RAY RICE ‘ELEVATOR LOGIC’ REVEALS A SORRY CONFLUENCE OF POLITICAL CORRECTNESS, CULTURE DIVIDE, and GENDER WAR … or … NEVER GIVE A SAGA AN EVEN BREAK
By DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEEKEND EDITION, SEPT. 12-14, 2014) — The new Batmobile from Batman v Superman has been unveiled.
A Real Housewives of New Jersey couple are headed for prison and have put their mansion up for sale.
Britney has signed up for Tinder
All that, and the Ray Rice Slamathon continues as the biggest story in America.
Yogi once famously said “It ain’t over ’til it’s over.” Or, as THE PLANET has said a number of times, both for Pittsfield and America: “It’s over.”
Celebrity, Glamour, and Vapidity
The Ray Rice saga reveals all in one the corruption of professional and big-time college sports, the hypocrisy of the culture (and gender) wars, and the fatal fascination the masses have with celebrity, glamour, scandal, and vapidity.
Let us repeat: I.T.’S. O.V.E.R. Who will argue otherwise?
For example, here’s what that great bastion of Right Thinking, the National Organization of Women, says about The Passion of Ray Rice:
“The only workable solution is for [NFL commissioner] Roger Goodell to resign, and for his successor to appoint an independent investigator with full authority to gather factual data about domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking within the NFL community, and to recommend real and lasting reforms,” NOW president Terry O’Neill said in a statement. “The NFL sets the example for college, high school, middle school and even elementary school football programs. And the example it is setting right now is simply unacceptable.”
The example? For that now-infamous cuff to the chin, Rice is now persona-non-grata, out of a job, and shown to be the jerk he is. What else should the league do with the guy? Or is that why we have courthouses? Let we forget, this is one man, one woman, and one elevator. Is O’Neill saying that the NFL is a thug league? Careful, there. Almost 70% of current NFL players are black.
NOW is promoting the Twitter hashtag #ResignGoodell as a way of spreading its message. How about the hashtag #MindYourOwnBiz or #ButOutBusybody. And while were at it, what about the assault charges the Atlantic City police filed against Janay [nee Palmer] Rice for taking a few jabs at her beloved? Those charges were later dropped, apparently because she was a woman and therefore incapable of domestic violence. Still, on the elevator videotape, Janay gives Ray a good poke before they climb aboard. Was this type -of give-and-take the blissful couple’s idea of foreplay?
Then, after all that, Janay Palmer consents to become Mrs. Ray Rice. Now, she’s defender her man, so why the fuss?
Woah. Is NOW Saying Women Can’t Think Logically?
Women’s groups have been coming to Janay’s defense citing “battered woman syndrome,” as well they have a right to do, but doesn’t this defense essentially admit that women do not have the strength, courage, or will power to act in their own best interests? Doesn’t an application of the “battered” defense pretty much say women are prisoners to their emotions, hostage to their hormones, and incapable of strategic, willful thought? And in this case, does it not allow women, by virtue of their gender, to play the victim card on behalf of another woman, who herself has defended her man’s actions?
NOW and O’Neill haven’t answered yet.
The much-battered Roger Goodell, meanwhile, continues his slow walk up Calvary, taking on the weight of the sins America’s culture and gender wars have created in this regard. His cross is made of politically correct lumber.
Actually, lost amid the chaos, is that neither Goodell, the NFL, nor the Baltimore Ravens could have received access to the infamous elevator video (now more famous than either The Zapruder Film, Citizen Kane, or even Yentl) sooner than they did. When police filed charges against Rice (and Palmer, as we have seen), the videotape became evidence in a criminal case. It was as of that moment an investigatory exhibit in a case where the accused were innocent, since they had not been proven guilty.
Anyone familiar with criminal justice procedure would understand that and not find post-facto culpability. Nonetheless, domestic violence along with campus date rape being the current Flavor of the Season in the gender wars, the wolves, wolverines, and wolf-ettes were quick to pounce. By doing so, they showed their ignorance of procedure under the rules of law by which the courts must adhere.
THE PLANET has been telling you for a while that our societal cluelessness about civics would ultimately do us in. This is how so many faulty and erroneous conclusions have been made about the Ray Rice case, especially on the part of those “well-meaning-do-gooders-who-know-what’s-best-for-the-rest-of-us” who try to apply application of one unique case to the culture itself.
