Southern Christian Leadership Conference To Honor Vick
The Southern Christian Leadership Conference will be honoring Michael Vick at their 49th Annual Convention in Atlanta, Georgia this week.
SCLC President Charles Steele announced during a news conference that the organization will find a way to honor Vick during its national convention that began on Friday.
“We will recognize Vick for being an outstanding human being,” said Steele. “We will work with anyone who opens their heart and arms to us.”
Steele said that they will honor Vick by praying for him. He said that the SCLC’s mission is supporting people in need.
“We’re in support of Michael as a human being,” Steele said. “Right now, he’s feeling discarded, ostracized by people who are rushing to judgment. It’s our responsibility to save him.”
Former President Bill Clinton is a scheduled speaker and will cut the ribbon of the SCLC’s new headquarters. Presidential candidates Sen. Hillary Clinton, Sen. Barack Obama, Mitt Romney (oh, I bet Vick and Romney will have a lot to talk about — their love and respect for animals), Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, and Rev. Al Sharpton are also expected to attend.
The SCLC conference is being held at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in downtown Atlanta from August 3-8.
Sources: WSBTV and AJC.com
(Thanks Pit Bull Lover)
August 5th, 2007 at 6:50 am
::GAG::
August 5th, 2007 at 7:27 am
I can understand praying for him-BUT honor him! makes me sick
August 5th, 2007 at 7:33 am
They’ll get a collective wake up call once he is convicted. You have to wonder how many pet owners are part of this organization and if the leadership even asked their membership about this. Also how much cash did Vick send them to try this cheap publicity trick.
Sorry QB, your rep is so tarnished even Jesus himself couldn’t clean it up.
August 5th, 2007 at 7:34 am
Agree ~ the man needs our prayers, but HONOR? Looks like a photo op for some of the presidential wannabees!
August 5th, 2007 at 7:43 am
This honoring of Michael Vick is enough to make me throw up. Especially since his co-defendent pled guilty and incrimminated Mr. Vick. I agree with Gindy, wonder if the congregations and membership were asked? This is just another good reason why our founding father’s (who were Christian themselves!) reconized the need for seperation of Church and State. Something we’ve been lacking in this country now for too many years. A nice photo opp that’s probably more than someone wanting to be prez, perhaps more gluttonous lobbyist with their own agenda. And through all of this not one mention of the poor dogs that were forced to fight and what will become of them? I would love to be able to pray for Mr. Vick but I cannot. I suppose I’m just not that spirtually evolved.
August 5th, 2007 at 7:55 am
I smell a publicity stunt (for SCLC), and it smells like dog poop!
August 5th, 2007 at 8:02 am
The SCLC is despicable….these are probably the same types of people who hold up “God Hates Gays” signs at the funerals for fallen soldiers or victims of AIDS. No politician who has anything to do with this ceremony will be getting my vote in 2008, and I’ll bet a lot of people feel the same way.
August 5th, 2007 at 8:06 am
Steele is a real sleaze. It’s obvious that he is making comments that run directly counter to public sentiment regarding Vick as a publicity stunt. Probably best to ignore the bastard and his organization.
August 5th, 2007 at 8:33 am
This says everything y’all need to know about people from the South and people who call themselves Christian.
August 5th, 2007 at 8:53 am
whoa, whoa, whoa. no need for blanket condemnations of christians or southerners, here. this is one attention-starved guy who figures any press for his organization is good press.
August 5th, 2007 at 9:06 am
“No politician who has anything to do with this ceremony will be getting my vote in 2008,”
Me too. None of them were on my list anyway. And I agree with Sharon. I live in the south and am fed up with the ignorance and bigotry. These right wing neo cons have hijacked the term “christian” to the extent that I don’t even know what it means anymore. I’m not an atheist but I’m certainly not a christian either.
These people (SCLC) are incredibly out of touch. So are the politicians attending.
August 5th, 2007 at 9:49 am
Also, I don’t think Vick deserves anyone’s prayers. I personally couldn’t care less what happens to his soul. If there’s a hell and his soul ends up there, that’s what he deserves.
August 5th, 2007 at 10:16 am
I am a christian but I agree with Ginny it’s money & his pr guys. I agree with your statement too Lynne, that I don’t even know what it is to be christian anymore. He!! I agree with all of you. I’m sick to my stomach to read this. I wish I could throw up. How many dogs have they hurt & killed over the years and how many have they encouraged to do the same thing. I’ve have been a strong christian for too many years to count yet I’m always getting in trouble with someone in the church for my out spoken beliefs. It’s the leadership in the churches. I not going today, I don’t know where I belong, but I do know I have to be true to my heart. Honor him, that is sick, sick, sick, my Jesus is not about that kind of people. Pray yes, honor no.
