A while back I wrote about my thoughts on the vilification of Kristen Stewart when it was found she and the director of her movie Snow White and the Huntsman had intimate dealings. My thoughts, and my opinions, were not those of the majority; they were mine based on my life experience. I do so again today regarding Chris Brown.
You know the guy, the soon to be 24 year old music star who beat the tar out of Rihanna on the eve of the 2009 Grammy's. He pled guilty to felony assault and was sentenced to five years probation and six months community service. That was the official sentence. The unofficial sentence was a lifetime of derision, mistrust, jeers, ostracism, and taunts.
Let me come right out with it. He turned himself in. He's is adhering to the terms of his sentence. He's apologized. And apologized. And apologized. In word, deed, song, and just about every other way a person can. In my eyes he's more than paid for his wrongdoing and it should not be held against him anymore. Yet mainstream society still refuses to drop it. Every time he steps out we read, watch or hear about another altercation initiated by someone provoking him. And yes, he reacts. Few folks are giving him the opportunity to grow past his (admittedly) gross misbehavior.
Come on people! He was 19 years old! All he'd ever known growing up was a household of domestic violence! His step dad beat his mom! What's the saying? The sins of the father are visited upon the son; or in this case, the stepfather and stepson.
I am sure I will take some grief for defending him, and I'm good with it. Who of us didn't do at least one colossally stupid thing when we were around that age? I myself can think of several such incidents in my youth. The difference is I did so in relative privacy, whereas Chris Brown gets to do so in front of millions. Asking forgiveness of a few people is a lot easier than millions. The same goes for giving forgiveness.
Rihanna has forgiven Chris Brown. Why can't everyone else? Get past his stupidity. Get past his youth. Give him the opportunity to atone for and get beyond all this. As it says in the Bible, "Let he that is without sin cast the first stone."
