"Taking Responsibility"

I chose today’s fractal, Starlight Falling because I’ll be writing about falling (or at least stumbling) stars. It was the best image I could choose to enhance the meaning of the post I’ll be writing today. I can’t say I hope you enjoy it--but I do hope it makes anyone who reads it think.
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What does “taking responsibility” mean? Obviously it has different meanings for different people. To me it means owning up to my wrongs and doing my level best to fully make amends for whatever wrong I’ve done. Of course, I’ve never broken the law in any major way and I’ve never had to account for my actions in Court. Adding the legal element seems to completely change what “taking responsibility” means. Two cases in point: Lindsey Lohan and Michael Vick have recently made the grand gesture of publicly “taken responsibility” for their actions (in order to avoid worse legal consequences!)
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Last week Lindsey Lohan took “full responsibility” with this statement. “It is clear to me that my life has become completely unmanageable because I am addicted to alcohol and drugs," she said through her publicist. “I broke the law and today I took responsibility by pleading guilty to the charges in my case.” Pretty words (and I’m sure they came from the heart): too bad she’d already arranged to plead out of the felony charges and opt for a deal that would result in little or no jail time.
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Yes, that’s the way the DUI Shuffle is danced (here in California at least). Before someone famous takes “full responsibility” it seems that they first arrange to minimize their problems with the law. Lindsey arranging for “photo ops” at her cushy rehab doesn’t speak well for her desire to “take full responsibility” either--but maybe I’m being a tad too judgmental. Honestly, part of me actually feels bad for Lindsey Lohan: she got nothing in the way of good parenting so its no wonder she turned out like she did. That being said, I take it very seriously when anyone (be they Superstar or Average Joe) does something that jeopardizes the lives of innocents--and does it deliberately and repeatedly.
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This morning (August 27) Michael Vick pled guilty to various charges relating to dog fighting and gambling (after all his fellow defendants struck deals and agreed to testify against him.) In his statement to the press he said: (NOTE: quoted from Rocky Mountain News.: the remarks have been slightly edited): “I take this opportunity just to speak from the heart . . . I want to apologize . . . for all the things that . . . I've done and that I have allowed to happen. I want to . . . apologize to Commissioner Goodell, Arthur Blank, coach Bobby Petrino, my Atlanta Falcons teammates . . . I was not honest and forthright in our discussions . . . I was ashamed and totally disappointed in myself to say the least.”
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He goes on to say: “I want to apologize to all the young kids out there for my immature acts . . . what I did was very immature so that means I need to grow up. “ Sorry--I just have to make an editorial comment here. Immature? What he did was immature? My God! The man admitted to killing Pit Bulls who failed to perform (fight) well in the ring, That’s not immature. It’s--just--plain cruel!!! He also admitted to facilitating gambling on his little enterprise (although he denies putting any bets down himself.)
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“I totally ask for forgiveness and understanding as I move forward to bettering Michael Vick the person, not the football player,” he went on to say. (He’ll get neither from me.) “I take full responsibility for my actions . . . not for one second will I sit right here and point the finger and try to blame anybody else for . . . what I've done. I'm totally responsible, and those things just didn't have to happen. I feel like we all make mistakes . . . I made a mistake in using bad judgment and making bad decisions.”
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Vick continues his apologetic tour de force with these words: “Dog fighting is a terrible thing, and I did reject it." (Uh, huh--he sure did! After he got caught!!!) “I'm upset with myself, and . . . through this situation I found Jesus and asked him for forgiveness and turned my life over to God.” Ah yes, in the world of Celebrity mea culpa--don't they all have to “find Jesus” or become more “spiritual” as part of the rehabilitation process? (I’d feel much better about this if every celebrity didn’t have a “jailhouse conversion” during their ordeals.
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“I accepted responsibility for my actions of what I did,” he says, “and now I have to pay the consequences for it.” The consequences, in this case, include prison time and the potential loss of millions of dollars in salary and endorsement deals. Nike has already dropped him as spokesperson and he is suspended from the NFL indefinitely without pay. It remains to be seen to be seen if his apology tour allows him to be reinstated with the NFL after he does his time. As for me I hope the National Football League gives this thug the boot he so richly deserves and never lets him play again.
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“Once again, I offer my deepest apologies to everyone. And I will redeem myself. I have to,” he said. Uh, yeah! I’m sure he’s sorry! Sorry he got caught, sorry he has to face the loss of a lucrative career, sorry he can’t go on hosting dog fights. Here’s another individual who uses the justice system to slide out of his legal problems: to me, that’s not “taking responsibility” in any way, shape or form. I heard Michael Vick's news conference as it was broadcast live and I don’t think he’s the least bit remorseful for anything he’s done except as it affects his bottom line.
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In the end, only time will tell if these celebs will truly “take responsibility” for their actions and start making changes to alter their lives. In Paris Hilton’s case we’ve already seen that the “Celebutant” has already gone back to her old ways. Lindsey Lohan is on her third rehab this year. (Anyone want to take bets on how well this one will take?) Whether Michael Vick turns his life around or continues to act like a thug will only be revealed as he lives his life in the coming years--but I’m not holding out much hope. I’ve been wrong before--and wherever there’ s life there is hope. Maybe things will work out for the best. We’ll just have to wait and see.