August 5th, 2007 at 10:29 am
My post at 10:16, add cats too.
August 5th, 2007 at 10:41 am
wonder if any of the politicians read the indictment? time for some emails to see who has some backbone . . .
can’t even touch on the honor issue . . . my head exploded.
August 5th, 2007 at 10:54 am
straybaby has a great idea — bombard the politicians with protesting email!
August 5th, 2007 at 11:50 am
wescott20 says:
The SCLC is despicable….these are probably the same types of people who hold up “God Hates Gays†signs at the funerals for fallen soldiers or victims of AIDS. No politician who has anything to do with this ceremony will be getting my vote in 2008, and I’ll bet a lot of people feel the same way.
———————–
SCLC is a black LIBERAL organization, not part of the so-called religious right. Like the NAACP, which also has expressed support for Vick and cautioned against a “rush to judgment,” it apparently looks at race FIRST, no matter what the facts are. If a person is black, they seem to assume that person is therefore a victim of racial prejudice.
It’s absurd. It just weakens the case for all the people who really are victims of prejudice when groups like these are blind to everything but a person’s skin color.
August 5th, 2007 at 12:21 pm
Just another example of the dumbing down of this country! Digusting!
August 5th, 2007 at 1:06 pm
Shame on the SCLC. They’ve done some great civil rights work over the years.
I agree with the rush to judgment part - but he is not some poor mope who is getting railroaded by racist police. And its another thing entirely to HONOR him.
What’s next - the Anti-Defamation league putting up a statue to the Son of Sam - NOT!
August 5th, 2007 at 1:12 pm
How Christian are these people…….”A good man takes care of his animals, but wicked people are cruel to theirs”. God said…..Proverbs 12:10
August 5th, 2007 at 1:39 pm
Gindy says:
August 5th, 2007 at 7:33 am
They’ll get a collective wake up call once he is convicted.
Their wake-up call will begin at that event when they see protesters out there with pictures of dead dogs and other signs. You know in a big city like Atlanta someone will be out there picketing. If I could get there I’d be there myself.
As far as the presidential candidates that will attend, well…so what? They are people I and many others won’t be voting for anyway. The funny thing is that they don’t seem to realize how much criticism they’re going to get over associating with a criminal like Vick. I have no doubt the avalanche of outrage has already begun to fall on them. They’ll soon find out what a mistake this is.
Oh, and for all of you asking about how Christian these people really are, haven’t you guys ever heard the term “HypoChristian”? It fits, doesn’t it?
August 5th, 2007 at 1:49 pm
BARF!!!!
August 5th, 2007 at 1:55 pm
“wescott20 says:
The SCLC is despicable….these are probably the same types of people who hold up “God Hates Gays†signs at the funerals for fallen soldiers or victims of AIDS. No politician who has anything to do with this ceremony will be getting my vote in 2008, and I’ll bet a lot of people feel the same way.
———————–
SCLC is a black LIBERAL organization, not part of the so-called religious right. Like the NAACP, which also has expressed support for Vick and cautioned against a “rush to judgment,†it apparently looks at race FIRST, no matter what the facts are. If a person is black, they seem to assume that person is therefore a victim of racial prejudice.”
—————————————————————————————
I am adding this for Westcott, to further set the record straight as to who is who:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Phelps
“Fred Waldron Phelps, Sr. (born November 13, 1929) is the pastor of the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC), an independent Baptist church in Topeka, Kansas. Phelps is also a disbarred lawyer and founder of the Phelps Chartered law firm. WBC is listed as a “hate group” by the Southern Poverty Law Center.[1] He is known for preaching with slogans and banners denoting phrases such as “Thank God for 9/11″, “God hates fags,” “AIDS cures fags,” and “Fags die, God laughs (or mocks),” and claims that God will punish homosexuals as well as people such as Bill O’Reilly, Coretta Scott King, Ronald Reagan, and Howard Dean, whom his church considers “fag-enablers”.[2][3] His church says he is a “Five-Point Calvinist”.[4] He has also thanked God for the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.[5″
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S.....Conference
“The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) is an American civil rights organization. It played a prominent role in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. SCLC was closely associated with its first president, Martin Luther King, Jr.”
August 5th, 2007 at 2:01 pm
“amys says:
August 5th, 2007 at 8:53 am
whoa, whoa, whoa. no need for blanket condemnations of christians or southerners, here. this is one attention-starved guy who figures any press for his organization is good press.”
Yes, please folks. I am certainly not defending Vick but this (please read)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M.....arity_work
probably is why others are.