What Happened to Free Speech?
THE PLANET realizes that to say as much in today’s era of censorship through political correctness is dangerous. Ask Ted Robinson, a radio broadcaster for the San Francisco 49ers. Robinson, in discussing the case, said that Janay Rice had some responsibility to bear for not making her side of the story public. He also called her decision to marry Rice even after the elevator incident “pathetic.”
For these arguable but reasonable points, the 49ers immediately suspended Robinson for two games and ordered that he undergo “sensitivity training.” Good, lord, whatever happened to the First Amendment’s constitutional guarantee of free speech?
Goodell, in his self-defense, made the crucial point about the limitations he and the league were under in terms of the tape:
“Once a criminal investigation begins, law enforcement authorities do not share investigatory material [such as the videos here] with private parties such as the NFL,” Goodell wrote. “In addition, the state’s Open Public Records Act excludes material that is generated in the context of an active law enforcement proceeding.” While Rice is in a pretrial diversion program, his case remains open.
In the Salem-type hysteria that has followed the case, Goodell’s point found itself on the Jupiter 2, Lost in Space. Few heard it or wanted to hear it.
You might accuse THE PLANET of contributing to the hype by this very discussion, but you would be wrong. We are merely trying to cut through the ignorance, emotions, and political correctness to see this case for what it is: An immature gangsta-type Alpha male and his premature, unformed bimbo fiancee (now wife) unable to handle their lifestyle choices. Only this and nothing more, as The Divine Edgar might put it.
Our dumbed-down society and culture have lost sight of the healthy lines of demarcation that once cordoned off big-time sports from the events of substance that impact our lives in far more significant ways.
That, too, is vanity.
Have a great weekend, everybody.
———————————————————————————— —
“The fogcomes / on little cat feet. / It sits looking / over harbor and city / on silent haunches / and then moves on.” — Carl Sandburg, “Fog,” (1916)
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
Most people, caught on tape punching a domestic partner, go straight to jail, no ands, ifs or buts. But as we have seen right here in Pittsfield, rules are not for special people but rather only for the sub classes.
The 49ers took action against their radio guy yet they allow one of their defensive starters continue to play after he was arrested for felony domestic violence last week after “alledgedly” hitting his PREGNANT fiancee…WTF!!
The NFL had the elevator tape back in April. Goodell, as usual, covered things up for one of his favorite franchises, and gave Rice a ridiculous slap on the wrist 2 game suspension. Now that the video, which I am 100% convinced he knew about and saw long ago, becomes public he finally felt forced to actually do something. He is a corrupt and dishonest joke of a commissioner and has done more things to wussify and ruin the game we love than any commissioner in the history of the NFL. Ask any player what they think about Thursday night games or playing in London, and they’ll tell you it’s not about player safety, it’s all about making money.
And don’t forget – the NFL bought off the politicians to put in a law exempting them from paying any taxes. That’s right, one of the wealthiest corporations in the US pays no taxes at all.
Not good here Dan. The quote you take from Goodell above is in direct contradiction of the facts. The NFL had the tape in April, see here, http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/11503851/ray-rice-videotape-sent-nfl-executive-april. This is not about political correctness and free speech. It is about money. Listen to people discuss this and many still say if Ray Rice is as good as he was, he can play on their team regardless of what he does. Not cool.
Your discussion of NOW and battered women syndrome is not insensitive; it is Ill-informed and ignorant. Dear lord Dan, linking battered women syndrome to hormones and emotions is akin to telling the combat vet with PTSD to buck up and get a friggin job. I don’t know if Janay Rice fits the criteria for battered women, but the syndrome is real, paralyzing and serious…not some hormonal thing that “allows them to play the victim card.” Stick to local politics Dan, or to quote The Big Lebowski; “shut the f*#% up Donny, you’re out of your element.”
This.
Well I have to defend DV here for saying what so many of us are thinking but are afraid to say. The most important point for me in this article is the one about how pc has become a way to censor free speech.
This case is great example. Dan offers a strong case for a different take on the Ray Rice matter and hes told to “shut the F$$$ up.” Seems to me again, and he probably didn’t have this as the plan, but DV has made his point brilliantly by rousing others to provide the proof (for example MrG118’s comment). Like hte beer ad said, “Brilliant”!
