In a world where just about any scene or depiction can begin with a fellow in a deep voice spouting “in a world…” it leads me to believe that there’s something going wrong on all fronts.

“In a world…where, due to your status as a public and/or celebrity figure, you are able to be given slaps on the wrist instead of facing the societal established punishment as everyday folk would endure.”

“In a world…where nothing you say is private and nothing you post is private, and no words, pictures, or personal information is private, then you have to deal with it unless you find yourself in a tapestry hut in the rural sector of America where you still aren’t private. But keep telling yourself that.”

I’ll centralize this introduction to the situation with Ray Rice and the NFL. Now, by no means do I condone domestic violence because I’m obviously a reasonably sane person who could never find it in me to give a knockout blow to anyone, especially my loved ones. There is no doubt that Ray “Rocky” Rice should be punished, and hell, I don’t necessarily feel pity if he gets suspended. The NFL is a career choice, and he had to work to get there, but it was his “choice” to further it. Much like applying and getting a job, he had to do what he could to get there, but can lose that privilege. If I decided on my day off to punch my girlfriend (no matter the circumstance), leaving her a mess, I deserve to be punished for the matter, through the law and at the cost of my job, as domestic abuse is a serious case in the society we live in.

The root of all this is that evil can be found through simple accessibility, and children of younger and younger ages are figuring that out. Now, none of these are the kids’ faults, although you may find your distraught grandfather in his rocker who could make a sure case for it. There is no filter by which anyone could shrewdly project his or her opinion (hey, much like myself), but it is within that where no ground will be gained.

I find shame in that it took TMZ and the media to exploit the violent video for not only the truth to come from Rice, but for the NFL to stand up and change policy. You can get caught with weed and get suspended for a year (sorry, Josh Gordon), but you can lie about punching your fiancée and get two Sundays off.

With as much money and personnel invested into surveillance in the NFL, one would think that they could have more insight into the matter. Don’t worry, though, they are making quite the stand on the “drug problem.” Continue going about life like a day in Grand Theft Auto, because if it’s not on tape in the public eye to shame the organization, you’re golden.

Mike Richards is a junior English major and a columnist for The Kent Stater. Contact him at [email protected].