It seems as though no matter where I turn or what news outlet I tune into all I hear about are the actions of the National Football League. Whether the argument is about Ray Rice’s elevator knock out or Adrian Peterson teaching his child a lesson, news outlets find it more important than discussing real world problems like the ongoing threat of the terrorist organization ISIS. So following in the wise ways of CNN, MSNBC, FOX and the like let’s discuss football and its apparent counterpart, domestic violence.
For anybody living under a rock and have yet to see the video of Rice knock his then-fiancé Jannay Palmer to the floor, let me recap it for you. The two enter an elevator together and are obviously fighting. All of a sudden he smacks her in the face, she gets upset steps towards him, brings her hand up and then instantly she’s on the floor, knocked out cold. Right after, Rice stands in the elevator next to his unconscious fiancé as if nothing happened while she’s lying on the floor. He didn’t crouch down to see if she were okay, to check if she were still breathing or bleeding even. Acting as if it were an everyday occurrence makes me wonder, is it an everyday occurrence for him to beat his significant other?
What gives a man the idea that he has the right to physically harm not only his partner but anyone? Being a professional football player is not a job that is to brought into relationships or the home.
In a way I can respect Janay Palmer for standing by Ray Rice during his time of need, it is very 1990’s Hilary Clinton of her. After all, she did marry him after the incident in which he knocked her out cold and proceeded to drag her body out of an elevator with absolutely no remorse as if she were a rag doll.
Since when does society condone such behavior? Why are fans still wearing Ray Rice jerseys? Why are women proudly displaying their love of the football player and going on live television to declare it? Is it for the love of the game or is it the love of the man? These women are saying that their main issues lie with the league because of their discrepancies in the suspension of Rice. In February the NFL gave Rice a two game suspension after the incident and only suspended him indefinitely when the video leaked.
Whatever the NFL decides to do we know that they won’t be doing it for Janay, or Rice, they’ll be doing it for the game. After all, this is a $9 billion dollar industry.