This Elam kid....

[DOLFANMIKE]

For the most part, I am on board with just about everything that Saban has done thus far...but here is something that I feel the need to speak up about...

Although this kid, Abram Elam, the one with the "checkered past" to say the least, probably is a huge long shot to make the team and most likely won't even make a dent in the roster...I take issue with even looking at the guy...I have to say that it really is disgusting how far teams will go to look for so called talent.

He was one of four charged with sexually assaulting a female and the ONLY one convicted of FELONY SEXUAL BATTERY. When is enough enough? Is a murder conviction enough? Maybe child molestation?

Some will say that he has paid his debt to society, yada-yada-yada...but is this really the type of person that the Dolphins want on their team? Maybe this guy does have what it takes...I guess that will make it OK to cheer for a freaking sexual offender. In my opinion...it isn't.

From a fan's point of view...it has been proven time and time again that people with these types of troubled pasts eventually find their way back to trouble....remember the guy who once wore 34 before Ricky came along?

Like I said, the guy probably won't be around very long, but I really don't think that he even deserves the right to even wear a Miami Dolphin's practice jersey.

Just my 2 cents.

Well, I suppose we could take all the violent crininals and send them to an island to live together like in the film "No escape"...but if we are going to allow people out of prison we'd better allow them to try and better themselves. Otherwise society is going to be in big trouble. His skill or trade is football. If he were a TV repairan should he not be allowed to fix TV's?

Geez. If my friends (liberals) on the political board see this they are going to think they are converting me!

 

[Calgaryfin]

Saban checked him out and Huzinga said he is ok with it. So am I. He was charged and found guilty.

He was sentenced and is serving his sentence, now what?

You guys want to pile on! It is up to the courts to dole out the punishment not you guys.

He's paid the price society ( the courts ) have administered, time to move on!

In the words of Dan Marino when asked about Ricky "People make mistakes all the time"... "You can't condemn him for life."

 

[Lee2000]

Main theme here; crime is to be paid with life

I continue to see a theme of paying for a crime your entire life. To get my own agenda out of the way, sure I would like to see a talented player (especially a safety) get a chance on the team. And yes, the argument about looking the other way may apply often in sports. Double standard par excellent.

But I am attempting to address a bigger issue. Once a person has paid the penalty given to them should they continue to pay via society. Several of you have said that he is guilty because a jury found him so. Give you that. But he has also paid the penalty that court handed down. Now the big question. Once he has done that is it final? Or does he pay social consequences his entire life? No where in his judgement did it say he could not pursue a career. No where. Yet many of you feel that he should pay a price that heavy. I have a wife and a child and no I would not look favorably if such things happened to them. Would I go to the extreme that I would launch a campaign to make sure he never had a career? I don't know.

But the issue here is not whether he was guilty. It is not whether he has to be given another chance. It is about judgement, and how long is should be served, and if it should be served in another form beyond the court. The Dolphins are a business and they can consider his record in hiring him. Ultimately they have the right to do so. But they are the appointed decision makers in that. I am not attempting to defend what this guy did. It is wrong in concrete terms. The issue is judgement and how long it should be administered and if forgiveness is applicable to business. And what part the fans have in determining what a business does (customers always right?)

Lee2000

 

[Mike13]

I agree with you dude, I perfer not to have a Convict on this team, He probably won't make the final roster.

 

[zodiak]

If he was convicted of selling cocaine or stealing cars would you be ok with giving him a second chance?

The fact is that the "american way" is to give second chances, I believe their are to many righteous people that tend to judge others and alibi there own actions.

 

[zodiak]

sorry for the double here....

Lee2000 I agree fully, in fact to extend your point farther how "fair" constitutionaly is it that a "sex offender" be forced to register with local police and have their face put on posters AFTER duing their time in prison?

I know I will come off as some liberal however I am simply making the point that because of the offense(sex crimes) many people feel that the offender deserves what ever happens, also that like many have expressed here they shouldnt be given second chances in life.

My concern is simple ...today we make the rapist wear the scarlet letter, tommorow it will be the car thief, then the drug user, and eventually it will be any person ever convicted of a simple crime will forever have their mistake with them for everyone to judge.

 

[rhadaddy]

Again me being a father and my bias....

sorry for the double here....

Lee2000 I agree fully, in fact to extend your point farther how "fair" constitutionaly is it that a "sex offender" be forced to register with local police and have their face put on posters AFTER duing their time in prison?

I know I will come off as some liberal however I am simply making the point that because of the offense(sex crimes) many people feel that the offender deserves what ever happens, also that like many have expressed here they shouldnt be given second chances in life.

My concern is simple ...today we make the rapist wear the scarlet letter, tommorow it will be the car thief, then the drug user, and eventually it will be any person ever convicted of a simple crime will forever have their mistake with them for everyone to judge.

I'm all for having a convicted sex offender registered with the town they they live in. Irregaurdless of whether they served their time. The statistics show that most sex offenders have a high rate of repeating the offenses.

It also depends of the degree to the offense. The courts take into considerations the degree of the offense, from indecent exposure all the way to to serial rape and murder.

The most extreme criminals are sometimes castrated. With the least extreme having to register for a few years

I plan on moving to Florida next year and know that Florida has an unsually high number of child sex offenders dwon there and I would most certainly want to know if there is or if a sex offender was going to mve into my neighborhood.

Liberal or not I have children to protect.

Also unlike a car thief or or drug abuser, cars can be replaced, drug abusers are mainly hurting themselves, rapist scare their victims for life and sometimes that carries on to the next generation. Violations agianst the body are far more serious.

 

[zodiak]

Missing The Point

My concern is simple ...today we make the rapist wear the scarlet letter, tommorow it will be the car thief, then the drug user, and eventually it will be any person ever convicted of a simple crime will forever have their mistake with them for everyone to judge.

 

[Calgaryfin]

My point is even simpler. Follow the law. There is no law or stipulation in NFL policies that prohibits this. SOOOOOO if you don't like don't buy a ticket and go complain to whatever congressman or senator who will listen and get the law changed if you think it needs to be. But, in the meantime, shut the H up, enough already. If you ladies want to keep whining go tell Nacy Grace about it!


Football talk guys and girls. Oprah doesn't try to get on our show!

 

[ch19079]

i heard a story about a young girl who was raped by a man who lived a few houses down.

he went to jail, and got out a few years later, and lives in the same house that he did before.

the girls family could not sell the house, cus they had to tell everyone who thaught about buying it everything that was wrong with it, (a good law), which includes the fact that a rapist lives a few doors down.
they cant afford to move without selling the house. so they are screwed. i think they are in debt BIG TIME, cus they rent a small apartment away from the area, but still have to pay the morgage on the house. :shakeno:







my point: rapists should be shot. but thats my opinion.