September 12, 2014

JB’s NFL Message on Domestic Violence

Like many others, I’ve heard Domestic Violence being mentioned often as of late.  The fact that Ray Rice was abusive towards his girlfriend is nothing anyone can dispute, it was caught on video.  The fact that they went light on his suspension without the video of what happened inside the elevator isn’t surprising, and the fact that his life time suspension has been given after seeing the video is very heartening that they are taking this seriously.

Hearing Domestic Violence being mentioned on the news and within the NFL has been great to hear!  Sadly it takes a case where a NFL star is involved to make them talk about the issue and how important it is to do something about it.

I’ve heard the issue with Ray Rice over and over….yet the news about Timothy Ray Jones killing his 5 children hasn’t been plastered all over our TV’s.  In fact, I hadn’t heard about what happened until I saw it online, and not sure if they put it on the local news or not, I haven’t seen anything mentioned about it.  It’s sad, that Ray Rice is getting so much air time yet the fact that 5 children, ages 1-8, doesn’t rate even near enough mentioning….

I Thank James Brown for his message….more DOES NEED to be done about Domestic Violence!  Hearing it on the news, on talk shows, and within the NFL that is male dominated is needed!  I just pray that this doesn’t fizzle out like I’ve seen it do after other cases of Domestic Violence happening to stars.  I pray that the momentum that we are seeing right now continue and that more become aware of what is going on within our families and just how prevalent Domestic Violence is.

 

By Will Brinson | NFL Writer

September 11, 2014 9:22 pm ET

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James Brown gave an impassioned speech against domestic violence on Thursday. (via CBS)

Few sportscasters are more universally respected than CBS Sports' James Brown. (Claim bias or whatever you want but JB is a pro's pro and good luck finding a dissenting opinion.)

He showed why on Thursday night when he provided an impassioned, rational plea to a national audience -- "the NFL community and all men" -- to do something about domestic violence in light of the Ray Rice situation. Specifically, as he noted two years ago after Chiefs player Jovan Belcher killed his girlfriend and then himself, "to seriously confront the problem."

“Two years ago I challenged the NFL community and all men to seriously confront the problem of domestic violence, especially coming on the heels of the murder-suicide of Kansas City Chiefs football player Jovan Belcher and his girlfriend Kasandra Perkins. Yet, here we are again dealing with the same issue of violence against women.

Now let's be clear, this problem is bigger than football. There has been, appropriately so, intense and widespread outrage following the release of the video showing what happened inside the elevator at the casino. But wouldn't it be productive if this collective outrage, as my colleagues have said, could be channelled to truly hear and address the long-suffering cries for help by so many women? And as they said, do something about it? Like an on-going education of men about what healthy, respectful manhood is all about.

And it starts with how we view women. Our language is important. For instance, when a guy says, ‘you throw the ball like a girl' or ‘you're a little sissy,' it reflects an attitude that devalues women and attitudes will eventually manifest in some fashion. Women have been at the forefront in the domestic violence awareness and prevention arena. And whether Janay Rice considers herself a victim or not, millions of women in this country are.

Consider this: According to domestic violence experts, more than three women per day lose their lives at the hands of their partners. That means that since the night of February 15th in Atlantic City more than 600 women have died.

So this is yet another call to men to stand up and take responsibility for their thoughts, their words, their deeds, and as Deion [Sanders] says, to give help or to get help, because our silence is deafening and deadly.”

It's a well-stated message that came across even better the way Brown phrased it.

In light of everything happening around the NFL these days, it's a lesson everyone would do well to heed.

Source:

CBS Sports.com

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