After Baltimore Ravens football player Ray Lewis plea bargained with prosecutors in return for his testimony against two friends in the killings of two men, which reduced his jail sentence from possible life in prison to one year probation, some of the immediate reactions from headlines across the country were Lewis a hero back home in Baltimore, NFL wont suspend cleared player and Ravens relieved about decision.

Am I missing something here?

In spite of an abundance of shameful and reprehensible conduct, Lewis is not only NOT being punished by the courts and the NFL, but is being treated like a hero.

Here is a man with a history of assaulting women, who associates with known felons, who repeatedly lied about what happened in the brutal killing of two men, and then turns on friends to save his own sorry ass.

And I for one dont believe for a second that he told the truthful story of the killings and his role in them.

The NFL, the black community, the city of Baltimore and the Ravens should be ashamed of their behavior. Ray Lewis is not a man who should be praised or honored or celebrated, but is one who should be publicly condemned and rebuked, as he is an affront to all of the decent people in this country.

If this is what America calls a hero, our country has deteriorated much further than I had thought.

-- Ra (tion@l.1), June 11, 2000

Answers

'Here is a man with a history of assaulting women, who associates with known felons, who repeatedly lied about what happened in the brutal killing of two men, and then turns on friends to save his own sorry ass. '

Sounds like Willie!

-- Porky (Porky@in.cellblockD), June 11, 2000.

Too funny Porky...ROTFLMAO

-- Ra (tion@l.1), June 11, 2000.

You don't get it my man, he's a hero because he beat the system, just like I did. Lawyers talk, justice walks.

-- O.J. Simpson (if my bitch tries to cheat @ i make her. dead meat), June 11, 2000.

At least it happened AFTER Art Modell took the Browns to Baltimore and changed their name. At least NE Ohio now has the Browns back where they belong.

And, since Lewis is a Baltimore Raven, he has alreay been publicly condemned and rebuked.

-- SteveOH (sron123@aol.com), June 11, 2000.

The fact that he could be a killer will get the fans even more excited and the Ravens will sell more tickets. Sounds like the Ravens owner came through with a nice chunk of change to help "convince" the prosecution that he was innocent. Anything can be bought for the right price.

-- Hawk (flyin@hi.again), June 11, 2000.

I think this sort of thing is called mob politics, his fans identify him as part of their gang and to hell with the individuals who have suffered because of him. More proof that being an individual is becoming more of a liability.

And yes your country probably has detiorated more than you originally thought.

-- Will (righthere@home.now), June 12, 2000.

If this is what America calls a hero, our country has deteriorated much further than I had thought.

Welcome aboard the reality train, RA ;) Sports these days is very forginving, just sell the tickets....make da money....

-- FactFinder (FactFinder@bzn.com), June 12, 2000.

Ra (tion@1.1) Sports are the opium of the massess and it contestants need to be protected at all costs.

Porky Just think what Willie could get away with if he had been a sports star backin college!

O.J. Simpson Unfortunately there is truth in what you say.

Hawk and Will Good points as usual.

Fact Finder You need to give up on this new found cynicsm it seems to be affecting your posts. Also could you please drop that phony eubonics routine as it really is offensive.

-- -- CPR was dead wrong (on@gas.prices), June 12, 2000.

How could we have been so wrong? It was just announced that Rays two buddies and co-defendants were found not guilty. I just knew those two dead guys had committed suicide. All of the classic signs were there to see: badly beaten bodies with multiple stab wounds. Darn, shoulda caught that sooner.

-- Ra (tion@l.1), June 12, 2000.

Lol Ra, you funny little honky! Of course it wasn't suicide my man, haven't you heard about the alien abductions? There's the little green men that fly around in saucers, beamin people up into their ships. They have a time machine in there, so they can stab people with all kinds of needles and dildos and thangs, then dump em back on the ground, and nobody even knows they were gone! Lawyers got lots of witnesses to these things you know, and they'll say anything for a little bit of cash (and maybe season passes to the Ravens games).

-- The Juice (back@in.black), June 13, 2000.