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THE BLUE BANNER 1 WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 10, 2014 I THEBLUEBANNER.NET MEWi #RayRice highlights failure of justice system in NFL Kicking off its season last Thursday, the NFL is no longer bringing in good vibes and positive fans, but instead, heavy scrutiny and disappointed Ameri cans. In, February, video foot age was released by TMZ Sports to both the NFL and the Baltimore Ravens of their running back Ray Rice dragging his then fi ance Janay Palmer, who appeai'ed unconscious, out of a hotel elevator. TMZ Sports also released audio of the hotel staff asking if she was drunk, and uncer tainty of what was wrong with Palmer. After a statement from Rice and meetings with the NFL, it became clear to the public that the sit uation involved foul play. The NFL then decided it was appropriate to sus pend Rice for two games the upcoming season. The Ravens all stood behind Rice, releasing statements about how he is a good Raven, and that people make mistakes. Months later, new foot age surfaced that showed Rice punching and knock ing Palmer unconscious. Finally the Ravens de cided to speak out. John Harbaugh, Raven’s coach; Steve Bisciotti, team own er; Dick Cass, team presi dent and Ozzie Newsome, general manager, all stood behind Rice after the re lease of initial footage of Palmer being dragged out of the elevator. Harbaugh claims Rice’s explanation misled his conclusion of what hap pened and says once he saw the second video, him and the other Ravens teammates unanimous ly decided they had no choice but to release him from the team. So where does the NFL stand throughout all of this? Roger Goodell, NFL commissioner made the call after viewing the first video footage that Rice .Tt ? • • • fff 1 ki 4 WDman wA experience domestic vMence In ttieir Htttne. only deserved a meager two game suspension, but after heavy criticism of the mild severity of a suspen sion after the second video footage released, the NFL suspended Rice from the league indefinitely. There are so many things wrong with the way this is being handled and so many questions that should be thrown at NFL. How are players who are caught in drug violations given longer suspensions than the initial two game suspension given to Rice? Before TMZ Sports leaked the second video. • • ft Domesdc vIoiBncs accounts ftar 1/3 of Hemale homicides. the NFL decided to sus pend Rice for two games, why did they feel the need to suspend him in the first place? Obviously because there was clear evidence of foul play and domestic violence, this shows the NFL’s priorities and what they consider to be a big ger issue. What if the public nev er saw the second video? Would the NFL have even bothered changing their decision to an indefinite suspension? The bigger question to be asked here is this, what if this didn’t involve Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens running back? What if he wasn’t the second leading rusher in franchise history, a three-time Pro Bowl se lection, the team’s career leader in total yards from scrimmage and the only player in Ravens history to rush for 1,000 yards in four consecutive seasons? The answer to this ques tion is honestly probably not much would be dope and not many would have cared. The sad truth is that domestic violence like this happens every day and most of the time it hap pens behind closed doors, in rooms that don’t have cameras. The footage that played all over the internet and television of Rice punch ing his fiance is just one graphic illustration of the realities that happen every day worldwide. The NFL is one of America’s most beloved pastimes and involves some of the highest-paid individuals in the coun try, so when controversy arises amongst its players attention is given. Unfortunately, the NFL is unable to rightly hold this power and rather than sending out positive mes sages out to their audi ence, they took advantage of the power they hold. The NFL has such a big influence and stronghold on Americans that they were able to keep their au dience and support strong Monday evening, regard less of the footage that came out Monday morn ing. The initial reaction of the NFL and the Ravens and most of all the criminal justice system represents our country’s failure to recognize the severity of domestic violence. It represents our failure as a country arid our deep vulnerability that causes our inability to stand up when we see flaw in the system. If you or someone you know Is a victim of domestic violence, the Helpmate emergency center for women and children provides programs and shelter in Buncombe County. The National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 also remains open all year for outreach and support of victims of domestic violence. your daily events can equal great things! Watch