If You Know This Movie, Read On.
I'm going to push some buttons here I think. But at the same time, I'm one of many people who have written something on this subject and this man. If you want to fact check me, read until the end. So here goes...
I cannot stand Floyd Mayweather. There - I said it. I appreciate that he is an outstanding boxer and I actually love watching UFC and boxing. These athletes remind me of modern day gladiators, just as Joe Rogan’s microphone is Joaquin Phoenix’ thumb signal in the coliseum. This is about him as a human being. We all know he has an absurd amount of money and spends it ostentatiously on cars, women and property, (and buying himself out of jail no doubt). He also spends that money on his PR team and posse who are clearly worth the lovely Benjamin’s because this man has one of the worst rap sheets for abuse towards women I have ever read, yet you cannot find a picture of his victims anywhere and the stories are swept under the carpet.
With this fight against McGregor that is about to go down, Mayweather is set to earn at least $240 million. Millions of people will pay $99 to watch this man pummel with another, then be rained down upon in cold hard cash. As we switch off the TV’s, I cannot help but imagine a picture where the victim of Mayweather's unleashed force is switched from his opponent to the mother of his children.
He has a history dating back to 2001 of brutally attacking or knocking out women unconscious. Systematically hitting one of his baby Mama's from the back of the head so there would be little visual evidence for police, courts and photography. While. His. Kids. Watched. Yes, while his ten year old son watched. There are so many reasons as to why this is gut wrenchingly horrendous, but right now there is one question that rings in my head. Why do we, as a society, condone and praise men with a history of extreme violence towards women?
What is the risk posed to society if the World Boxing Association said, “Listen here, FLOYD. You’ve caused violence, health risk, death, trauma and long term brain damage to women and your own kids. You are not a representation of what we stand for. You are out!” Dare to dream. Because the risk and reality is not only a loss of money initially, but the potential earnings from a bright light fight like today in Sin City Vegas. Frankly, the message we send to men, women, children, aka the future of America, is that money trumps criminality. If you can pay your way out of scandal, you can keep this behaviour rolling. Some of America’s most powerful and celebrated figures are cold hard abusers and misogynists. We’ve addressed Mayweather, there’s also Mike Tyson, Andy Carroll, Ray Rice, Ochocinco and 14 current NFL players and oh so many more. We saw evidentiary proof of Chris Brown’s outcome of Rhianna, which gives me goosebumps every time I look at the photos of her poor face. The amount of aggression, rage and force it took for him to do that to her absolutely breaks my heart. Yet, Brown is still singing around the world raking in millions and having restraining orders set against him from other women. There are so many examples I could pull from, this is a mere pinch of salt from the Dead Sea of cases.
I understand that 99% of you who are reading this will agree with the question at hand and have maybe even thought about it. What scares me is the audience that does not understand this question or see the harm it does to society. The teenage boys who see their idols as successful athletes, musicians, actors, and believe that one of the perks of making it to the top is bypassing the law in multiple capacities. Beating the shit out of a woman then dragging her limp body out of an elevator are treated as casually as drug procession, speeding or a DUI.
As I write this, I feel more discouraged. The research I’ve done has me gasping at my computer screen, reading these vicious stories of celebrities I see on screen every day. I began writing this, pondering, there has to be something we can do? Apparently it is far worse than I thought, I did not anticipate finding lists upon lists of offences with still no outcome of change. We are contributing to abuse by accepting these fame-hungry idiots and continuing to buy tickets, music and memorabilia. We support them, they get away with more, and pave the way for others to follow suit. I know a lot of you will read this and think I’m being dramatic or be quick to disagree. But remove yourself from adoring R. Kelly’s music or Jimmy Kimmel for casually discussing Mayweather’s love for vaginas on national television, and think about it.
So money trumps criminal - trumps… trump… Trump! I almost forgot. America’s president is a notable misogynist! America elected a man who has publicly verbally abused women for years, openly discussed grabbing pu**y’s and forcing women into having sex with him while he was married. His own daughter seems to be totally fine with it as she swims in her millions. Which makes other women tolerate, (or feel pressured to tolerate) when their father, brother, uncle, husband degrades them. So those men continue, because it’s accepted, and if the President does it and he’s President - Shit! Let’s all feel that power!
My little essay isn't anything profound, I just feel compelled to speak out about such an important subject that affects so many women every day. I’ll be honest and say that every time I see an article praising this boxing match and the finances surrounding it, I can’t help but clench a fist myself. Out of anger towards him, the other power tripping abusers, and for all those middle class families who have been affected by abuse in this country. It’s awareness I am after I suppose. Shining bright lights on an issue that America seems to dim whenever most convenient for them.
http://www.businessinsider.com/floyd-mayweather-domestic-violence-history-2015-4
http://theundefeated.com/features/why-floyd-mayweather-can-still-box-after-beating-women/
