Russell Wilson tackles NFL's domestic abuse crisis in revealing essay

Russell Wilson tackles NFL’s domestic abuse crisis in revealing essay

By Marisa Kabas on October 02, 2014

http://www.dailydot.com/sports/russell-wilson-domestic-abuse-pass-peace/

With his new online publication, The Players’ Tribune, Derek Jeter wants to provide athletes a platform for the biggest names in sports to provide filter-free analysis directly to fans.

In the site’s first post, published Wednesday, the typically overly politically correct Jeter wrote:

“I do think fans deserve more than ‘no comments’ or ‘I don’t knows.’ Those simple answers have always stemmed from a genuine concern that any statement, any opinion or detail, might be distorted. I have a unique perspective. Many of you saw me after that final home game, when the enormity of the moment hit me. I’m not a robot. Neither are the other athletes who at times might seem unapproachable. We all have emotions. We just need to be sure our thoughts will come across the way we intend.

So I’m in the process of building a place where athletes have the tools they need to share what they really think and feel. We want to have a way to connect directly with our fans, with no filter.”

The newly retired New York Yankees shortstop made good on his promise Thursday, tackling the ever-growing NFL domestic abuse scandal by tapping Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson to be a senior editor. The 25-year-old has had a busy year, with a Super Bowl win and a shocking divorce announcement, but he jumped right into the biggest controversy in pro sports.

Wilson’s first post, entitled “Let’s Talk About It,” starts off with a bang. Literally.

“I used to beat people up. Truthfully, I used to beat people up a lot. Many of you readers probably think I have been Mr. Goody Two-Shoes my whole life, but honestly, I was a bully growing up. In elementary and middle school, I threw kids against the wall. I rubbed their heads in the dirt at recess. I bit them. I even knocked teeth out.”

The “goody two-shoes” rep stems from his deeply religious persona, which he references in the following paragraph. He tweets a Bible verse daily, and even when he announced his divorce from his wife of two years, Ashton Meem, back in May, he remained tight-lipped about the causes behind it. Even in the face of rumors that Meem cheated on him with fellow NFL player Golden Tate, he kept his eyes to the sky.

So that’s why his admission of being a violent youth is particularly surprising, and makes for an intriguing start to the work that Jeter and the folks at Legendary Entertainment are hoping to accomplish.

He continued:

“As NFL players, we do not play a gentle game. But our hits, our anger, our aggressive behaviors need to be regulated and confined to the field. Recent incidents of domestic violence have forced The League, its fans and the players to take a hard look into our collective conscience. To be honest, many NFL players are reluctant to address such a sensitive issue. How do you fix a problem so big and complex? How do you speak about something so damaging and painful to families?”

Active NFL players not directly embroiled in the domestic violence scandal have been largely quiet on the subject since it erupted with the release of the Ray Rice tape in August. Roger Goodell and company have somehow managed to keep active players at bay, and though Wilson’s column isn’t specifically damning to any of his fellow players, it seems like somewhat of a grand gesture in the right direction.

In the column, he announces the formation of the Why Not You Foundation, which encourages people to “Pass the Peace” in support of domestic violence victims. When you “Pass the Peace” to a friend, Wilson asks that you make a $2 donation or more to the the National Domestic Violence Hotline. You can do this by texting “WNYPassThePeace” to 41444.

He ends his inaugural column with this:

“I can’t fix the world. I can’t fix the NFL. I can’t change the guys around me. The only person I can change is the one in the mirror. I’m not a perfect person by any means. I’m just a recovering bully. But if we start being honest about our pain, our anger, and our shortcomings instead of pretending they don’t exist, then maybe we’ll leave the world a better place than we found it. For those of us in the NFL, there’s no excuse for violence off the field.”
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Is this the most groundbreaking piece about domestic violence? Probably not. Is it particularly well-written? Not really. But the fact that a player at the peak of his career is willing to stand up, even just for a moment, for not just women but for human beings, is perhaps a sign that advocates, victims, and concerned fans just might be getting through.

————

Let’s Talk About It

OCT 2 2014

Russell Wilson

http://www.theplayerstribune.com/lets-talk-about-it/

I used to beat people up. Truthfully, I used to beat people up a lot. Many of you readers probably think I have been Mr. Goody Two-Shoes my whole life, but honestly, I was a bully growing up. In elementary and middle school, I threw kids against the wall. I rubbed their heads in the dirt at recess. I bit them. I even knocked teeth out.

I had a lot of anger that I didn’t know what to do with. Thankfully, I was saved by my faith when I was 14 years old, and was able to start living for others instead of just myself. But if you’ve ever been at the bottom of a pile with me, you know that I still have a bit of that bully deep down inside—just ask DeMarcus Ware—and I work hard to keep it there.

As NFL players, we do not play a gentle game. But our hits, our anger, our aggressive behaviors need to be regulated and confined to the field. Recent incidents of domestic violence have forced The League, its fans and the players to take a hard look into our collective conscience. To be honest, many NFL players are reluctant to address such a sensitive issue. How do you fix a problem so big and complex? How do you speak about something so damaging and painful to families?

Domestic violence extends far beyond the spotlight of the NFL. It’s not unique to my profession. It’s not confined to America. All over the world, right at this moment, men, women and children are taking refuge in anonymous shelters. Many more are suffering silently, without protection. Every day, up to 10,000 Americans are turned away from shelters due to lack of resources.

What can we do to help? All I can do is my small part. And I invite you to help me. I’ve recently launched the “Why Not You Foundation” where I’ll be raising funds and awareness for a number of worthy causes. It’s a place where I plan to give back, and for my first initiative, I want us to Pass the Peace to support victims of domestic violence. The idea behind Pass the Peace is simple: It’s a promise. I’m sharing my love for you. I want to take care of you. I am here for you.

To be honest, many NFL players are reluctant to address such a sensitive issue. How do you fix a problem so big and complex?
Maybe in our cynical world, this seems too ambitious, or even naive. Maybe this issue is too taboo, too toxic. I’ve tended to avoid controversial topics throughout my career, but in my first piece for The Players’ Tribune, I wanted to be open and address something that’s important, timely and relevant. I’ve been silent on the issue for too long, falling back on the “I can’t speak to someone else’s personal life” excuse. But victims need physical, emotional and financial support and care, and the resources to get away from their abusers. Abusers, you need to get help—you can change.

When you Pass the Peace to a friend, I ask that you make a $2 donation or more to The National Domestic Violence Hotline. It couldn’t be easier. Simply text WNYPassThePeace to 41444 to make your contribution. For more information, please visit http://www.whynotyoufoundation.com.

How many of you reading right now knew that October is Domestic Violence Awareness month? I certainly didn’t. I had to Google it. And that’s part of why I felt so inspired to do my part. This initiative, this story, is about acknowledging something difficult, something we’d rather not see. When I look back at beating kids up on the playground, I don’t like that image. But I moved past that place in my life, and I’m proud of the man I am now.

This issue is much bigger than NFL suspensions. Domestic violence isn’t going to disappear tomorrow or the next day. But the more that we choose not to talk about it, the more we shy away from the issue, the more we lose.

I can’t fix the world. I can’t fix the NFL. I can’t change the guys around me. The only person I can change is the one in the mirror. I’m not a perfect person by any means. I’m just a recovering bully. But if we start being honest about our pain, our anger, and our shortcomings instead of pretending they don’t exist, then maybe we’ll leave the world a better place than we found it. For those of us in the NFL, there’s no excuse for violence off the field.