Message from the Representation Project re: Ray Rice...
If you use twitter, you can send a message using the notbuyingit hashtag. Here's more info:
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Last week, the National Football League (NFL) suspended Baltimore Ravens running back, Ray Rice, for a mere two games. The decision was issued when video footage was released of Rice dragging his unconscious fiancée out of an elevator, having apparently beaten her. The response from the football community has been bleak. John Harbough, Head Coach of the Baltimore Ravens, said the suspension is "not a big deal... it's just part of the process," and that he would continue to support Rice. Further, even though over 50,000 people have signed a petition saying the NFL "has consistently shied away from meaningful punishments for domestic abuse", the NFL senior vice president of labor policy claimed the punishment was "appropriate."
As this situation highlights, the lack of NFL leadership to put an end to domestic abuse results in the perpetuation of cultural violence across the NFL. In fact, in 2013 alone, 21 of 32 NFL teams employed at least one player with a domestic or sexual violence charge on their record. This is reprehensible. And as TIME reporter Eliana Dockterman reports,
"Excusing these players’ actions sends the message that the country’s number one sports league doesn’t care about women (unless they’re attending games or buying merchandise)."
This nonchalant attitude about violence has to stop! I've called on the NFL and the Baltimore Ravens to properly address the issue, and you can, too. So join us on Twitter in telling the NFL and the Ravens that you're #NotBuyingIt and that they must take real action to stop this cycle of violence. Together we can shift culture away from violence and toward peace and respect.
Onwards,
Jennifer Siebel Newsom & The Representation Project team
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