Stephen A. Smith, Asshole of the Day for July 30, 2014
by GirlGetALife ()ESPN suspended on-air personality Stephen A. Smith for a week because he suggested women somehow ‘provoke’ their own beatings in domestic violence situations. Smith made his asinine statement while discussing the paltry two-game suspension the NFL handed down after investigating claims that Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice assaulted a woman. Rice was suspended after being arrested for allegedly knocking out his then-girlfriend (now wife). He was caught on video dragging her out of an elevator.
Any normal person with knowledge of the assault would call Rice to the carpet for his behavior and demand the NFL hand down a stiffer punishment. But Stephen A. Smith isn’t normal. He began his remarks saying ‘yeah, domestic violence is wrong’, but things went bad - really bad - quickly. Smith said:
"We got to also make sure that you can do your part to do whatever you can do to make, to try to make sure it doesn’t happen again."We would have loved it if Smith would have explained what a woman could do to stop her abuser from attacking her. Maybe she shouldn’t nag him or question him? Or, maybe she’d be safe if she didn’t breathe around him.
What Smith failed to consider is that there isn’t anything an abused person can do to prevent domestic violence because, well…it isn’t their fault. The only person who has to change their behavior is the abuser.
Of course, Smith apologized for his actions. But he then sent out a tweet that defended his on-air comments (he deleted it, but here it is):
He made a second apology, saying he ‘didn’t articulate his views clearly enough’. Smith didn’t go on to explain the point that he was trying to make
Smith articulated his views perfectly. He’s not sorry for what he said - because he said it more than once. He’s only sorry that so many people - including his ESPN colleagues - complained. His apology was an attempt at damage control.
He deserved more than a one-week suspension from ESPN brass, but it’s better than nothing.
Odd…the guy who made ridiculous comments about domestic violence received a harsher penalty than the guy who actually committed an act of domestic violence.
But this isn’t about the NFL…it’s about Stephen A. Smith. And he’s Asshole of the Day.
It is Stephen A. Smith’s first time as Asshole of the Day.
Stephanie DotyFull story: New York Times
Weary of Wonderland
July 31, 2014
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