Why Ray Rice Should Be Rehabilitated, and Why Violence Is Tolerated

It was a brutal knockout left hand, delivered to his then fiancee. Months later, after pseudo courts and shoddy investigating, the truth about that knockout blow, came to light.

In the aftermath, an NFL suspension and massive media scrutiny, questions about how to proceed from here, remain answerless, to a degree.

Ray Rice photo courtesy Wikipedia

We are aware of the widespread and deserved scrutiny upon Ray Rice, and we are also aware of the empathy in our feelings for the victim. She is the only victim here, in this particular case.

What I think should happen, to not only the victim, but also to society, is the continuing chance to live healthfully, and without fear of violence. Two paths exist to that healthy and non-violent lifestyle.

One is with Ray Rice, as is the circumstance at this date. The second path is obvious, and that is without Ray Rice. There are some that will say the latter is the absolute path, and they may indeed be true. But because we have publicly witnessed the contrary, we should address the victim's health, in that regard.

What can the NFL, the judicial branch, law enforcement, and society do, to ensure that the horrendous act we saw on video, of a beaten female victim, unconscious in a casino elevator, will never happen again? Is there anything, anyone can do, to guarantee this act does not repeat itself?

Maybe there is.

The first step should obviously be to address the health of the victim. And although I do not have any facts about anything that has transpired between Ray Rice and his victim, other than media reports about a press conference with the NFL, and of course, the marriage between Rice and the victim, a marriage that happened sometime between February and August of 2014.

Ray Rice obviously needs intense and proactive counseling, the kind that is constant and interactive in nature. That kind of rehabilitation is absolutely needed to guarantee the victim's rights and safety. Ray Rice, no matter how pathetic he is, also deserves some sort of chance at rehab, if for nothing other than being a human being. This approach too, guarantees at least a chance of a non-violent existence, and that alone should be the focus of our efforts.

Ray Rice should be charged formally, with Assault, and that will probably happen. In the meantime, we should examine why we let this happen, and what we as a country need to do to prevent it.

Violence is no stranger to America, and from the earliest days, violence has been our working hand. To protect the vulnerable, America would be wise to ask: Who else is to blame here?

Of course, the crime itself, the vicious attack, is Ray Rice and Ray Rice only. But what happened afterwards, may also be criminal. The criminal behavior I am referring to, is the blatant disregard to the evidence and to the victim. Law enforcement and the NFL, had the video of the crime, and did nothing. Law enforcement had witnesses, and did nothing. The Ravens, had evidence, and did nothing except hide the truth and protect their money running back. The NFL, had not only evidence, but the power to conduct a real inquiry, and did nothing other than intimidate the victim and cover for their star running back.

If America's judicial branch does not come down hard on the NFL, the Baltimore Ravens, and the law enforcement personnel who orchestrated this cover-up, then citizens should question their government, and demand accountability and action.

America should wake up, and realize that money at the top prevents action. Money at the bottom -ground level, so to speak- is the saving grace of entities like the Center Against Rape and Domestic Violence. CARDV and other women's advocates, depend not only on your money, but also your intent on vilifying violence against women. According to the CARDV website, men commit 95% of domestic violence crime.

Violence is tolerated in America, because our society is afraid to give up that power. Control is power, and money is power, and the NFL has all three. So does society. We cater to racism in the form of Westboro Baptist Church free speech, and we cater to violence upon women by turning the other cheek and cheering the NFL on Sundays, ignoring our own mothers, sisters, and daughters. We glorify video games like Grand Theft Auto, with its scenes of violence, ultimately chosen by the game-player themself. It is simple tragedy, and the way to stop it is by demanding action from those in power, and by teaching not only our children, but also our adults, how to prevent violence.

The NFL and the Baltimore Ravens owe the victim and they owe society. Every effort should be made, to accommodate the victim's return to perfect physical and mental health. The NFL should also invest in education and resources that devalue violence and promote healthy relationships.

The only way to a progressive future, one where women have no fear, is to proactively protect women's rights, by having appropriate consequences (jail time in this instance), and appropriate rehabilitation. Caring about the victim, means caring about her future.

For information and help:

http://www.thehotline.org/
http://www.whbw.org/programs/24-hour-hotline/