Hope Solo: Nothing stops her, even domestic abuse charges
Ray Rice deserved to get waived, while the Vikings’ Adrian Peterson, the Panthers’ Greg Hardy and the Cardinals’ Jonathan Dwyer were rightfully prohibited by their teams from taking the field because of the pain they caused off of it.
These guys are powerful men who made their living by thriving in the violent world of the NFL, where the strong pound the weak, which is what these men did or allegedly did to someone they supposedly love.
But I found an athlete who apparently is more powerful than any of them.
Her name is Hope Solo.
Solo’s the starting goalie for the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team and she’s awesome – so amazing she recorded her U.S. record 73rd shutout with a 4-0 win over Mexico on Sept. 18.
You know what’s most impressive about the accomplishment? She played the past two record-setting matches while waiting to be tried in November after pleading not guilty to two counts of misdemeanor domestic violence stemming from an alleged attack on her sister and 17-year-old nephew in Kirkland, Wash, in June.
So let’s get this straight.
Male football players charged with domestic violence are pariahs, with teams, sponsors and endorsement companies separating themselves from the accused and the teams they represent faster than you can say the word “domestic violence.”
(Nike promotional)
But a woman allegedly kicks smacks two people, gets charged, arrested, released from jail and is heading to trial and …she gets to represent our country?
You may be thinking it, I know I am, so I’ll write it: Does that mean if Rice, Peterson, Hardy and Dwyer were women they’d be suiting up this week?
Offended?
Take a minute and read that sentence again and think about it. Rice, Peterson, Hardy and Dwyer are all professional athletes charged – or in Hardy’s case convicted – of assaulting someone. Solo is a professional athlete charged with hitting a woman and a teenager.
She’s playing; they’re not.
What does it say about society? I thought men and women are supposed to be created equally. Where’s the public uproar about Solo getting to play? She represents the biggest team of all: the United States of America.
Let’s look at the facts:
- Rice was released by the Ravens and suspended indefinitely by the NFL earlier this month after a video showed him knocking out his then-fiancee unconscious at an Atlantic City casino in February. He’s appealing his suspension, which initially was two games. Rice entered a pretrial intervention program to avoid being prosecuted for felony aggravated assault, a charge that will be dismissed upon completing the program. The National Football League Players Association is appealing his suspension.
- Peterson was placed on the exempt-commissioner’s permission list – meaning he’ll get paid and not play – after he was indicted on a felony charge of injury to a child in Texas, where he’s accused of using a wooden switch to spank his 4-year-old son. He’s also accused of beating another one of his sons in 2013.
- Hardy is on the exempt-commissioner’s permission list as he appeals his misdemeanor assault conviction stemming from an attack on his ex-girlfriend in March. He appealed for a jury trial, which is scheduled for Nov. 17.
- Jonathan Dwyer was placed on the reserve-non football injury list on Sept. 18, effectively ending his season a day after he was arrested on felony and misdemeanor assault charges. Dwyer is facing on one count of aggravated assault causing a fracture, one count of aggravated assault involving a minor, two counts of criminal damage, one count of preventing the use of a phone in an emergency and assault. He’s accused of breaking his girlfriend’s nose by head-butting her. The only way Dwyer returns to the Cardinals is “if and when he’s exonerated,” coach Bruce Arians said.
- Solo remains the starting goalie for the United States after pleading not guilty to two counts of misdemeanor domestic violence in an alleged attack on her sister and teenage nephew in June. Police said a family member called 911, claiming Solo was “going crazy and hitting people.”
I don’t know what’s worse: Solo not removing herself from the lineup or U.S. Soccer’s rationale for letting her remain in it.
“We are aware that Hope is handling a personal situation at the moment,” Neil Buethe, U.S. Soccer director of communications, wrote in an email to USA Today. “At the same time, she has an opportunity to set a significant record that speaks to her hard work and dedication over the years with the National Team. While considering all factors involved, we believe that we should recognize that in the proper way.”
My translation: “We know that Hope is charged with beating up two people, but we want her to get the record.”
