I Don't Know

I don’t know what to do about domestic violence. I am confident that since the beginning of time some of the strong has abused some of the weak. That doesn’t make it any less abhorrent.

For some reason, a large segment of the American public has come to the conclusion that the National Football League is the epicenter of this problem. Fingers have been pointed at its players, owners, and commissioner. The consensus opinion seems to be that if the league had a coherent policy to address domestic violence, including indefinite suspensions for players involved in domestic violence, the problem might be fixed. Oh, don’t forget to fire the commissioner.

Well… I don’t know.

I have always had this thing about fairness and equality. You can be hard, as long as you are fair. A parent, principal, employer, teacher, judge, coach, etc. has to make sure that whatever punishment or consequence is given to one, can and will be given to others committing the same offense.

With that in mind, should everybody   accused (not necessarily convicted) of domestic violence be indefinitely suspended from their jobs?

I suspect that if that became the standard consequence for the strong abusing the weak, there would be a quick and drastic decrease in the number of victims. I also suspect that there would be a quick and drastic increase in the number of people falsely accused.

If you check the statutes for domestic violence for all 50 States you will find different definitions and different consequences for each of them. The reality is if you assault your wife or girlfriend in the United States, the thing that determines if you are subject to a $500 fine or 99 years in prison is what State you did it in. That is, unless you are a player in the National Football League, then it might cost you your job.

Unless the same penalty applies to teachers, engineers, CEO’s, politicians, actors, musicians, writers, news anchors, lawyers, plumbers, electricians, farmers, fishermen, and everybody else with a job, I don’t think that’s fair.

There is no good reason to abuse anyone. Abuse comes in many forms, including psychological, physical, and sexual. The victims often suffer long after the event occurs. Some of the victims suffer in silence. Some cry out for help and are ignored by friends, family and authorities. Some live in constant fear of the next assault. Some die.

It is good that some attention is being paid to this very serious problem in our society.

But, I don’t know what to do about it.

Perhaps it is good that the NFL has people talking about this. Maybe it can establish internal policies that will reduce the number of its players that abuse others. Perhaps that will motivate the National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball, and other professional sport leagues to do the same thing. Perhaps that will raise many people’s awareness of the issue. That is all good, but that is not a solution. The fact is 99.999999…….. (Forever)% of the perpetrators and victims of this vicious crime will be unaffected, and continue to do what they do.

Federal laws supersedes state laws. Perhaps the US Congress will be moved to pass a domestic violence law that will bring some sanity and certainty to the consequences for domestic abuse. Even if today they can’t agree that the sun is shining.

Bertrand Russell once said, “The idiots are cock-sure, the intelligent are full of doubt”.

I doubt that this will be fixed very soon.