August 5th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
Well, I just sent Charles Steele, President of SCLC, an email telling him how appalled I am that he decided to honor & support a disgusting person such as Michael Vick. This is absurd! I am generally not much of an activist; but, in this instance where the evidence seems to be pretty strong, I decided to get involved. I am a REAL dog lover & can’t stand to see animals abused. So, when the story was first reported, I wrote Nike & the NFL commissioner & just now, after reading this article about the SCLC in Atlanta, I wrote Steele……not that it will do any good but it made me feel better.
August 5th, 2007 at 2:29 pm
Well, that seals it. Makes me glad I have been for Kucinich all along, and Edwards is my second choice. Neither of them will see the top of the ticket, and Kucinich won’t see the ticket at all, but I love him anyway.
Pandering for votes, they will all sell themselves for some exposure. They may not be thinking of the former supporters they will alienate in the process.
Stefani
The Toonces Project
http://www.TheTooncesProject.com
“Is Your Pet Safe at the Vet?”
August 5th, 2007 at 2:31 pm
a note about the politicians, they prob accepted long ago. before the Thursday night announcement and perhaps before the indictments came down. we need them to read the indictment, if they haven’t and be sure to speak up about how they feel if this was sprung on them. i’m sure they can find some politically correct language to show where they stand on this and their being there with this *honor* happening.. ;)
August 5th, 2007 at 2:50 pm
StrayBaby, that’s a good point.
I can understand why the candidates would want to go to the SCLC, now that I have been educated on what the SCLC is. I am sure all they are thinking about is solidifying their position with this constituency. They aren’t even filtering their speaking engagements through any “moral compass” at this point, they are only thinking in terms of votes. All politicians’ morals are relative and for sale.
I wish Clinton and Obama’s campaigns would use their considerable influence with Steele to get him to cancel that part of the event. It is really unbefitting our presidential candidates to be a part of an event that is being focused on coming to the aid and comfort of Vick, against whom the evidence is strong.
I also think what SCLC is doing is anti-black, just like the NAACP’s stance is. Certainly, it does not make them look good, and they are supposed to be civil rights advocates.
It’s not like Vick was arrested for “driving while black,” which actually still happens in this country, and victims of that kind of racism deserve SCLC’s support, not bad actors like Vick. The difference? He’s famous, they’re not. This is not the first disturbing behavior he has engaged in, why do they cast their lot with him?
What do I know? I’m a white girl. But I don’t support people just because they are white. In most cases I agree with those who say that African Americans don’t get a fair legal shake in this country. BUT Vick is NOT one of them. Neither was OJ. And jumping to the defense of either of them because of race is just . . . anti-black, if you ask me.
Stefani
The Toonces Project
http://www.TheTooncesProject.com
“Is Your Pet Safe at the Vet?”
August 5th, 2007 at 3:16 pm
I don’t care if he gave a lot to charity. He is up on very ugly Fed. charges. Charity is a nice write off on taxes if you make a lot of money, wonder what the books look like on his dog kennel.
August 5th, 2007 at 3:31 pm
well the president’s mailbox at the sclc exploded as I just got a message from the postmaster.
August 5th, 2007 at 3:41 pm
Vick is beyond prayers. The politicians… only goes to show what they will do to get votes - certainly helped solidify my thinking come election time. And the info on Vick’s indictment has been everywhere - so the candidates know.
My email to the president’s mailbox at the sclc just exploded too!
Katie
August 5th, 2007 at 4:50 pm
on the flip side, another baseball team does a anti-vick promotion:
http://www.oursportscentral.co.....id=3517864
August 5th, 2007 at 4:58 pm
This sucks!!! Anyone running for president that attends this has lost my vote. Granted he is entitled to a fair trial , are these people rallying to show him support going to get the court to rule he can’t get a fair trial because of publicity in Atlanta?
It seems that religion has become another part of political arena. In the area where I live if you are of the Menn or Ami(drive a horse and buggy religion) it seems there are different laws in place, which means you are exempt from the laws. All laws child abuse, animal cruelty, rape , incest etc. Maybe it is about money , where I live if you threaten to move and let your farm go up for taxes —-if Atlanta doesn’t have Vikk for a Quarterback —-aren’t both instances all about money?
Maybe the politicians that are attending will promise to legalize dog fighting??
August 5th, 2007 at 5:17 pm
No doubt the SCLC will “honor” Vick becuase he either made a huge donation or promised them a huge donation. I have worked in many Christian organizations and the bigger ones are always always “honoring” those who give huge checkes for their many projects. It always disillusions me.
