The good news is people are speaking up and people are being heard as evidenced by the recent developments in responses to violent actions against women. Today a CNN news anchor announced the Baltimore Ravens has terminated their 4 million dollar contract with their star running back Ray Rice. Ray Rice is the person who was caught on video knocking out Janay Palmer in the elevator at a casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in February of this year. In addition to being brutal, his disrespect for his fiancee was demonstrated further by the way he dragged her from the elevator.
Like the principals in our Governor Parnell-General Katkus-Alaska National Guard sexual assault scandal the principals in Rice’s case have been slow to recognize both the seriousness of violence against women and slow to act responsibly in response to these acts of violence. Do you think this may contribute to our high incidence of sexual assault and domestic violence in Alaska?
Thankfully Americans are waking up to some of the injustices of our culture and expressing the unacceptability of features of our culture. Thus Roger Goodell’s 2 game suspension of Ray Rice was met with a public uproar that led to the eventual termination of Ray Rice’s contract with the Baltimore Ravens. Commentators on CNN raised the questions, “Why has it taken so long when the evidence has been in the hands of the police, the NFL commissioner, and the Raven’s owners since February?” and “Why wasn’t felony assault met with jail time for the offender?”
To this 41-year Alaskan, 5 years of Governor Parnell ignoring the reports of sexual abuses in the Alaska National Guard is unacceptable. The time for change is long overdue. Alaskan women, men and children deserve better from their elected officials.