"Tom and Jerry" Justice for Stephen A. Smith Regarding Domestic Violence

Sports journalist Stephen A. Smith made an unpopular statement about domestic violence on ESPN that eventually got him in hot water. His punishment for sharing his opinion on the matter, an opinion many people feel was correct, has shed light on some serious societal issues about domestic violence, gender and free speech that need be to discussed.

Regarding domestic violence that was forced into the forefront of discussion because of the Ray Rice incident, Smith spoke about making sure people are also not doing things to encourage or provoke violence. He was also saying that the conversation of domestic violence is always focused on the men. His colleague Michelle Weasel, excuse me, Michelle Beadle immediately sent out a bunch of tweets bashing Smith. First of all, it's rather tacky and unprofessional to trash a fellow colleague you work right next to via Twitter. Regardless, Smith was made to apologize and he was suspended for a week. Whether you agree or strongly disagree with Smith, what happened left a very bad taste in the mouths of many. Women's rights groups have successfully narrowed the scope of domestic violence to fit one and only one scenario. In any domestic violence issue, go after the man. It's kind of like "Tom & Jerry" when the dog Spike gave Jerry the bell to ring anytime he was in trouble. After a while it didn't matter what Jerry had done to Tom. He could smack Tom with a wooden plank, drop an anvil on his head---as long as Jerry ran and rang the bell in time, Spike was coming to stomp Tom out. This is what happens when groups squeeze a complex subject into one-size-fits-all justice. Due to this new Tom & Jerry justice, a person's opinion can be ruled "wrong" by an emotional majority. And the person's rational opinion considering other variables can be punished and silenced.

There are two things in play: Firstly, this new brand of Feminism is continuously being pulled from its roots by entities infiltrating and changing its agenda. Secondly, Michelle Beadle's actions were that of an opportunist. If she really felt that way, Beadle could have went about it a million ways without throwing her colleague under the bus in that manner.

Beadle was grandstanding. She knew the crowd would be with her on the issue and chose to strike on Smith's blindside. That's not the only reason I and many others were upset with her, and at what happened as a result.

Michelle Beadle also became a part of a growing problem in the media. Free speech, critical thought and alternative opinions are being shut down to the degree of ridiculousness. If enough people agree that what someone said was offensive, they will be punished for it. Punished for their beliefs or statements reflecting those beliefs. Many have their jobs and livelihoods threatened. People are failing to understand the huge difference between an offensive comment said obnoxiously and simply expressing an opinion. Regardless, what Stephen A. Smith said was not offensive because no one considered his point for a second.

There are even worse sides of the issue. When we are psychologically institutionalized and swept into narratives, we forget that there are more complex sides to a story. For example, in my hometown many people always take the side of the police no matter what horrible thing they hear versus a civilian not understanding that there are good cops as well as many bad cops too, and that in many situations the police were clearly at fault. People are innately irrational and assume. In the same manner, authorities and society at large usually lean the way of a woman versus a man when it comes to domestic disputes no matter what. And when the police arrive the man is usually taken in. Consequently, there are some diabolical women who deliberately play our societal rules to their advantage. However, in many scenarios the violence would not have erupted had the women contained herself. It's not always some crazed man in a "wife-beater" tang top pummeling a damsel in distress. Many times situations erupted after a women's irresponsible decisions that incited violence.On one occasion a women called a man the n-word then spit in his face. On another occasion a woman scratched, painted and smashed the windows on a new vehicle. Always expecting men to do nothing with no fault or negative stigma on the women is wrong. Some women who are vengeful have played men and then used the law against them if they retaliated. They know the rules and use them. This is a very common occurrence. What we are teaching future generations exposes itself in various situations.

