RAY RICE’S KNOCKOUT PUNCH: MORE TO CONSIDER
This article appears in today’s on-line issue of YourNews.com, a national on-line news source.
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20 comments
Eileen
Good questions, Charlie!!!
Jose
Holder should immediately trigger a Federal Civil Rights investigation!
Howard Bernbaum
Until this hit the news, Ray Rice’s presence on this earth had totally escaped my attention.
Perhaps if we held sports in lesser importance to the more important things effecting our lives, these athletes would be drawing more reasonable salaries and treating other people with more respect. Perhaps.
In the meantime, he means nothing to me and has no impact on my life.
It falls in the category of WHOGAS.
EBB
Re: “Six. Haven’t heard a word from the forces of women’s rights. Where are you, NOW?”:
1) Domestic Violence Victim Advocate Groups React to Rice Release, Suspension
“NOW officer Chitra Panjabi expresses the need for action against domestic violence in the NFL for CBS Houston, “This is not the first time that domestic violence has occurred in the league, and it shouldn’t be that when you have a media storm that a response should be made. This should be something that the league is working on all the time.”
2) “NOW Calls for Roger Goodell’s Resignation, Appointment of Independent Investigator
Statement of NOW President Terry O’Neill
09.09.2014
The NFL has lost its way. It doesn’t have a Ray Rice problem; it has a violence against women problem.
According to FiveThirtyEight.com, the relative arrest rate of NFL players is fifty-five percent for domestic violence, and thirty-eight percent for sex offenses.
Days after announcing his new domestic violence policy, Goodell said Ray McDonald of the San Francisco 49ers, who is facing a felony domestic violence charge, could play in the team’s season opener against the Dallas Cowboys.
Greg Hardy is still playing for the Carolina Panthers, even after being convicted in July of choking his former girlfriend and threatening to kill her.
Goodell’s response to accusations that Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones sexually assaulted a woman has been: radio silence. http://now.org/update/domestic-violence-victim-advocate-groups-react-to-rice-release-suspension/
http://houston.cbslocal.com/2014/09/08/national-womens-group-reacts-to-ray-rice-being-released-suspended-by-nfl/
The only workable solution is for Roger Goodell to resign, and for his successor to appoint an independent investigator with full authority to gather factual data about domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking within the NFL community, and to recommend real and lasting reforms.” http://now.org/media-center/press-release/now-calls-for-roger-goodells-resignation-appointment-of-independent-investigator/
Larry Usoff, US Navy Retired
After the initial showing of the FULL video, and the NFL’s indefinite suspension of Rice, who REALLY gives a rodent’s rear end about them? Believe me, there are more important things going on in our world than the utter stupidity of two people.
Donald Gilleland
Everyone is reacting as though there was something magical about the second video. I can’t imagine why it was even necessary to a judgement. The guy just cold cocked her and drug her off of the elevator, with not the slightest showing of remorse. It’s pretty hard to take her defense of him serious after watching these two videos. I won’t be surprised to see them in a divorce court dividing up the $22 million he has already collected. I hope nobody drafts him to play for another team. He is a sick specimen of a man who should not be allowed to escape retribution for his actions.
JKR
Agree with your observations and comments; however:
All of the media attention given to the Ray Rice thing is a distraction from the real issues and problems in the nation and the world. It certainly should not be front page news nor the subject of television lead-ins.
The only good thing that could come out of the media hype is drawing attention to the subject of Domestic Violence But in a short time this story will be old news and the important subject of DV will be dropped.
Domestic violence is a terrible thing and Ray Rice and his girlfriend/fiance/wife is of no more importance than that of any John Doe slugging Jane Doe. Unfortunately, her response if typical of so many abused spouses. There was a great segment on the life Channel titled “Terror at Home.” Rich, poor, black, white; it is all around us.
.Personally, I could care less about Ray Rice. Isn’t it amazing that it took something like this for him to marry his child’s mother?
Patricia
Having worked for a NFL team, NFL player, and friends with numerous retired players …
With each new season of Rookies; the players, their families, the public, the clubs, the press, and their agents overlook more and more inappropriate behavior. I would suspect that only a few individuals in that world are even able to determine what is acceptable and not.
This behavior has been going on since …
One of my friends played for the Bills. While on the team plane during the 1973 preseason, one of the married players was (as my friend phrased it) becoming “inappropriate” with one of the flight attendants. He stood up to come to her defense, and then another teammate came to the player’s defense and quickly everyone was back in their seats. When he arrived home from the flight, his wife announced that the team called for him to come in tomorrow with his playbook. This would have been his eighth season, instead it ended his career. The player making inappropriate advances went on to murder his wife and is now sitting in a Las Vegas jail cell for armed robbery.
