Baltimore Ravens running back, or former running back, Ray Rice, has been “sacked by his team and banned indefinitely by the NFL,” according to the BBC. Not only has this shed a light on domestic abuse, but it has also brought up the contemplation that the NFL’s been playing a crooked game.
A horrifying video of Rice and his wife, Janay Rice, fighting in an elevator surfaced on social media and went viral in July. The fight in the video escalates to the point where Rice punches his wife so hard in the face she is knocked out cold, he then proceeds to drag her unconscious body out of the lift. People across the country, even the world, were shocked after seeing the violent video, but not as shocked as when his wife began defending him and his actions.
The two are both victims of abuse in the situation, because before the swing that blacks her out, Janay does spit at and shove Rice. However, being a NFL player, and even just a strong man, a punch from him could have easily killed her.
At the time the video surfaced, Rice was only banned from two games, but after a swarm of protests and criticism from the public, in early September, his contract was promptly “terminated.”
However, the most jaw dropping detail of all is the fact that the wife is defending him and not pressing charges. An estranged Janay posted text on her Instagram stating, “I woke up this morning feeling like I had a horrible nightmare, feeling like I’m mourning the death of my closest friend. But to have to accept the fact that it’s really a nightmare in itself. No one knows the pain that the media and unwanted [opinions] from the public has caused my family. To make us relive a moment in our lives that we regret everyday is a horrible thing. To take something away from the man i love that he has [worked for] all his life just to gain ratings is horrific. THIS IS OUR LIFE! What you don’t all get. If your intentions were to hurt us, make us feel alone, take all happiness away, you’ve succeeded on so many levels. Just know we will continue to grow and show the world what real love is! Ravensnation we love you!”
Despite the petty drama a post like this demonstrates, Janay has some good points. “To take something away from the man I love that he has [worked for] all his life just to gain ratings is horrific.” Of course his career will end with this public humiliation, because it looks bad for the NFL. It is sad actually that this is the only reason he is being fired however, because in no job out of the public eye would someone be fired. Millions of physical abuse cases happen annually, but no abusers have been losing their jobs. The NFL clearly called it quits on his career because of the public discretion, because they wanted to look good. They’ll fire someone for this but they’ll keep a convicted felon in the League. Don’t know what I’m talking about? The Baltimore Ravens stood by Ray Lewis in 2000 when the player faced charges of Murder. Murder.If this doesn’t prove how corrupt the NFL is,I don’t know what will. They’ll fire someone for a leaked abuse video but not for someone who is suspected of murder. It’s disgusting really.