August 5th, 2007 at 5:25 pm
These are christians? Vick is an outstanding human being? What a bunch of BS. I’m also sick of the race card always being played.
August 5th, 2007 at 5:33 pm
“I can understand why the candidates would want to go to the SCLC, now that I have been educated on what the SCLC is. I am sure all they are thinking about is solidifying their position with this constituency. They aren’t even filtering their speaking engagements through any “moral compass†at this point, they are only thinking in terms of votes. All politicians’ morals are relative and for sale.”
Yes, being that this a 50th Anniversary celebration and ribbon cutting on new headquarters, the politicians certainly were planning this ahead of time, well before the Vick scandal or the announcement that he would be “honored.”
August 5th, 2007 at 5:36 pm
I emailed the following to Dr. Steele:
I have been a supporter of the SCLC and the NAACP in the past through decades of struggles for people of color. The SCLC has done much good in the past.
However, I will not countenance blatant animal cruelty, no matter who or what the circumstances.
This has nothing to do with race; it has everything to do with compassion for animals who have no one to protect them but humans. That is a responsibility we as humans have to all forms of life. When someone gains through the pain of others, whether they be human or animal, that must be condemned.
Vick will have his day in court. He does not need, nor does he deserve, reputable organizations like the SCLC “honoring” him. Pray for him if you must, but when you claim to “honor” you besmirch the good work of the SCLC. Shame on you.
August 5th, 2007 at 6:29 pm
If I were one of the featured politicians…I would bow out of this event!!!
I just can’t believe it’s true. I read the first paragraph to my family and they thought it was a joke and were waiting for the punchline!
This isn’t even funny!…but all too indicative of some dirty blood in the veins of this country.
August 5th, 2007 at 7:07 pm
I am almost speechless, how could any organization, especially one that pretends to be Christian, honor such a slimeball and how coould two democratic candidates attend? Maybe I’ll have to vote for somebody else but not Romney either.
goodby Hillary and Barrack.
August 5th, 2007 at 8:05 pm
Okay, so SCLC is a liberal civil rights organization rather than a far right one…nevertheless, they have now proven themselves to be just as hypocritical and evil. The civil rights leaders today such as Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson are just sleazy politicians who make everything about race without bringing about any genuine progress for civil rights …they are nothing like the great Martin Luther King, Jr. I can guarantee that if he were alive today, he would NEVER condone what Vick has done or try to make Vick out to be a victim of racial prejudice.
August 5th, 2007 at 8:09 pm
To show how devious Al Sharpton is…when the news regarding Vick’s dogfighting broke, he came out condemning Vick and his actions. Then he did an about face when he saw that his buddies in the NAACP were planning to play the race card… he immediately changed his previous position and joined their ranks in defending Vick.
August 5th, 2007 at 8:12 pm
http://www.sixshot.com/news/7444/
Yesterday(July 18) , NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, the Atlanta Falcons, and Vick’s corporate sponsors received a joint statement condemning dogfighting signed by PETA, The Rev. Al Sharpton, and hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons.
August 5th, 2007 at 8:14 pm
so-called christians are some of the nastiest ones out there…nothing surprises me any more.
August 5th, 2007 at 8:21 pm
What’s sad is that the article is targeting the ignorant for sympathy. As you can read from the responses here, intelligence out weighs the ignorant.
I guess the SCLC think we have forgotten about the OJ and Michael Jackson trials. You can only play the race card so many times.
“Outstanding human being?” What a joke!
August 5th, 2007 at 8:37 pm
Take the opportunity to vote. THEY ARE OUT OF THEIR MINDS!!!
The Atlanta Journal Constitution: http://www.ajc.com/news/conten.....ab_newstab
Visit the site, open the article and cast your Vote.
August 5th, 2007 at 10:04 pm
Dog Fighting Detailed Discussion,publish date 2005 by Michigan State University College of Law. I’m shure most of you have seen this but for the ones that haven’t I think you will find it interesting. It talks about: the dogs, training, fight, history, scope of dogfighting, culture, victims, sociology(#5 brings in God), criminal link, legal status. One part of the law talks about the owner of the property.
http://www.animallaw.info/arti.....ghting.htm
I’m starting to get a little better with the computer so I’m going to see if I can send this link to SCLE, and some others.
August 5th, 2007 at 10:11 pm
http://www.animallaw.info/arti.....ghting.htm
Sorry the link didn’t come out right. I hope it’s ok now. Still learning.
August 5th, 2007 at 11:19 pm
From the Southern Christian Leadership Conference website:
“The SCLC Martin Luther King Jr. Conflict Resolution Center is a national initiative created by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to utilize conflict resolution to end violence in our communities.