But Kevin, he does not offer a strong case for a different take. He offers the standard NFL denial taken straight from Roger Goodell, who is clearly lying, wrapped up in some dogma about political correctness and victim blaming which calls into question the existence of battered person syndrome. As I said, battered woman/person syndrome is just as real, and just as damaging as PTSD. There are volumes of scholarly articles demonstrating that. I agree with you that political correctness is often used as a bludgeon to censor free speech, but this is not one of those cases. Dan is out of his element in my opinion, and that was the focus of my quote…the other part is just funny, if you’ve seen the movie.
There has not been any censoring of free speech during all this, including Ted Robinson’s. He always was, and still is, free to say anything he wants. The 49ers have a right to suspend an employee if they want to, there are always clauses in these contracts permitting such. The NFL also has a right to suspend players for certain conduct, it’s all in their contract with the NFLPA.
If anyone bothers to read the 1st amendment it’s easy to see there has been violation of free speech here.
I meant ‘there has been NO violation of free speech here’.
@ BOC I have read the first amendment. Robinson was suspended not for any old reason but for his words ,which I actually agree with. Subjecct of domestic violence has long been out of rational discussion and in realm of policial correctness.
@ Mrg1118 DV has a totalyl different take, seeing in this isolated case the larger story namely the scary impact pc has had on freedom.
…and no I haven’t seen the movie.
sorry about spelling typed from phone
MRG, BOC, & KEVIN
We appreciate the input. I would only point out what the column says: The case points to the larger problem of a dumbed down society that allows itself to become riveted by stories like this.
Dan:
I am sorry to go off topic, but I had to weigh-in on appointment of the new Director of Downtown Inc. As most people know I have not been a big supporter of Downtown Inc., for several reasons.
In it’s early years Downtown Inc. was a wonderful organization. Then, in my opinion, it was taken over by a few” Special Interests” people.
Now I believe that it is time to give Kate McGuire and Kristine a chance to revive the spirit of the old organization that catered to the merchants large and small. From what I have been told Kristine is has been doing the job for a long time and Kate McGuire has proven her worth over and over again.
As for the City financial help I am not that concerned because with the “New” leadership I believe that the money will be spent wisely.
I would like to see the organization grow and get a new title – PITTSFIELD INC.
Good show last night – You have a great “Sound Man”!!!!
Thanks, BILLY. You’re right about that sound man.
Kate’s overrated and drives a company car, and is for all intensive purposes a double dipper, (two salaries).
Intents and purposes*
NEWS ARTICLE:
“Pittsfield mayor welcomes ‘opportunity for a just hearing’ on discrimination complaint”
By Jim Therrien, Berkshire Eagle, 9/12/2014
PITTSFIELD — Mayor Daniel L. Bianchi said in a brief statement released Friday that he “welcomes the opportunity for a just hearing” on a complaint filed with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination against him and the city by former Veterans Services director Rosanne Frieri.
Frieri, who was fired by the mayor Aug. 21, filed a complaint with the agency on Tuesday in Springfield, alleging “a hostile work environment,” job-related retaliation and discrimination based on age, sex and disability, her attorney said.
Bianchi received formal notification of the complaint on Thursday, according to his office. He released this statement on Friday, saying: “MCAD is an agency that was set up many years ago to hear workers’ complaints. They are required to review every complaint regardless of its merit. The city has a history of MCAD complaints often being dropped during the review process or just before the MCAD issues a decision. We welcome the opportunity for a just hearing.”
Albert J. Cimini of Pittsfield, who represents Frieri in the matter, told The Eagle Tuesday the filing was “basically a wrongful termination case.” He noted that if the process before the MCAD fails to produce an acceptable settlement, Frieri also has the option of filing suit in Superior Court.
He has said she is seeking to be reinstated in her job.
Frieri was first suspended without pay on Aug. 5 and later fired on Aug. 21 by the mayor.
He alleged she had failed to prepare a fiscal 2015 budget for the veterans services office, did not follow a directive to attend a City Council meeting to address deficits in her 2014 budget, was late for work without giving proper notification, and sent “inappropriate and unprofessional emails” to a city official and made “demeaning” remarks to another.
Frieri contends that she was verbally “badgered” by the major during a March meeting in his office and that other officials at City Hall afterward began to raise objections to veterans programs she was overseeing, such as a pilot equine therapy program she established this year for local veterans.
The mayor has denied Frieri’s allegations about the March meeting.
A job posting on the city website sought applications for a full-time director of Veterans Services for Pittsfield. Applications were due by Friday.
