The Independent Voice of Southern Methodist University Since 1915

The Daily Campus

The Daily Campus

The Independent Voice of Southern Methodist University Since 1915

The Daily Campus

The Independent Voice of Southern Methodist University Since 1915

The Daily Campus

Yet another whisper amid a sea of shouting faces

The NFL and its fan base have been wrapped up in the case of former Baltimore Ravens’ running back Ray Rice.

This is now the third time I have put my fingers to a keyboard to talk about this case, and it makes me sick.

After seeing the most recent video, my feelings of disgust towards Rice were cemented.

Part of being a man is being in control of your actions and managing to maintain composure in even the most difficult situations.

Recently I re-watched the film “Good Morning Vietnam,” starring the late great Robin Williams. There is a scene where Williams is teaching English (mostly profanity) to the natives and he presents a scenario to his class to see what common phrases they would use to respond.

A waitress walks over to your table, trips and spills soup all over you. What do you say to her? What do you do?

One older man says he does nothing. He says nothing.

Williams says they staff comes out of the kitchen and starts stabbing the man with knives, spoons, and forks. What would he say?

The man looks at Williams, smiles and says, “Wait to die.”

Obviously, waiting to die while someone is stabbing you with various utensils is an ill-advised course of action.

However, the point stands, no matter what is happening, one must maintain self-control and act appropriately.

I want everyone to remember that in my first piece about Rice, I made it very clear that his actions where never okay- there is never an excuse, never a viable reason to hit a woman.

I stand by that, one-hundred percent. I think Rice is a terrible excuse for a man. He lost his composure and made a very stupid mistake.

That’s right mistake, I have no reason to believe he walked into that elevator with any intention to hit his then fiancée.

I was raised to believe that there is almost never simply black and white, but a whole lot of gray.

Everyone brings to every situation, their own baggage and their own set of circumstances. One situation is not the same for one as another.

Being raised with this sort of mentality propels me to look for the best people, and give them the benefit of the doubt until they give me a reason not to.

Sometimes though, there isn’t hardly any gray is there?

I also made a mistake trying to argue that media irresponsibly used the word abuse during its coverage of Rice’s trial.

I still think the word abuse was used haphazardly, and that media capitalized on the case to generate page views for their sites.

The NFL, while slow to act, has responded enough to developments in this case to prevent serious and permanent damage to itself. However, I do not think it has punished Rice enough.

This is why my argument has been confusing to some. They assume that because I took issue with the word abuse, I am siding with Rice.

I am not.

They assume that because I think the word ‘abuse’ adds extra negative connotations to the already negative image Rice has given himself that I sympathize with him.

I do not.

I simply think that words need to be taken seriously and used with caution.

After arguing with others and myself for some time over Rice, I realize that the point I am trying to make cannot exist within the realm of this situation.

No matter how I try to present it, the fact that Rice knocked his then fiancée (now wife) unconscious, will take precedence- and rightfully so.

A conversation about words has no place in a battle of actions.

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