#RiceAbove #RaysRice

I am a 23-year-old female, and I support Ray Rice.

I am from Frederick, Maryland and I have been a Baltimore Ravens fan my entire life. I attended the Baltimore Ravens/Pittsburg Steelers game last night on September 11, 2014. Up until this point in time, I have been publically quiet in regards to the Ray Rice ordeal, however I cannot remain still any longer.

Before you read any farther, let it be made known that I, in no way, shape or form, support or condone violence against another, regardless of mental status, gender, or intent. Domestic violence, is, and always will be wrong. There is no rationalizing.

What I do condone and support, however, is the right to justice.

I support the fundamental belief that humanity is prone to error, that all human beings error, and that mistakes (however big or small they may be), do not define a person.

Ray Rice was removed from all video footage presented at the game on Thursday. There was not one video clip or photograph that contained his image. While my boyfriend and I both wore our #27 jerseys, we sadly only counted 14 others who did the same. Rice’s website? “Under Maintenance”. His jersey? Removed from shelves at stores. His name? A public disgust.

Furthermore:

“CBS News reports that a downloadable update to the popular football video game Madden NFL 15 will remove Ray Rice from the Baltimore Ravens lineup… ScottMeslow”

According to NJ.com, “Ray Rice’s former school — New Rochelle (N.Y.) High — has removed his picture from the “Wall of Fame” in the hallways and taken down his No. 27 Baltimore Ravens jersey from the gymnasium…”

Ravens Fans…. have we forgotten who this man is? Have we let the media destroy and erase the team member who has carried us to victory upon victory?

Ray Rice has been a team member of the Baltimore Ravens since 2007.

He is a three time pro-bowler; he is the Ravens’ all-time leader in total yards from scrimmage. He produced a franchise-record 15 touchdowns in 2011 and became the first player in Ravens franchise history to rush for 1,000 yards in four-consecutive seasons (2009-12).

- (www.ravenspr.com/player_bios/ray_rice.pdf)

Let’s be real: the release of the Ray Rice video has not made domestic violence any more or less acceptable. Removing Rice from the NFL certainly hasn’t stopped domestic violence in its track, nor will it ever. Instead, it’s robbed a man of his dreams and stripped him of everything he’s ever worked for. Tell me, parents. Do you raise your children to turn their back on a teammate because of one mistake? I’d hope that most of you raise your children to dust off the bad times, and learn from them… because being a team involves more than just fighting against the opposing side; it means fighting for each other. Both on the field, and off. What fundamental values do we really want to instill in our children? People matter. People aren’t just objects to erase and discard at the leisure of the media.

― Mahatma Gandhi

I challenge you all:

Instead of doing nothing as this mans life is ruined, support the movement to be bigger than that.

Ray Rice has done more service for this community than most civilians, yet many of us are ashamed to wear his number on our backs. He’s hosted anti-bullying campaigns, mentored at schools, visited people in hospitals, and done work with organizations such as Ashton Angels and Play60. He’s written a check to send a young girl through school so she could achieve her dreams, and pay for the funeral of a young boy lost to suicide (pressboxonline.com). He’s made the dreams of thousands of people be realized; whether they met him in person, or saw him play on TV.

This mayhem is an opportunity to send a message about domestic violence, but not if it is gone about in the wrong way. Eliminating Rice from the past, and hiding his success in the NFL, isn’t how change is made. There is so much potential for this situation, and for Rice, to first hand speak out against domestic violence…. and for civilians to support the notion that humanity is capable of change, that all people have the right to justice, and that this is an opportunity to Rise Above….#RiceAbove #RaysRice

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.

-Margaret Mead