Bianchi has said he will create a panel with local veterans and city Personnel Department officials to review the applications and make a recommendation on a replacement for Frieri. A former city veterans officer, Larry Caprari, who is retired, has been hired to work in the office until a new director is hired.
I find it very frustrating that Mayor Dan Bianchi welcomes the discrimination complaint made against him and the municipality by Rosanne Frieri. What if he is wrong? How much money will Rosanne Frieri and her Attorney Al Cimini receive from the taxpayers? Pittsfield politics continues to suck more and more everyday.
Like I said before the city employees are cover by the City’s Insurance Company that’s why they don’t worry about any lawsuits. We the tax payers pay for their defense. Maybe it’s time to file against them personally; that way they are hold accountable for their actions and think twice before abusing their power.
Yes Mayor, your own Administrative Assistant is supporting Frieri’s accusations. Were these three individuals in the March meeting the same three from 2011? A lot more people know the truth; so sad that more people don’t speak up.
Now Dunkin’ Donuts want to knock down St. Mary’s on Tyler St. I didn’t care about the old school but that church is beautiful inside and out….what a shame!
What a shame? What else are you going to do with that decaying relic??? Putting it back on the tax rolls certainly isn’t a bad thing… Vacant decaying houses of worship should not be tax exempt indefinitely. Give the bishop of Springfield a five or even ten year window to sell the property and turn it back to a viable tax revenue stream for the city. I’m sure Pittsfield taxpayers would welcome any tax relief this could provide!
I’m just recovering from a fit of laughter… One comment in the BB stated Dunkin’ Donuts should keep the church and “serve a side of Jesus”
the St. Mary’s lesson is to show the City that the company is pissed off about denying the drive through on First Street.
Where’s Bob Costas when there’s no gun to blame? How about the “NFP” NFL have a discussion on performance enhancing drugs, head injuries and thier affect on players psychological well being???
I agree what this boils down to is two idiots who are now realizing that though they escaped any real legal ramifications because of social status for thier actions and thier public display of a lack of self control is going to cost them big time. I don’t feel bad for them Ray Rice and all the others are paid big bucks all they have to do is take care of themselves and display a good public image. Just like Wes Welker taking drugs. You get paid enough money to stay drug free and in optimal physical condition. These guys shouldn’t be out partying, doing drugs, drinking and slapping thier old ladies around. The glamorization of sports and money it gets as well as the image it projects as a leading example for youth while there’s homeless people starving outside stadium walls is disturbing and telling evidence of a society in decline.
uh oh. did you say old ladies? There has got to be a group of woman who think that is negative.
There probably is but since I’m not in spotlight or position of power it can’t be used against me to ruin me. I think that’s part of it people love ruining other people and once it gets started more just jump on the bandwagon and then people start gathering to support and the whole thing just ends up being a nightmare. I’m glad I don’t have cable and this is one big reason why. I will not subject myself or my family to 24 hours of garbage of the same crap day in and day out. And to think the original reason I canned it was because my 6 year ild was running to me holding the phone with urgency in his voice saying “dad they said you had to call now!” For what I asked “a snuggy” he replied.
This column actually says a lot, about the disturbing mix of sports entertainment celebrity news…a cultural witche’s brew.
From DV: ‘An immature gangsta-type Alpha male and his premature, unformed bimbo fiancee (now wife) unable to handle their lifestyle choices.’
sez it all.
At Scott, Really? it’s apples and oranges, I’ll stick with mine. But really, do we want to go down the topix path? I’d be correcting your grammar all week…
I always take grammar/spelling corrections with open arms it’s how I knew you misspelled the phrase in the first place. Even DV has grammatical mistakes here and there but I figured you’d appreciate knowing you used the wrong word. Now you’re smarter, no? 😉
Nota, of course you meant to use “It’s” rather than “it’s” to begin a sentence and “Really” was meant to be “really.” Really?
I guess? Just looked it up and some joker says neither is right. Yeah, when the Planet mosques it should be a severe penalty as he was,is, an English Major at the party college.
That should be miscue. You can’t make it up!
See now I wouldn’t have caught that thank you now I’m smarter.
Does this Ray Rice character get to keep and bonus money he signed for. Hell, that has to be millions.
POP! Not only does he get to keep the bonus money, he also gets to keep his super bowl ring. Just like O J, you get to keep everything before anything happens after this happened.
