What to make of Michael Vick's prospective return?
Well, first of all, the NFL is entitled to allow him back if they so desire. It's really their decision. Whether the guy plays or not is not up to the government, PETA, or anyone else.
Having said that, it is perfectly legitimate for anyone to question the wisdom of the decision.
Us? Ambivalence, really. There's no question that what Vick did was cruel and unconscionable. We wouldn't hire him. And something else that prospective employers are going to have to consider is that he could be a divisive presence in the locker room.
No doubt a lot of people will welcome him back and have no problem at all. One of the most common things you heard when he was prosecuted was "it's just dogs." You can tell that to the dogs who were ripped apart if you'd like.
There will be a certain number of people in the NFL though who will never forgive him for what he did - and that's just the league.
Vick really hasn't said or done anything publicly yet, but when he does commit to a team, he'll be a public figure again. He can reasonably expect protestors for some time outside every arena, though that will probably die down. Whichever team signs him should be prepared for a lot of negative publicity and various other levels of outrage.
And while all this will most likely settle down, for the rest of his career, Vick is going to hear taunts. He'll hear barks and woofs and dog jokes. He'll see t-shirts which may be cruel, although certainly they can't be as cruel as what he did to those dogs.