Dr. E. Faye Williams
Washington, DC –Some companies get it. Some don’t, but they will. There are still a lot of people who believe the NFL is too powerful for anything or anybody to force changes in the league. All they’ve got to do is look back to the Civil Rights Movement where Black Americans, with no guns, no bitterness, but with economic power, brought down a racist system that had plagued us for hundreds of years. Black people took on the mightiest nation in the world and won. Out of the Civil Rights Movement grew a lot of new rights for women, for people with disabilities, and many others who can come together now and make much needed changes in the NFL.
Women have recently begun to re-energize the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). Just as racism did not begin in the 60’s at the height of the Civil Rights Movement, domestic violence did not begin with Ray Rice. It has been going on for far too long—and not just among Black men. It must end wherever it exists. Women from all walks of life must rise up to hasten its demise.
Women of all races, creeds and colors are coming together and impacting the economics of our nation. Radisson Hotel owners understood that immediately, and we applaud the fact that they suspended the Minnesota Vikings’ Sponsorship after the Adrian Peterson child abuse allegation. Sure he deserves due process, but he has already admitted the harm he caused to this helpless baby. A spokesperson said the company takes this matter very seriously. Sponsors such as Nike and Electronic Arts have ended their relationship with Ray Rice.Other companies must do the same and follow the lead of these companies. Choosing where we spend our money works better than anything else we can do now. We must keep the heat on other companies that aren’t listening until they do.
Dr. E. Faye Williams is President of the National Congress of Black Women, Inc.