Ladies and gentlemen, please put down your pitchforks and step down from your soapboxes; the time has come to forgive Chris Brown.Â
After an emotional performance at this year’s BET Awards where the fallen R&B star danced a tribute to the late King of Pop, Brown barely made it through a rendition of Jackson’s Man in the Mirror, dropping to his knees mid-performance, his face masked in anguish.
In the days following his display of raw, unchecked emotion, critics ridiculed Brown, further branding him with the Scarlet Letter that has haunted him since his 2009 fall from public grace. Just hours before the Grammy Awards, something awful went down between Brown and then girlfriend, Bajan pop princess Rihanna – something so bad, Rihanna emerged looking like the bad end of a Mayweather fight.
Despite cooperation with the conditions of his parole, numerous public apologies, pleas for forgiveness and a vow to never let his fans down again, Brown’s career lacks the luster it once had. Rihanna, on the other hand, re-surfaced smelling like an island rose.Â
To argue that what Brown did that night was somehow deserved is absolutely insane. It is wrong and unlawful to viciously beat down another human being (he bit her fingers), but really, who are we to hold Brown under the high-resolution microscope we fail to use to illuminate our own mistakes?
To ask what Jesus would do is so obvious and cliché. Instead, I implore you to ask what you would do if your own brother or sister made a mistake. While you would certainly not condone bad behavior, surely you wouldn’t turn your back on them or blacklist them from attending any and every family function, indefinitely?Â
That’s exactly what has happened to Brown, you see. Some of the same radio stations that used to have Brown’s music in heavy rotation still fail to play his hits. It is so very convoluted when these same radio stations and music video networks play and support known felons, drug dealers, users, car thieves and downright shady people, and all for the love of the music. However, when that same courtesy and love is asked to be extended to Brown, all of a sudden, feathers are ruffled and everyone has convictions about what they absolutely cannot – nor will not – condone.
If we were to vilify and turn our backs on every entertainer who has made a mistake, there would be no Blueprint 1, 2, or 3 (remember that incident with Lance “Un†Rivera? Mmmhmm), there would be no Weezy, no T.I., no Snoop and most definitely no elaborate MJ tributes. Hell, I even still hear R. Kelly on the radio from time to time.Â
Take introspection a bit further and ask how you would want others to treat you after you did the unthinkable.  I’m not asking for anyone to forget Brown’s transgressions.  I’m simply asking that we all remember his immense talent and consider that he is a human being, flawed, yet beautiful in his own unique way. Besides how can you hate someone who gave us Yo (Excuse Me, Miss) and With You? #I’mjustsayin’
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I love this article. It’s time for people to see that we accept so much wrong who are we to say we can’t forgive anyone. Where does wrong cut off and abomination begin? when was the last time you loked in your closet and saw those things that you’ve done that haunt you from time to time. Grow up people.