your wallet though, as the weekend passes you may find yourself breaking the bank. ^ , Taurus (T ) April 21 - May 21 Early struggles in un- |T J derstanding others may lead to social profit as the week goes on. People may seem easier to deal with, your patience pays off, suddenly you ap preciate and are appreciated in re turn! Keep your options open and don’t let yourself fall too far into the rut of routine. Gemini May 22 - June 21 You might make (^unusual slips of the tongue at awkward times this week. For someone who relies on their wits as much as you do, this can be frustrating in efforts to communicate with those closest to you. This weekend is a great oppor tunity to tackle new information and ideas. A much needed study session or hobby break may be in order. Cancer June 22 - July 22 This week may be tumultuous as your mind and heart com pete for decision-making authority. Hold off on finalizing any important plans until you’ve taken time to mull it over. Spending time comfortably at home with friends or lovers will make this weekend an oasis after a hurricane of a week. it’s within your constant circle of friends, coworkers or fami ly, seeking clarity in communication can’t hurt. Ignorance may be bliss, but you won’t see trouble coming if you don’t look! Virgo Aug. 23 - Sept. 22 Everything chang es. Take hold of your own evolution and decide the direction you’ll be'mov- ing in this week. Burning the mid night oil with your attention to de tail will reflect well on you, so treat yourself this weekend with a fun trip or new experience to prevent burn ing out! Libra Sept. 22 - Oct. 22 You may feel the friction of life rub bing you the wrong way. Now is the time to step back, evaluate the pat terns running through your life and determine what’s working and what isn’t. Balance your indulgences with productivity and vice versa, for your best results this week. m Scorpio Oct. 23 - Nov. 22 Romance and ag gression keep your passions running hot this week. Competition never scares you, but compassion over domi nance will win the confidence and loyalty of your coworkers. Flirtation feels natural for you in the days to come. Stoke the fire with a hot date toward the end of the week. cisions dominate your weekdays, while boisterous fun and games highlight your weekend. Listen closely to those who know you best and look behind you to remember the mistakes you’ve made or your recent efforts will result in turmoil. Capricorn Dec. 22 - Jan. 20 Your patience and ambition are pulling you through some major setbacks, but be ready for the end of the week where your creative talents can finally flourish. You may feel like your life is settling down and becoming a comfortable routine. It’s time to get serious and back to work now the worst is over. Aquarius Jan. 21 - Feb. Take your best qualities and show them off this week! You have a chance to make a positive influence in the lives of those around you. Be wary of over spending or sudden changes — you may be called on to adapt quickly. K Pisces Feb. 20 - March 20 You may have trou ble staying centered and focused during the week. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from those closest to you. Some times the answer you’re looking for is obscured by torrents of emotion al energy. Stay calm and remember, this too shall pass. The Blue Banner Editorial Board KarpmlMl019 (828)251-6586 wwwJhebhiebannernet Grace Raper, Editor-in-Chief graper® unca .edu A.V. Sherk, News Editor asherk® unca .edu Valeri McMurray, Assistant News Editor vrmcmurr@unca.edu Cory A. Thompson, Features Editor coryetc@gmail.com Ashika Raval, Sports Editor araval@unca.edu Shanee Simhoni, Political Correspondent ssimhoni ® unca .edu^ Brian Vu, Photography Editor bvu@unca.edu Jorja Smith, Multimedia Editor jsmith8@unca.edu Emily Honeycutt, Layout Editor ehoneycu@unca.edu Tim Barret, Co-Business Manager tbarrett® unca.edu Tyier Sprinkle, Co-Business Manager tsprinkl @ unca.edu Michael Gouge, Faculty Adviser mgouge@unca.edu Have a news tip? Send to graper@unca.edu The Blue Banner is UNC Asheville’s student newspaper. We publish each Wednesday except during summer sessions, finals week and holi day breaks. Our office is located in Karpen Hall 019. The Blue Banner is a designated forum for free speech and welcomes letters to the editor, considering them on basis of interest, space and timeliness. Letters and articles should be emailed to the editor-in-chief or the appropriate section editor. ‘ Letters should include the writer’s name, year in school and major or other relationshiop to UNCA. Include a telephone number to aid in verification. All articles are subject to editing.
University of North Carolina at Asheville Student Newspaper
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Sept. 10, 2014, edition 1
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