I am a mother, a wife and a rabid NFL fan. My family bleeds UW Purple on Saturdays and Hawks blue and Green every other day of the week. Which is why, as a survivor of a childhood rife with domestic violence, the NFL’s apathetic, reactionary and duplicitous actions regarding this issue places me in an untenable position.
Since the news that brought these matters to light broke, I have struggled to find a way to justify my fandom as a woman raising a young son. As pieces start to fall into place,it seems increasingly likely that the NFL either chose to ignore or refused to view the elevator footage of the Rices before meting out punishment. I can only surmise that it is this same halfhearted, lukewarm approach to curbing Domestic Violence that allows Terrell Suggs, Greg Hardy and Ray McDonald to still play, despite brutal allegations from women in THEIR lives.
It is simply ridiculous for the NFL or its affiliates to think that women across this country will still flock to buy tickets, jerseys or memorabilia from an organization who respects them so little, they enable its employees to beat, humiliate and scare them into submission. And to attempt to continue to play the game of culpable deniability when anyone who follows a draft is cognizant of just how extensive the NFL’s probing of a player can be is an insult to fan intelligence. I am sincerely making the following suggestions:
*An immediate call for the resignation or firing of Roger Gooddell. How can you possibly expect your fans to trust the enforcement of any new Domestic Violence policy when it is left in the hands of a man whose precedence has proven that the preservation stats and scores is more important?
*A policy placing all Domestic Violence suspects on paid administrative leave until their cases are adjudicated. Playing for the NFL is a privilege, not a right. When you allow Domestic Violence suspects to suit up “any given Sunday” the message you send is not “We believe in due process” it’s “We care more about Wins then People.”
*Strong,standing resources that can be accessed ANONYMOUSLY for the families of players in the event of domestic violence issues. Resources equipped to deal with the special circumstances like media and fame that come from being an NFL partner. The resources should also include places the women can go that are entirely unknown to the person they are running from. DO NOT tell me that this is impossible to do. You are the NFL. A $9 BILLION dollar a year industry with an amazing amount of cultural and social influence. Now is not the time to get lazy or lie about what you’re capable of.
*A Domestic Violence Public Awareness Campaign involving players and coaches that incorporates appropriate conflict resolution targeted specifically for American Youth.
You have a chance to dramatically change this discussion but decisive action is needed to make anything of the few shreds of credibility that remain, here. When you are confronted by evil and do nothing, you become complicit in that evil. You aren't leaving your fan base much of choice between being complicit by continuing to support your current corrupt, pernicious culture or walking away from a game that they love. I urge ALL of you to think about the stance you're taking on this because your mothers, sisters, daughters, wives and sons...they're all watching.
No comments:
Post a Comment