• Advertise
  • Donate
  • Subscribe
    • Become a print subscriber
    • Sign up for e-Newsletter
    • e-Editions
Saturday, September 30, 2023
No Result
View All Result
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
  • News & Features
    • National
    • Local
    • Special Editions
      • MLK Legacy
      • Black History Month
      • The MSR Celebrates Women’s History Month
  • All Sections
    • Opinion
      • Mellaneous by Mel Reeves
      • Word on the Street
      • Reaching Out From Within
    • Health + Wellness
      • Women’s Wellness
      • Parenting Today
      • Minnesota Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Sports
      • Timberwolves/NBA
      • Lynx/WNBA
        • 20 in 20
      • Twins/MLB
      • MN Wild/NHL
      • Vikings/NFL
    • Business
      • Small Business Month Celebration
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
    • Arts + Culture
    • Photo Galleries
      • Photo of the Week
    • MSR Forefront Digital Roundtable Series
      • MSR Forefront Highlights
    • Go Green
    • Education
    • Bulletin
    • Jobs & Notices
      • Legals
      • Announcements
  • Events
    • Submit an event!
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • e-Editions
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
  • News & Features
    • National
    • Local
    • Special Editions
      • MLK Legacy
      • Black History Month
      • The MSR Celebrates Women’s History Month
  • All Sections
    • Opinion
      • Mellaneous by Mel Reeves
      • Word on the Street
      • Reaching Out From Within
    • Health + Wellness
      • Women’s Wellness
      • Parenting Today
      • Minnesota Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Sports
      • Timberwolves/NBA
      • Lynx/WNBA
        • 20 in 20
      • Twins/MLB
      • MN Wild/NHL
      • Vikings/NFL
    • Business
      • Small Business Month Celebration
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
    • Arts + Culture
    • Photo Galleries
      • Photo of the Week
    • MSR Forefront Digital Roundtable Series
      • MSR Forefront Highlights
    • Go Green
    • Education
    • Bulletin
    • Jobs & Notices
      • Legals
      • Announcements
  • Events
    • Submit an event!
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • e-Editions
No Result
View All Result
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
No Result
View All Result

Peterson, Rice and the NFL

by MSR News Online
September 26, 2014
18
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on LinkedIn

The controversies continue

 

 

ThroughMyEyesnew

The media focus on the NFL’s Adrian Peterson and Ray Rice hide ideologies for bashing the NFL and its wealthy Black males. Let’s be clear about four things. I don’t condone:

1. Any kind of abuse, physical or oral, spousal or child.

2. Whites getting preferential treatment over Blacks in prison/no prison options.

- ADVERTISEMENT -

3. Choosing retribution/prison first when restorative second chances are possible.

4. Rushing to dismiss “due process” and “innocent until proven guilty” and unwarranted imprisoning of fathers as abusers of their children.

 

Ignored facts: 

NFL players are half as likely to commit domestic violence as men in their 20s in the general population, according to a study published in USA Today.

- ADVERTISEMENT -

“Gender symmetry” exists: Men strike the first blow in 27 percent of the cases, women strike first in 24 percent of the cases, with violence a mutual brawl the remainder of the time.

Anti-abuse programs work. Thousands of men arrested for intimate-partner abuse have learned to become nonviolent. After four years (if they complete their programs), 90 percent are successful, with 85 percent of the women saying “they now felt very safe.” The success is because the men “desire to save their relationship.”

Former baseball commissioner Fay Vincent wrote two weeks ago that to punish once and then attempt to punish again smacks of double jeopardy (the guarantee against being “twice put in jeopardy” is a constitutional right).

Skin color in Minnesota is often the criteria for who is or is not picked for prosecution (see my 2002 book The Minneapolis Story). In chapter 15 (“The Story of Punting the Minnesota Vikings…”), I suggest that the White power structure is uncomfortable with highly paid and visible Black men in town, living in their neighborhoods and playing on their golf courses, resulting in their “the Vikings should move” (see my December 2, 2003 “roll call” of those saying so).