Congratulations U.S. Soccer: You made Roger Goodell look good at handling domestic abuse cases, as San Francisco 49er Ray McDonald continues to play after being arrested on suspicion of felony domestic violence on Aug. 31. He hasn’t been charged.
I watched part of the U.S.-Mexico match on Sept. 18, but I turned it off at the end of the first half because this wasn’t a soccer game, it was a double standard. I saw Nike advertisements at the game after the company suspended its endorsement with Peterson, who like Solo, hasn’t been convicted.
Here’s what Solo wrote on her Facebook page after being released from jail: “I understand that, as a public figure, I am held to a higher standard of conduct. I take seriously my responsibilities as a role model and sincerely apologize to everyone I have disappointed.”
Higher standard of conduct?
She’s been held to no standard, which says as much about Solo as it does about us.
Jon Gallo is an award-winning journalist and editor with 19 years of experience, including stints as a staff writer at The Washington Post and sports editor at The Baltimore Examiner. He also believes the government should declare federal holidays in honor of the following: the Round of 64 of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament; the Friday of the Sweet 16; the Monday after the Super Bowl; and of course, the day after the release of the latest Madden NFL video game.
There is actually a difference and its not gender related. Hope’s fight were people she was related too. Who hasn’t gotten mad at their brother or sister and fought with them. Taking it to the nephew was a little extreme I will admit. All the others were abuse by a man hitting his companion. Hope solo just got in a family fight, all the others were actually domestic abuse.
I just realized Hope Solo and Lolo Jones aren’t the same thing.
Nike gets no more dollars from me.
Also, where is NOW and the domestic violence groups that keep reminding us how horrific domestic violence is (and it is)? I guess those groups see female perpetrated domestic violence as acceptable despite how horrific it is since they remain as brutally silent about it as they are loudly vocal when men perpetrate it.
Behold the patriarchy!!! Where men get punished infinitely harsher than women for the exact same things!!! Yay male privlege!!!
So the American media can now “media Lynch” a football player??? Are we living in a society where “media lynching” is now trumping American due process law enforcement??? folks…the slope is getting slippery!!!
Then where is your objection to the men getting “media lynched”? Oh, that’s right… they’re men, they deserve it.
yes
No more nike stuff for me. This abusive and violent woman has to go.
Hope Solo’s Nephew — She Called Me a ‘P**sy’ … So I Pulled a Gun On Her | get all your facts straight ok, no more Budweiser too ? No More NFL or is that ok…if your going to boycott you have to do it right and boycott everything, not just pick and chose….geez…get a life …
You sound very angry, Make sure you do not hit your relative or you find yourself in jail regardless your gender, as a side note, take some anger management class or see a psychiatrist, you need help.
Your funny , I need no anger management , you need to get your facts straight …LOL
No Link, No Reputable Source, No Credibility
And Ray Rice was assaulted by his then fiancee in an elevator where he couldn’t get away from her. Hasn’t stopped him from being blamed and lynched.
Hey there Did you mean “hit her with a broom stick to make her stop hitting my mom”? Have your read a piece of reporting I haven’t (in which case, please link)?
Or are you suffering from selective memory? Yeah I think you are
After she kept circling them and hitting his mom he pointed a BB gun at her to try and scare her.
Double standards. You never see women complain about double standards or equality when it benefits them at the detriment of others. Hope Solo deserves to be benched or put on leave until her legal case is resolved. If she’s found guilty, bounce her off the team and ban her permanently, just like what happens to male athletes nowadays.
Hope Solo’s Nephew — She Called Me a ‘P**sy’ … So I Pulled a Gun On Her | Too bad you have no clue what you are talking about….did your daddy beat your mama ? would that be ok ? smh ,
Everyone keep saying that but they conveniently don’t provide links. Searching for the headline on TMZ does not bring it up at the top of the results either. Hmmm. . . even if the article were real since when is TMZ a reputable source for anything?
BTW, it’s you who has no idea what you’re talking about. TPH is just suggesting that female athletes be treated the same as male, to which you replied with an accusation of assault towards his father. Yeah, someone never learned how to debate.
And Ray Rice was assaulted by his then fiancee in an elevator where he couldn’t get away from her. Hasn’t stopped him from being blamed and lynched. Why you making excuses for her? Or dismissing the reasons men have? Double standard much?
