animals?
Did the dogs have a voice? No, and neither did Ms. Kopechne. May all life forms rest in peace. The justice system ruled and we need to practice forgiveness. It is not hard to see how race can be viewed as the only difference in these two predicaments though. Even so, it is time to look within ourselves and apply those merciful and necessary values to a painful situation. The healing will be good for all of America. We should bury these tragedies now and find the real redemption story. Sen. Kennedy is at peace now. Let’s practice absolution and do the same for Mr. Vick.
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2 Responses to “Kennedy and Vick: A Tragedy of Redemption?”
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Great article! Forgiveness is the key preceded by repentance. It’s a shame that there is “respect of person” so many times.
Keep the faith!
Very well written piece, Deb. Of course, there will be critics who say that Sen. Kennedy doesn’t deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence as Vick:-) Aside from the money, good looks and fierce loyalty, some of the mystique and fascination with the Kennedys stemmed from their flaws.
I don’t know what the future holds for Michael. I certainly hope that he takes advantage of this second chance, and the belief that Coach Dungy and others have in him, to redeem himself and grow spiritually, mentally and emotionally. He paid a high price for something he has witnessed since childhood. While I don’t condone the horrific things done to the animals, it’s hard to muster total compassion for a breed of dogs with a long history of violent behavior.
Unfortunately, a double standard will continue to exist in our society. Having an African American president will not erase this ugly truth. You can actually compare the level of disgust in the Vick situation to the polarizing one following the Simpson trial.