Ray Rice, Chris Brown, the NFL and the World of Domestic Violence

Published on TheBlot Magazine

Excerpt:

Twitter has been buzzing so loudly on the subject of men hurting women. Even though a video surfaced months ago, nobody can get over seeing NFL star Ray Rice punch his then-fiancee Janay Palmer (who is now his wife!!) in an elevator, knock her unconscious and then drag her out with all the care you’d give to a stinky bag of trash. I’m glad to see the NFL has been feeling the public outrage over Rice’s little slap on the wrist — he’d only received a two-day suspension.

Tell me, why the hell does it take so much to get everyone’s attention?

The good news is Rice suffered a consequence — he was cut from the Baltimore Ravens, which means he won’t be getting his hands on the $4 million he could’ve earned this year. Palmer still married him, though. And not only that, she DEFENDED HIM over his dismissal from the team: “To take something away from the man I love that he has worked his ass off for all his life just to gain ratings is horrific,” she said, implying that it was wrong for the NFL to turn on her Ray-Ray just because of public pressure.

Hello?!

She also wrote, “If your intentions were to hurt us, embarrass us, make us feel alone, take all happiness away, you’ve succeeded on so many levels.”

No, the idea was to embarrass him. To take things away from him for assaulting you.

Her reaction speaks volumes about the domestic abuse cycle. “Just know we will continue to grow,” Palmer added, “and show the world what real love is.” That is so twisted and sad I have to change the subject.

So the NFL in its great sensitivity had originally scheduled Rihanna to sing for Thursday Night Football. The league changed its mind when the public threw venom at it for being so clueless about domestic violence. The irony is almost laughable, if it weren’t so tragic. Rihanna made the papers in 2009 when then-boyfriend Chris Brown pummeled her gorgeous face. And afterward, she, too, went back to her abuser. Where is Brown now? He just pleaded guilty on Sept. 2 to assault for fracturing the nose of a fan who tried to get in a photo with him. Brown was sentenced to time served, two days in jail. Are you kidding me?

Women, wake up! Stay away from men like Ray Rice and Chris Brown — men who abuse women.