There is a viral video that really drives this point home. In a predominantly black high school a girl was screaming in the face of a boy who was sitting at a desk with his head down. The boy kept saying, "Get the [expletive] out my face, I'm not gonna hit you." The girl still kept acting feral screaming in his face while yelling, "Do something! Hit me! Whatchu gonna do!" Even though the boy was trying to maintain his composure, the girl was acting like a lunatic trying to incite violence. The girl kept going on and on despite the boy's unwillingness to bite the bait. Unable to control herself, the girl eventually lunged for him throwing blows and the two fell to the floor. Because of social conditioning, the boy knew it wasn't okay to retaliate and hit the girl. However, why did the boy seem to know it was not okay to hit the girl, but the girl not think it would be a dangerously bad idea to instigate a fight with a boy? The answer is because she is subconsciously protected and the boy isn't. Because of what is being taught, she wasn't embarrassed of herself or taking accountability for her actions. There was no negative social stigma for her egging the boy on. She was also relying on the boy's discipline to not hit her back and was taking advantage. Scenes like this are happening in high schools all over the country.

Here's where feminist groups are causing serious problems and stifling conversation. They are idealistically confused calling for gender "equality", but demanding and expecting unequal results.

ESPN Radio host and HBO Boxing analyst Max Kellerman was also suspended shortly after Stephen A. Smith was. Kellerman was talking about the Ray Rice situation and referred to his own personal life. He recalled a day when he and his then girlfriend were at a college party and had been drinking a lot. He tried to get her to start getting ready to leave and she slapped him. Kellerman slapped her back. He reminded the listeners that they had been drinking and not at their best judgment, but Kellerman told listeners that he is happily married with that same woman and that day is long behind them. Kellerman was trying to appeal to the idea that Ray Rice is very young and there is hope for him and his wife to turn things around for the better. When the two mature and communicate without resorting to violence, they can have a successful and healthy marriage. However, Kellerman's message did not fit the narrative feminist groups like NOW are trying to push on everyone. They don't care about rehabilitation or redemption, and they don't care about what any woman has done to a man. They want 0 tolerance for men doing anything to women. They are also looking to completely do away with Ray Rice and will hear no positive spin in his favor whatsoever. There are players who have served time in jail like Michael Vick, and players who have even killed people in DWI's still playing after they served their time. Even though Rice is only in his twenties, these groups are asking for a ban for LIFE, completely destroying Rice's livelihood, and they are destroying the life of the woman they claim they're defending as well as her children. The possibility that Rice can get help and change for the better will not be entertained. These groups pressured ESPN in the same fashion and Kellerman was suspended.

Whoopi Goldberg was another personality who was lambasted for her unpopular opinion. She believes that women who choose to hit men should expect the same. She also explained that that's exactly why she doesn't hit people. They spit her out too because that was too fair and reasonable for today's discourse. The conventional wisdom of this opinion is so common sense, straight forward and simple, that perhaps it's too simple and honest to be incorporated with all these agenda driven groups coming forth. Disagreeing with Whoopi is the exact same thing as saying yes women can hit men but never the other way around. There are many old fashion, traditional people like myself, who feel men should never hit women no matter what, but seriously---should Whoopi have been suspended?

In our mainstream sources of discourse for all people, the responsibility of provocation has been shut down and eliminated by one-sided crowd justice. Stephen A. Smith merely introduced a different perspective that spoke about personal responsibility for everyone involved in a situation. Michelle Beadle and NOW shot it down, and ESPN caved to them without a second thought.

I never condone men hitting women. That's just how I was raised and that's what I believe. I also believe that women shouldn't hit men either. Couples should not be physically violent with each other on either side of the equation. The message shouldn't be one-sided. Although he may not have said it the best way, adding fuel to the fire and provocation is an instigator of violence and it is an issue too. Despite what Michelle Beadle's perspective or experience is, yes there are several cases of provocation that often go undiscussed.

I don't care if people don't agree with me. I will speak my truth and what's true to me. How dare anyone insist I or anyone on any level of social influence be punished and silenced for not pleasing the majority. ESPN is a sports news conglomerate that I only watch occasionally. Handling serious social issues outside the realm of sports such as this one, I'd have to say they definitely "dropped the ball".

Women's groups calling for more rights and equality while creating inequalities and imbalanced justice is looking a lot like Jerry ringing the bell with each day.