On Monday, TMZ Sports publicly released video footage from February of former NFL Ravens running back Ray Rice, punching his then-fiancée Janay Palmer. Ray Rice was a former NFL player only as of Monday, the same day as the video’s release. Palmer is now, Rice’s wife.
In February 2014, video footage without sound was released of Palmer and Rice entering an elevator and exiting the elevator at the Revel Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Palmer was unconscious upon exit and Rice attempted to shove her feet together and drag her out of the elevator. Rice was suspended for two games when the original video was released. Months later, in May, a press conference hosted by the Ravens was staged to put criticism and curiosity about that night, to rest. At the conference, Palmer publicly apologized for her actions that contributed to the situation that night.
Speculation about the situation was on and off for months, but ironically, the video footage of what happened inside the elevator was released conveniently around the time of Revel’s closing. If the footage is in existence now, then surely it was in someone’s possession since February. And surely, someone must have seen the contents of the video. Someone who is supposedly responsible for the safety of Casino patrons. Or perhaps, someone who holds the title of NFL Commissioner. The NFL Commissioner admitted that suspending Ray Rice for two games was not a strong enough punishment, but did not actually expel him from the team until the full video footage was released to the public.
The unfortunate domestic violence present in the video, as well as the presence of others outside the elevator when Rice drags Palmer out unconsciously, is a powerful testimony that domestic violence affects men and women at all levels of success. For the sake of a name, pride, and season, we overlook the safety, stability, and loving treatment of each other. Ray Rice is currently a former NFL player because the incident was a major PR problem for the Ravens and the NFL, not because of the issue that was presented when a man had physically assaulted his fiancee.
The video can be watched here as well as a more in-depth description from The New Yorker of the timeline of these events and the actions not taken place as they unfolded. When will larger than life football programs such as, Penn State University and the Ravens, realize that perpetrating abuse is not triumphed by the number of fans in their stadiums or the amount of their paychecks? Basic human rights cannot continue to be overlooked for the name of a game.
HCXO,
Taylor