Huh? Talk about happenstance.
Watching t v at night and these creepy boner pill commercials come on, with these middle age men,with these creepy smiles cuddling up to there honeys. Am I the only one getting creeped out by these weirdo’s?
What gives Nota? O J said he didn’t do it and was looking for the real killers
Stay on message everyone. Also, for the record, “it’s” is the contraction for “it is.” “Its” is possessive case.
Dan, we have te right to talk about whatever we want. Is it not the point of your article to promote individual freedom and the use of our own minds? I’m sorry if our interest in correct grammar to better ourselves causes disturbances I challenge you to censor us! 🙂
On the topic, your warning to not refer the predominantly African American NFL as “thugs” as to be careful and execute political correctness was awesome. I don’t agree with everything you print but the sheer entertainment of it all never fails. Also Poe is the biggest thing we have in common.
If your comment is directed towards me, I was referring to improper capitalization on Mr./Mrs./Miss/Ms Nota’s part and ONLY because he/she chose to concern himself with Scott’s grammatical errors. As an old newspaper editor friend once told me, ” Sure, I get upset with misspellings and bad edits but nowhere near as angry as I get when we get beat to a story or miss it entirely.”
ED
An old newspaper editor once told me, “Don’t edit speech.” Actually, you have a decent use of the King’s English. If I were to correct all of the grammatical errors in comments, time might be found only in its absence.
Then we agree, Dan. I think.
It is what it is.
Yes, AMANDA. And it is never what we think it is.
Don’t you mean it’s what it’s Amanda?
Your problem is ya make to much of using real names. And Gien name should begin with a capital,Ed. You to, Amanda.
Sorry Mr./Mrs./Miss/Ms PopCorn,I’m not getting your capital point. And what or who is Gien?
Yes a first name should begin with a capital letter. And it’s Too! It’s one thing to misplace a word or leave out punctuation but it’s like a note that doesn’t belong in a musical piece when the wrong word is used. Like “thier” to describe a place when it’s “there”. To is if I’m going to the store, too is you too Amanda and two is the number two.
Seeing is the Planet is lurking out there, somewhere, when the Little League World Series was being played, Don Imus made a comment about the Chicago Team and referred to them as thugs, saying ‘ I hope the little thugs get beat’ now normally one would dismiss it as just another dumb comment, but knowing Imus’ track record one could deduce it as a discriminatory comment at least. Why wasn’t he called out on this insensitive comment and where are the anti- hate groups on this?
THE PLANET has the luxury this weekend of lurking “out there” around here, a rarity of schedule we sip with great delight.
Pittsfield politics is a case study of how everything went wrong with managing a community!
* Thousands of people have fled or moved away from Pittsfield
* As the population diminishes, taxes rise above the rate of inflation
* Thousands of jobs have been lost in Pittsfield
* Business taxes are not only slowing growth, but they are causing the local economy to shrink
* Pittsfield’s municipal finances are unsustainable
* Pittsfield is heading toward a fiscal cliff or bankruptcy
* Pittsfield is known as the welfare capital of Western Massachusetts
* Pittsfield is a toxic waste dump filled with cancer-causing PCBs left behind by GE
* Pittsfield has a third-rate rag named The Berkshire Eagle covering state and local politics
* Pittsfield politics is ran by the Good Old Boy network which consists of low gene pool, interrelated, multigenerational families
* Pittsfield politics is totally corrupt
* Pittsfield is on a never-ending downward spiral filled with working class people with social problems
Well seeing how the mayor is accused of using his finger in a bullying manner shouldn’t we fire him?
By the current rule of non-logic, the answer would be “yes.”
I understand the police dept is too small for the force. I guess they have way more desk people than they use to. And there is talk of getting them a new building. If they get a new building it might make sense to move some of city hall to the police dept which is owned by the city. There may not be any landlord kickbacks but the mayor might get points from the taxpayers.
NFL overreactions to both Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson. Cause of overreactions? Political correctness.
We are in agreement, GENE.
If everyone is thinking alike, then no one is thinking.
So all you dunderheads, DV included, who are claiming that there is just overreaction to DOmestic abuse and whuppin your child, are you saying its ok to cold cocking your wife and whipping your kid 10 plus times with a switch?
Cmon, yes there is an overabundance of political correctness sometimes in society, but these cases aren’t good examples…The NFL needs to get a grip on their players…