I have a lot of mixed feelings over the Ray Rice matter. First of all, I am really disappointed in Ray Rice. Because he went to Rutgers University in my home state of New Jersey, I always followed Ray Rice. I liked how he played the game and I liked how he conducted himself. He gave me no warning that he might be the kind of person to knock his girlfriend unconscious with a savage left hook.
The release of the video is controversial, and I guess it contradicts with what Ray and Janay say happened in that elevator. To that extent, the video tells the truth and is valuable. But the release is also going to be traumatizing to Janay Rice, and very few people seem to care about that.
The NFL has suspended Rice indefinitely and the Baltimore Ravens have released him. Again, I assume this double jeopardy is a result of the video contradicting the Rices’ account of what happened. In other words, it’s not just that he hit her (we knew that), but that they lied about the details.
To whatever small degree her lying adds to her shame, she mostly doesn’t deserve this. And don’t forget that they are now a married couple, so this is some strange justice. Her family loses its main source of income, perhaps forever, and this is supposed to vindicate her right not to be abused.
But, of course, this isn’t all about her. It’s also about every spouse or girlfriend of a professional athlete, and every woman everywhere. And every man.
Still, the whole spectacle is demoralizing on so many levels.