“Youth violence has been defined as the “intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community, that either results on or has a likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment or deprivation. High profile school shootings have increased the public awareness of youth violence resulting in a number of school-based violence, but there are virtually no programs in operation that target community based violence.”
I guess the SCLC has yet to make the connection between the casual and organized dogfighting taking place in a growing number of communities and the “maldevelopment” that might occur when young people are exposed to it. Dogfighting goes hand-in-hand with gambling, gangs, drugs, weapons, and criminality. Domestic animals — “pets” and companions — expressly raised, trained, exhibited, and exterminated for blood and money. When two artificially vicious dogs are facing off in the pit and one dog rips an ear or part of the muzzle off the other, is that not violence? How many dogfighting bouts does it take before a young man aspires to be a “dog man”? How long, then, until gunning down a (human) neighborhood rival is as easy as putting two bullets in a defeated dog’s skull?
And a final, ironic, quote from the SCLC website: “Two great twentieth century proponents of Nonviolence were (Gandhi and MLK). Gandhi led India to independence from British colonial rule and advocated a more humane society. King led the civil rights movement, which ended legalized segregation in the United States and led to the enactment and enforcement of the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Act. Both spoke and wrote at length about Nonviolence and dedicated their lives to its practical application.”
How dare an organization espouse (co-opt?) Gandhi’s humane ideals while its individual leaders and members clearly possess so little regard for the welfare of animals. Hypocrisy and willful ignorance. I loathe them both equally.
August 5th, 2007 at 11:55 pm
I am hopeful that the politicians of both parties will suddenly realize they have pressing schedule conflicts that preclude them from attending the SCLC event after all. If they do make the terrible misjudgement of attending I can’t wait to see the legitimate political hit ads that will be put out by their opponents linking them to dog-fighting and Michael Vick.
The rallying behind Vick is beyond sickening.
August 6th, 2007 at 12:15 am
KDKA in Pittsburgh, Pa., just fired a sports announcer for ranting off last Sunday night in defence of Vic. I heard him, he said dogfighting wasn’t as bad as rape and vic should be able to play. He whent on & on. I guess a lot of us complaned, he also lost his job on the Post-gazette, one of our newspapers. Some people in power are listening to us & feel the same as us. I’ll have to write KDKA & the Post-gazette & thank them. Please some of you do the same thing. We need to thank the ones who do the right thing. Thank you.
August 6th, 2007 at 8:01 am
Jenny Bark: “I not going today, I don’t know where I belong, but I do know I have to be true to my heart.”
Try a Unitarian Universalist church. They would throw their arms open at your “outspokenness”. The one in my area is incredibly active in all manner of social issues and even sponsored a candlelight vigil outside along the highway to protest the push to invade Iraq.
August 6th, 2007 at 11:26 am
Lynne THANKS. I have found so far 5 Unitarian Universalist Churches. I live ouside of Pittsburgh in a rual area and 4 of then are in Pittsburgh where I rarely go. One is close and I think I know where it is. I’ll have my husband check then out tonight (he knows short cuts to every place). We will go visit one of them this week. We both are very strong christians but we won’t and never will talk out of two sides of our mouth and we are to old to start now. We don’t like Bush & never have (think he uses christians), don’t like Chaney and his canned hunts that even someone blind could kill birds. Don’t believe we should have ever gone into Iraq and we have family that serves. We love our animals and they are our babies and we will do what we can to help other aminals on this earth. Now the big one, we are not against gays & this is being said from a old deacon. My husband & I (after all these years) still hold hands, love each other more every day & our fights are even nice, how can we ever say someone else can’t have what we have. Do you think we would fit in a Unitarian church? You don’t know how sad it is to leave a church (people) you really love. Thanks again & God bless you.
August 6th, 2007 at 11:54 am
To Velvet’s Dad: Your message to Dr. Steele was very well stated.
I, too, got undeliverable messages when I tried twice to send an email through the “Email the President” link. So, I went back to the website & sent my message via the “Contact Us” link at the bottom of the home page. At least I didn’t get an undeliverable message.
August 6th, 2007 at 1:01 pm
Jenny, you sound like perfect Unitarian people to me. :) Check out the national website at http://www.uua.org/. They’ve been around since the 1700s in this country.
I think you will be pleased.
August 6th, 2007 at 4:03 pm
Thanks Lynne, we will check it out.
August 6th, 2007 at 4:20 pm
Just another Ghetto Man trying to look good in a suit.
August 7th, 2007 at 2:50 pm
[…] Friday, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference announced that they would be honoring Michael Vick at their annual convention in Atlanta, Georgia this week. The president of SCLC, Charles Steele, said said that they would […]