Bad behavior is know before a team ever signs a player. Beginning in high school, NFL teams are compiling files on EVERY SINGLE “athlete”. While compiling “free agent” lists for scouts to use immediately following “Draft Day”; there were MANY players that had the athletic ability but not the moral character that some “responsible” owners/teams did not want to contend with in the late 70s.
Today’s player has grown up among his teammates and worshippers from the time he first stepped onto a football field — schools keep his grades up so that he will always be eligible, owners (lacking the athletic abilities) join their players with competing “off the field” bad behavior, and then athletes are “given” millions of dollars that he feels he is due and has never been put in a position to give back. Today’s athletes have completely surrounded themselves with a world that caters to their every dream. There are no consequences and no foreseeable end to the millions pouring in. AND, a little know fact, many can barely read if at all. Another friend coached in the NFL and said that it was difficult since many of his players could barely read.
In Dallas, Daryl Johnston asked a former player’s child to pay $10 for his (Daryl Johnston’s) autograph and then had the nerve to discuss Terry Bradshaw not giving him an autograph when he was a child, Troy Aikman refuses autographs, Dez Bryant was issued a criminal trespassing warning from a local shopping center when he and his friends refused to pull their pants up (the shopping center later withdrew the trespassing) and appearance times are merely an estimate since it is known that few players will actually appear on time for the entire time.
And while all this controversy of who did the right thing at the wrong time swirls around Ray Rice, LeSean McCoy with the Philadelphia Eagles leaves a 20 cent tip on a $61 meal after he and his friends are verbally abusive to the restaurant staff, and other players are testing the domestic violence policies.
I personally blame the agents — they are the ones “hired” to represent the player. For their 10%, they should be making sure that the players are making contributions to their community and society. Player’s salaries are, for the most part, determined before an agent ever meets with a team — in other words, the agents are paid 10% to be part of the cheering section. The players NEED mommies — someone who makes sure they show up at appearances (and stay the agreed upon time), send thank you notes, and can explain to the player that when you are making millions of dollars you don’t need to leave your home if you cannot act in a way that society as a whole would consider appropriate.
Unfortunately, the individuals who could make a difference are either unable to break through the doors that could change the status quo or don’t even want to try to give animals values “which” (not “who”) requires more work than they care to invest in preventing individuals destined to be in prison, drug addicted, or homeless.
Thank you for sharing your views on an event that probably should have been handled like every other criminal event.
Roger L. Cox
It would seem he is qualified to be Zero’s Domestic Violence Czar. He ranks with the rest of them.
Helen Bennett
At first, I couldn’t imagine why that woman would marry him. Shouldn’t his behavior in the elevator have been a wake-up call? But then I realized: MONEY! Now she is upset because his earning potential is damaged, perhaps fatally. No woman should marry a known abuser!
Jan Siren
Marshall, thanks for posting your views and inviting comments. “Patricia’s” response is not only my favorite, she says nearly all that I would have said so I can be brief. We can’t tar all pro athletes with the same brush. They’re not all stupid brutes. I saw Terry Bradshaw playing in his prime (I think) back when I lived in Pittsburgh, now he is one of the more intelligent sports commentators on TV.
Rice is gone, once Goodell is gone the public will turn their attention elsewhere.
marv
As of 5:00 P this day, it was announced that the police had released the 2nd tape to a football official.
If anyone is knowledgeable about the domestic violence between between men and women . any police officer with 3-5 years experience and advised them that in a gradient responding to such is perhaps 2nd to traffic stops. In the (old) days so cops were left with the notion, somebody is going to die here if somebody does not leave. The husband was usually persuaded to leave.. That was over 50 years ago. I was a cop for 30 years and I am now 30 years out. Woman’s organizations became involved, and rightly so, that street justice was no longer an option.Law enforcement , as a whole, established units that would do follow ups on those case’s that became predictable as determined bu a regular uniform unit or was the first responder. from the beginning. I was one of the first officers to be assigned such duty. I beg to tell you of two cases. !) Responded to a domestic ( anonymous call ) my partner and I talked to the parent and mother. In short, The with never opened her mouth and the little girl ( x 3yrs.) and the physical movements of a marionette. We decided that there was fear seeping out of the walls of that house. Worked it to a point with follow up visit’s for nearly a years. Concentrating on the mannerisms of the child. I had one. I built a case and contacted a child services investigator.who moved it in to the system. He called me about a year later advising that that was the first case ever won by the State .
