Domestic Abuse - being justified by ESPN reporter

Domestic Violence is never an acceptable thing for any man to do.  But when someone who is considered a roll model and has a forum for to speak publicly it can certainly cause concern and raise eyebrows.

But when that person is an ESPN reporter named Stephen A. Smith, for making disparaging remarks rebuking women for "provoking an attack". The comments occurred last week while addressing the two-game suspension of NFL running back, Ray Rice.

After Rice was suspended for his arrest for his attack on his then-girlfriend, Smith said this...

"We keep talking about the guys. We know you have no business putting your hands on a woman. I don’t know how many times I got to reiterate that.

But as a man who was raised by women, see I know what I’m going to do if somebody touches a female member of my family. I know what I’m going to do, I know what my boys are going to do. I know what, I’m going to have to remind myself that I work for the Worldwide Leader, I’m going to have to get law enforcement officials involved because of what I’m going to be tempted to do."

"But what I’ve tried to employ the female members of my family, some of who you all met and talked to and what have you, is that again, and this what, I’ve done this all my life, let’s make sure we don’t do anything to provoke wrong actions, because if I come, or somebody else come, whether it’s law enforcement officials, your brother or the fellas that you know, if we come after somebody has put their hands on you, it doesn’t negate the fact that they already put their hands on you."

Stephen A. Smith then issued an on-air apology That was Friday. The following Monday, Smith issued an on-air apology.

“On Friday, speaking right here on “First Take” on the subject of domestic violence, I made what can only amount to the most egregious error of my career. My words came across that it is somehow a woman’s fault. This was not my intent. It is not what was trying to say,” he said.

Nevertheless, ESPN President John Skipper came out with an announcement of his own. “We’ve said publicly and in this space that those remarks did not reflect our company’s point of view, or our values,” Skipper said. “They certainly don’t reflect my personal beliefs.”

Smith is no stranger to backlash. Smith is so naturally outspoken and audiences are so accustomed to his outspokenness until nothing he says really comes as a jolt to the system. This time droves of people sparked by outrage took to twitter to criticize his remarks including fellow ESPN reporter Michelle Beadle.

Domestic Violence is never acceptable, nor should it be condoned or justified but it was by a someone who maybe should know better....

“The View’s” host Whoopi Goldberg recently came to his defense stating, Now some people are outraged, and let me just point out that the comment that he made was based on what the young lady said she did. I’m sorry, if you hit somebody, you cannot be sure you are not going to get hit back,” Goldberg persisted. “I know I’m going to catch a lot of heel, and I don’t care. You hit somebody, they hit you back! Don’t be surprised!”

There should never be an excuse for this, ever.