Slightly surprised by the continued Michael Vick protests

After veteran quarterback Michael Vick was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers a couple weeks ago, I've been slightly surprised to read so many articles protesting the signing. While I've always been and always will be a dog lover, I also believe in second chances, and since Vick reentered the league in 2009 with the Philadelphia Eagles, he's appeared to turn his life around, be a stand-up teammate, and more importantly, a stand-up citizen. He's worked with animal rights organizations to speak out against dogfighting, highlighting his previous involvement in it, and attempted to inspire others to not make the same mistakes he did. While this was mandatory at first, it has since become voluntary. I, and many others, were/are sickened by dogfighting organizations like the one Michael Vick had been previously involved with, but who better to speak out against such cruel and inhumane activities than a big name who had himself been involved with them, like Michael Vick? Who's going to be more persuasive to kids on the ills of drug addiction, someone who has never touched drugs in their lives, or an individual who was almost killed by them, served time in prison, and has kept clean ever since being released? People can hate the pre-Philadelphia Eagles Michael Vick and the sick activities he partook in all they'd like, but he's not the same man today. He was given a second chance in life, has made the most of it, and I think, while we should never forget what he and others like him have done, we should forgive and hope he's able to help prevent many others from partaking in dogfighting in the future.