# 2) I lost, Shame partner and I responded to a domestic, women running through the trailer park screaming. We had to wind our way for some twenty minutes trying – listening. We passed a man and woman standing out side of a trailer, stopped and asked the male had he heard anything. His arm lovingly behind her, arm around her throat from the her back……the expression on her face said death is near. These are not lovers in the moon light. We separated them and we switched around talking to them. I told my partner , ” i know this guy. Hes is if one of my night classes / He’s a cop”.. Repeated the procedure and got the same non response. Called a supervisor filled him in and he advised to drive through the park unless we get a serious call, Did that, ,1 hour. We found ourselves at he station. My partner came running out saying that ” he shot her”… > Looking back I envision that that that .45 was at her back,and/or he had her threatened that he was going to snap her neck and shoot all of us and himself , as he did eat the .45. I can not give any stats on the program positive or negative. but I saved one.
To the hearts and minds of people who see domestic violence as a problem in every country . we have 26, 000, reports and acts of rape in the armed services. There are universities that have many and the guilty is still walking the campus, They need to put something in the contracts which includes the recognition of these just past teenage money makers and their significant others are expected to participate in structured family days as the business of running into things that are a little softer than a rock, is mind altering. This is not A -The Siver bullet.
I have a grand daughter that aspires for college and the armed service. This vulture culture weighs heavy on my mind as it did 50 + years ago.. .
. ..
lady jane
Right on, Helen…..
John K
This case has already been closed. He pled out and was “awarded” counseling as the penalty. The old first offender cop out. Plus she refused to press charges.
Freewoman
Thanks EBB for responding to Marshall’s ? “Six. Haven’t heard a word from the forces of women’s rights. Where are you, NOW?”
Was rather shocked and surprised by the following comments:
“In the meantime, he means nothing to me and has no impact on my life.
It falls in the category of WHOGAS.”
“Believe me, there are more important things going on in our world than the utter stupidity of two people.”
“All of the media attention given to the Ray Rice thing is a distraction from the real issues and problems in the nation and the world. It certainly should not be front page” news nor the subject of television lead-ins.”
Had imagined that your readers were more in touch with the world. This incident is not all about a wealthy football superstar. It is about violence against women and the lack of attention paid to this scourge, as evidenced by WHOGAS.
“More than 300 women were shot, stabbed, strangled, beaten, bludgeoned or burned to death over the past decade by men in South Carolina, dying at a rate of one every 12 days while the state does little to stem the carnage from domestic abuse.
More than three times as many women have died here at the hands of current or former lovers than the number of Palmetto State soldiers killed in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars combined.”
It was long needed, very welcome FRONT PAGE NEWS – article below
http://www.postandcourier.com/tilldeath/index.html
Lunar Day
I find it interesting that some of the commentators are more interested in why Women’s Orgs are not more forthcoming in their statements. Actually, quite a lot has been stated in many of the Women’s commentaries. Apparently, the writers simply do not subscribe to the many women’s commentaries as many women do not subscribe the Marshall blog. Why would you question the judgement of women in general about such a topic and why would they have to weigh in on the Frank blog to be active in their commentaries?
Freewoman
“why would they have to weigh in on the Frank blog to be active in their commentaries”
Because “Frank welcomes intelligent and insightful responses to commentary, especially from folks with contrary points of view and other insights to offer.”
Because those WHOGAS’s out there need to be informed.
Because many of Franks’s subscribers appear to be either active or retired police officers who can personally witness to violence against women
Freewoman
Perhaps I needed to add, how very much I take exception to Frank’s following remark:
“I happen to believe in legalizing and controlling the oldest profession in the world. But when a woman marries wealth in exchange for sex and favors, it gives license to the same basic profession only as more permanent arrangement. Of course, we’re not alleging such in this case.”
Having been born in 1941, when women were very strongly discouraged from working (and often legally prevented from doing so) outside the home and to find a way to to work and provide for themselves and their children
But rather to marry someone who would provide for her and their mutual children.
Are those of who followed along those lines of thinking merely WHORES?
`
Charlie
Where are the “Reverend” Jesse Jackson and Race baiter Al Sharpton ?
Could it be that because Ray Rice is black they give him a pass ?