Whoa there now, we can’t let people like Ray Rice get uppity. SInce he takes hits at work, he should obviously be a punching bag in his domestic life.
Did you mean “hit her with a broom stick to make her stop hitting my mom”? Have your read a piece of reporting I haven’t (in which case, please link)?
Stop lying. After she kept circling them and hitting his mom he pointed a BB gun at her to try and scare her.
Cue the public outrage in 3….2..no, wait. Woman did some DV? Hands off, then. Keep the endorsements, princess. My, how empowering. You go gurl.
Disgusting double standard. Check some peer reviewed research on intimate partner violence and you will find that the media is only showing you about half of the pie. Disgusting.
Hope Solo’s Nephew — She Called Me a ‘P**sy’ … So I Pulled a Gun On Her |
Um. Did you mean “hit her with a broom stick to make her stop hitting my mom”? Have your read a piece of reporting I haven’t (in which case, please link)?
Just rolling your face around on the keyboard?
you know it was a BB gun. Stop lying. After she kept circling them and hitting his mom he pointed a BB gun at her to try and scare her.
Because we overwhelmingly tell women that they are allowed to hit and start altercations where the man would be charged. Women are the cause of DV – because the are allowed by our laws and social norms that they are untouchable. We need to enact laws that allow men to defend themselves from violent women all the reasearch show that Women are MORe violent than men. The hit more, they hit more often and the will start an altercation just you get you arrested. We need to spread the new that the need to be arrested. Men need to report them. Stop ALL domestic violence.
How about nobody hits another person?! Period. I am disgusted at your “Women are the cause…..” But what when they aren’t?! And what research are you looking at? Because all the DV research —I— have looked at (from the Bar Association) shows that abuse by women is vastly under-reported. So please, share where you found your research.
Here are some quotes from very well know research papers (from “Women who perpetrate intimate partner violence – a review of the literature (Carney, Buttell, Dutton):
“Although the prevalence and consequences of male violence directed towards women in intimate relationships has been well established [for a recent review, see Lawson (2003)], the research on violent women in intimate relationships is far less developed. The primary reason for this situation is the highly charged and frequently acrimonious debate about whether “husband battering” actually exists (Pagelow, 1992)”
“Data from nationally representative surveys suggest that men and women are equally violent in intimate relationships (Straus, 1999), a conclusion borne out by Archer’s (2000, 2002) meta-analysis of 82 couple-conflict studies which found that women were more likely to use physical aggression than men and to resort to violence more often than men.”
“For example, a recent study found that men are more likely than women to suffer serious injuries in intimate partner relationships and that men are actually less likely than women to use violence in intimate relationships (Felson & Cares, 2005). Some factors are apparently inhibiting men, who are generally much more violent than women (outside intimate relationships), from using violence against their female partners. Results in the Felson and Cares (2005) study show that those men who do engage in violence against their spouse and those women who engage in violence against their family members are more likely than other offenders to do so with high frequency. It is surprising that this result was obtained in what was essentially presented to respondents as, “a study of violence against women” (Felson & Cares, 2005, p. 15).In fact, the authors argue that men actually inhibit violence in intimate relationships compared to their non-intimate levels.”
“In terms of evaluating the empirical literature on the perpetration of violence in intimate relationships, regardless of the variation in the studies, two conclusions seem reasonable: (1) women are injured more than men but (2) men are injured as well and are not immune to being seriously injured. Simply because the injury rates are lower, men should not be denied protection. Relatedly, the argument is sometimes made that men use threats more frequently than women, but Straus, Hamby, Bone-McCoy, and Sugarman (1996) found that women reported using somewhat more psychological aggression than did men. The “threatened to hit or throw something at partner” item correlated .52 with this scale, of which it is a part. Also, Giordano, Millhonin, Cernokovich, Pugh, and Rudolph (1999), in a study of 721 young adults, found that women were more likely than men to threaten to use a knife or gun.”
“In sum, across several large sample studies, with varying demographic compositions, dating violence is more likely perpetrated by female than male youths. The literature reviewed above demonstrates that this abuse results in injuries in an important minority of young men and women and further supports the original findings of Stets and Straus (1992) obtained from the 1985 US National Family Violence Survey. These findings clearly run counter to the common assertion that female aggression in intimate relationships is uncommon and inconsequential” ?
Several studies have identified women as the primary cause of domestic violence through a relationship breakdown dynamic called NONRECIPROCAL violence – its when the other person does not hit back. These studies find that when women know that there are no consequences for being violent (like the perception YOU express) they hit and act violently not only toward their partners but TOWARDS CHILDREN and women inflict more violence on children in their care than ANYONE else. Consider that if you have a group of children and you randomly (non gendered) pick half of them – tell them that they are free to hit and beat up anyone else and they will not be penalized that they could even get their victims in trouble if they report it. What do you think the result would be? What do you think will happen if you tell women (who have a reputation for fabricating accusations against those who offend them, over and over its western women who do this, men doing this is almost unheard of), what do you think the result would be. And what would happen eventually? The men would get fed up AT SOME point and retaliate regardless of the consequences. Thats the truth about domestic violence “trust me”. If you dont beleive this google a jezebel.com com article “Have You Ever Beat Up A Boyfriend? Cause, Uh, We Have” . Seriously, Feminism have made some women some the pathetic excuses of parasitic human beings.
Here is a summary of hundreds of research articles : http://www.domesticviolenceresearch.org/pdf/Overviewof%20Findings.Dec.7.pdf
Dont care whether you are disgusted or not – you and the majority of sheep are have fallen for feminists propaganda. Feminist control the majority of the votes – politicians have not choice but to give feminists what they want or face their wrath in the polls, which means that the Laws and the social attitudes can be tempered to their false ideology – just look at the rubbish that even the president insists on with the demonstratably false wage gap. THis is why data taken from law enforcement is invalid – yes we know that women make more reports and they end up in the hospital more – thats because men hit harder – violence is not about how hard one hits it about an unacceptable behavior – hitting, as y ou said No Body should hit – but everyone else is quick to excuse the woman when she hits – how about we arrest every woman that hits a man, scratches his car, destroys his xbox, kicks or practices parental alienation. WOmen lie all the time about domestic violence and rape. Its a fact – i can reference you many many cases – its something men dont do – LIE to get people locked up – its very very rare.
THE DOJ refuses to fund any research that deals with women stalking men or women perps in Domestic violence research see page 6 of this invitation for grants/projects here: http://www.domesticviolenceresearch.org/pdf/Overviewof%20Findings.Dec.7.pdf
Further, I can splain it to you – almost every guy is taught from a young age Not to hit women or girls. We know that its embedded – the research says that even inherrently violent men will protect women and even take a beating from them. Women have never gotten that message – #TeachWOmenNotToHit. And everyone here defending Hope solo and at the same time advocating for stiffer NFL sanctions – are helping to escalate DV.
It’s amazing how it’s innately imbedded in women AND men to always protect women and rationalize they’re bad behavior. Woman attacks man people laugh. Man has the audacity to hit back, he’s the abuser. Woman attacks female AND nephew and is charged, “it’s totally different!!!” Men hit women, the news goes nonstop. Women actually initiate domestic violence more and if you add their abuse of children it’s not even close: silence and covering up.
Amazing? How about disgusting – and pathetic. She should be terminated immediately and lose all endorsements –
Hope Solo’s Nephew — She Called Me a ‘P**sy’ … So I Pulled a Gun On Her | TMZ.com
look at the author, do you think he has ever played a sport im his life, this is a sister fight . not a man knocking out and treating kill and leaving marks from beating s on kids. this guy is a douche and can go away , I would rather watch a us woman soccer game bnow than any NFL game…and I have a unlcle that plays for the Copwbiys..LOL
You must be a soccer player your argument is invalid here. Domestic violence is still domestic violence. How is it any different from Ray Rice hitting his wife and Peterson disciplining his child and leaving marks. Thats rice’s wife and that’s Peterson’s son. How is that different from a sister? Especially when shes an adult. Hope still assaulted her and her nephew.
and her sister assaulted her too , not a man that smashes people for a living then beating a 4 year old or a woman …I played football and enjoyed watching the NFL until Ray Lewis got away with murder, it started and should have been stopped then. A sibling fight is much different than a husband and wife fight, why do you hit the person you married and want to be with for the rest of your life ? It comes down to what is right and wrong …if you have a brother or sister can you honestly tell me you have never been in a fight or exchange blows?
I do not care what a woman does , I am a man and would not ever hit a woman as I was raised right by a good woman a mother ….who cared. Guess I am old school
Too old school for your or any other man’s good. I live by the golden rule. I wish women like Hope could hold themselves to the same standard (i.e. not hit others thinking it’s okay, expecting to get away with it). Quite frankly when behaviour such as Hope’s is overlooked, trivialized and rationalized, it makes me sick.
BTW, if it was a man, it wouldn’t matter that his sibling assaulted him. I frankly don’t believe Hope was assaulted first, otherwise why would the cops have been called on her, and why would she be the only one arrested?
For one, why lump in a domestic violence victim defending himself (Ray Rice) with Peterson abusing a child?
That could also just mean she gets a pass because she’s not in the NFL. There are a lot of variables in there, Jon, not just male/female. Women’s soccer struggles to find anywhere near the spotlight the NFL owns.
We are talking about justice, so you are saying one set of rule for rich and completely different set for poor? Are we still living in democracy where every has a right for justice irrespective of their identitities?
Interesting. So it’s not about preventing violence overall, but only preventing violence from some subset of “famous” individuals that are considered more “famous” by some amorphous standard.
Also, coincidentally of course, woman doesn’t get released, but man does. Nothing to see there. It’s just about the ambiguous level of “fame”.
Gimme a break.
There are double standards when it comes to DV – the cause of which are overwhelmingly women. Education is key.
Solo attacking another woman is much different than NFL players beating there wives.
In one sense it is, but legally, no difference. And realistically — no different at all.
And she attacked a child. Kinda left that out, didn’t ya?
I see no difference. If someone attacks another person then they should be punished (unless it is self defence, but that is not what we are talking about here). That also goes for small women attacking big men. Size does not matter, intention does.
If a stupid and/or incompetent robber fails to rob a bank, she/he will still be charged with attempted robbery. They do not get forgiven because of who they are.
I have noticed that women get away with more than men. They also get lighter sentances if found guilty of crimes. This must end.
I hope she attacks you and then when you look for justice I will show you my middle finger, how about that ?
I don’t see how it’s different. Apart from the principle of equality, she is a top-notch sportsperson and probably as strong as an average man and much faster. And she was attacking a minor.
Hope Solo’s Nephew — She Called Me a ‘P**sy’ … So I Pulled a Gun On Her | TMZ.com now do you see ?
No I don’t. What’s your point?
Yeah you need to stop cherry picking
Did you mean “hit her with a broom stick to make her stop hitting my mom”? Have your read a piece of reporting I haven’t (in which case, please link)?
Violence is violence – against children, men and women, except when its due to self defence. Many of these women who get beaten up DESERVE IT. Some of these cases the men acted in self defense.
so your daddy beat your mama, and you think it is ok ….we get it.. what a douche.. I hope you get what you deserve and a woman knocks you out…LOL
I am against violence, but I also have a problem with letting females walk around smacking whoever they want without consequence too. If you don’t want to be hit by someone bigger, don’t hit them. Five year olds can comprehend this, but apparently gender ideologues like you cannot.
DId you even read what s/he wrote?
Yes, womyn are speshul snowflakes.
no, it’s not. It’s domestic violence. Domestic violence knows no genders or sexes.
Hope Solo is buff as shit, she’s bigger than most men in their twenties.
Yea the size thing is a red herring. It is about bigotry against men and white knighting men.
Obviously, it is OK when a woman does it.
Because it’s a woman isn’t different. Assault is assault is assault PERIOD!
No it isn’t. Abuse is abuse. The fact that you are minimizing her abusive behaviour and offering up pathetic excuses as to why “it’s different when girls do it” speaks volumes towards your own bigotry and bias.