In the land of the free and the home of the brave, a new kind of culture has emerged.
It”s a culture where individuals who are regularly glorified by the general public are allowed to commit crimes and wake up the next morning as if nothing had ever happened – where petty theft, sexual assault, battery and driving under the influence are all actions for which there is little consequence.
The worst part about it? It”s a culture that”s fostered by America”s favorite sport.
According to a survey taken by the Harris Poll in 2014, professional football has been America”s favorite sport for the past 30 years.
But, it”s also a sport notorious for harboring players who regularly commit crimes and acts of violence against women.
Some of the most recent cases include the murder conviction of former New England Patriots tight end, Aaron Hernandez and the indictment for third-degree aggravated assault of former Baltimore Ravens running back, Ray Rice.
Last year, the defensive end for the Carolina Panthers assaulted his girlfriend and went on to sign with the Dallas Cowboys after the charges were dismissed following an appeal. Then there was NFL free agent C.J. Spillman, who was also recently charged with sexually assaulting a woman at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Conference Center.
Corrin Bond
According to USA Today”s NFL Player Arrests database, there have been about 35 players arrested for numerous incidents this year alone.
In his article about the NFL”s violent crime problem, Stephen Bronars, a contributor for Forbes, cites a study that found 1.1 percent of NFL first-round draft selections are arrested for assault each season and the rate is twice as a high for DUI or drug possession charges.
Although the same study found first round selections are arrested at about 63 percent of the rate for men of the same age in the general population, there is a difference between crimes committed by football players and crimes committed among the general public.
In an article for The Huffington Post, Maxwell Strachan cites a study which found that “while NFL players are arrested for property crimes and public order crimes at rates far below the national average, they are often arrested for violent crimes at rates above them.”
While yes, all of America has a violence problem, not every individual arrested for violent crimes is back at work, being adored and glorified by thousands of fans after a brief suspension or less.
This is not to say all football players are criminals – that isn”t the case at all. This is not a critique of the sport itself, either. It is a critique about the kind of entitlement associated with athletic performance, specifically in football.
When athletes are not charged for crimes like domestic violence, it sends a dangerous message to other incoming players that these actions are somehow accepted. When football fans continue to tune in to every game and cheer for these athletes, it sends an even more dangerous message that not only does the justice system not care, but the general public isn”t disturbed by their violent behaviors, either.
This kind of entitlement and neglect of criminal cases isn”t limited to the NFL. Recently, University of Idaho student Dezmon Epps was removed from the Vandal football team. Epps had a history of criminal behavior, including two misdemeanor charges for driving without privileges, shoplifting at two different locations and allegedly assaulting his girlfriend.
Epps isn”t the only Vandal football player with a record.
Former Vandal cornerback, Isaiah Taylor was involved in a shoplifting incident at the Vandal Bookstore with Epps, receiver David Ungerer was arrested for a DUI on Halloween night and the Las Cruces Sun-News recently reported that an unidentified Idaho football player allegedly “grabbed” a New Mexico State University Sundancer during the New Mexico State-Idaho game on Halloween.
While the NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell, has announced plans to be tougher on players who commit crimes and both Epps and Taylor have been removed from the Vandal football team, there is still a long way to go from here.
I”m all for second chances, but it shouldn”t take numerous offenses before an individual is held accountable for their actions.
As a country, we”re prioritizing a popular sport over the integrity of the justice system. By continuing to endorse or support players after they get away with drunk driving, domestic violence or assault, we are condoning a culture in which those who are good at what they do believe they are above the law.
It”s a culture that encourages aggression as well as excessive and forceful physical contact. It allows for individuals to not hold themselves accountable for their actions – it”s a culture where the strength and value of an athlete on the field directly correlates with how much they can get away with.
While it”s up to the NFL or head football coaches to develop stricter disciplinary policies for players who commit violent acts and other crimes, it”s up to the American public not to endorse a culture in which someone”s athletic performance is more important than who they are as a human.
Corrin Bond can be reached at [email protected]