49ers Finally take a stand

It took four and half months and a second police incident, but the San Francisco 49ers today released defensive lineman Ray McDonald. For women and domestic violence advocates around the country, the action is a step in the right direction and one all NFL teams should emulate. The time has finally come to make every player in professional sports and men everywhere accountable for their behavior and send a firm message that domestic violence will not be tolerated. The 49ers initially allowed McDonald to continue playing while the first  domestic violence charge against him on August 31st was being investigated by the Santa Clara County District Attorney's office. Those charges were later dropped. However, this morning the San Jose Police department served a search warrant on McDonald's home in response to an unidentified woman's accusation of a sexual assault by McDonald at his home Tuesday.

The Niners swift action to cut McDonald is welcomed by those who for months criticized the team for lacking the leadership to act when the first case came to light. Women's rights group contend there is no excuse. They stress a pattern of behavior doesn't just change on its own. The National Football League has appointed a commission and is taking measures to change the existing culture and educate its players of their responsibilities. As parents we teach our children that their actions have consequences. This is where team owners are called upon to set standards each player must abide by, and if they fail then there is a high price to pay.  49ers general manager Trent Baalke acknowledged the distractions surrounding McDonald had reached a boiling point. "We as an organization have notified him and his agent that he will be terminated, released, immediately." Baalke said. "Ray and I had multiple conversations since the latest allegations and put together some criteria we felt he needed to do in order to stay in good standing. With these latest allegations, it was just one more situation that we just weren't willing to deal with anymore."
Niners fans who are surviving a nightmare 2014 season wondered if it could get any worse. At my book club this afternoon the topic of conversation was just how hard it is to talk about these issues. The majority were happy the team finally stepped up and did the right thing. But there is also sadness that McDonald couldn't get the help he needed before another woman had to suffer at his hands.
The mood surrounding the team is at an all time low. However, this can be that turning point where the character of the team can rise above controversy and set a new standard for the league to follow. So far, no word from the NFL but the conversation should continue. One thing every man needs to remember is that the victim is somebody's daughter and one day it could be their daughter unless as a country we decide domestic violence needs to end with education and counseling and realizing that it is a crime that will be punished.