 

- ADVERTISEMENT -

Important questions include:

Is the hollow, false ring of Commissioner Goodell’s statements about Ray Rice because Goodell is lying about not having seen the elevator tape seen by practically everyone else in the free world?

How do we develop understandable common definitions for “discipline” and “abuse”?

How do we factor in Charles Barkley’s statements: “We spank kids in the South,” and “I’m from the South. Whipping — we do that all the time”? So what do we do? Jail every parent?

Is the media focus because of conservatives who own teams and/or because the NFL is a stepping-stone to wealth and success for Black males?

- ADVERTISEMENT -

As Rice and Peterson told the truth and worked it out with the NFL, their teams and their families months ago (four months ago for Peterson, six months ago for Rice), why is this now treated as “new,” with media mobs racing to destroy these two Black families?

With assaults through public policy on Black families, don’t we owe more to Peterson and Rice to allow them to demonstrate they understand the new boundaries of discipline, wanting to be good fathers, or is it more important to abuse their children by imprisoning their fathers and stripping away their means to support their families?

As Adrian Peterson is a good person well loved and respected in his hometown of Palestine, Texas and in Minnesota, how is it that a few minutes in his life are used to define many years of outstanding behavior, as Peterson credits his success in life to his strict discipline as a child (as does Charles Barkley)?

Why is media using this to distract from real problems: racial tensions and injustices and serious threats to national security? Don’t let this draw attention away from how Blacks are unequally treated, especially in the criminal justice system.

Stay tuned.

For Ron’s hosted radio and TV show’s broadcast times, solutions papers, books and archives, go to www.TheMinneapolisStory.com. To order his books, go to www.BeaconOnTheHillPress.com. 

Support Black local news

Help amplify Black voices by donating to the MSR. Your contribution enables critical coverage of issues affecting the community and empowers authentic storytelling.

Donate Now!

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...
ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Post

Help shape our city

Next Post

Abusers not restricted to Black athletes

MSR News Online

Reach the MSR staff at msrnewsonline@spokesman-recorder.com.

You Might Also Like

Prosecutors charge Nevada man for the murder of Tupac Shakur
Arts & Culture

Prosecutors charge Nevada man for the murder of Tupac Shakur

Black Business Spotlight: Syndicate Music Group
Black Business Spotlight

Black Business Spotlight: Syndicate Music Group

Concerns mount over ‘extreme’ school board candidates in Minnesota
Local

Concerns mount over ‘extreme’ school board candidates in Minnesota

Don’t forget to check your blood pressure
Health & Wellness

Don’t forget to check your blood pressure

Wanted: Younger workforce ready to learn about climate jobs
Go Green

Wanted: Younger workforce ready to learn about climate jobs

Gopher tennis coach rebuilds a competitive team
Sports

Gopher tennis coach rebuilds a competitive team

Next Post

Abusers not restricted to Black athletes

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
ADVERTISEMENT

Upcoming Events

Sep 12
September 12 @ 6:30 pm-December 18 @ 9:30 pm Recurring

Vic Volare Presents MUSIC FOR MARTINIS ft: Vic’s Fabulous Nightclub Academy

Sep 30
10:00 am-3:30 pm

Hands Across the Mississippi Walk for Peace and Justice

Sep 30
12:00 pm-3:00 pm

Live, Laugh, Learn Breast Cancer Event

Oct 3
October 3 @ 8:30 am-October 4 @ 5:30 pm

Insects: Little Body, Big Impact | Nobel Conference 59 | Virtual or In-Person

View Calendar
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Read our latest e-Edition!

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Subscribe

  • Home/Office Delivery
  • Weekly e-newsletter
  • e-Editions

Support

  • Donate
  • Subscribe
  • MSR Newsstand Locations

Connect

  • About
    • MSR Staff
  • Contact
  • Send a news tip
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms

© 2023 Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

No Result
View All Result
  • News & Features
    • Local
    • National
  • All Sections
    • Arts & Culture
    • Health & Wellness
      • Women’s Wellness
      • Parenting Today
      • MN Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Business
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
      • Small Business Month Celebration
    • Opinion
    • Sports
  • Events
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • Donate
  • Subscribe

© 2023 Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d bloggers like this: