Radio Host Makes Shocking Claim About Shooting Hillary Clinton
Celebrating A TV Trailblazer
Over a month after his alleged beating of (ex-?)girlfriend Rihanna, Chris Brown is still beloved by many of his teenage fans. This adoring base includes girls who think Rihanna instigated or earned her smackdown. The NYT explores fans' loyalty to Brown in a piece today in which kids seem to argue: "If Rihanna forgave him, why shouldn't I?"The article also points out that there's extra pressure in the black community to forgive, lest another black male be written off as a criminal. A Harvard African-American studies professor told the Times that girls have been taught that "what matters is that we don't destroy boys."
Not Just Chris Brown
What's missing from much of the media coverage about the Rihanna-Chris Brown case is an acknowledgment that this occurs all the time -- with Oscar nominees as well as Kids' Choice Award ones.
Click here to read who else has been in Brown's boat.
Experienced brawler Josh Brolin got popped for spousal battery, yet there was no outcry at Diane Lane for sticking by his side at the Oscars. Terrence Howard was arrested in 2001 for punching his estranged wife in the face. (After Brown's arrest, Howard had to apologize for saying, "It's just life, man ... Rihanna knows he loves her.")
Charlie Sheen, one of the highest-paid actors on TV, was accused of abuse by his ex-wife Denise Richards. He is also reported to have "accidentally" shot ex-fiancé Kelly Preston. Shot her. But nobody (except maybe critics) seems outraged that "Two and a Half Men" is picked up for another season.
Our question: Why do we expect teenagers, what with their underdeveloped prefrontal lobes and all, to hold Chris Brown accountable when, as a society, we don't blink at other celebrity perpetrators of violence against women?
Tell us! Do you think teenagers are going too easy on Chris Brown?
Click here to read a Lemondrop blogger's first-person account about abusive relationships.
Comments:
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Monday 23 March
By Chrissy
Oh most definitely they are. And do you know what I blame for that? Twilight. It romanticizes controlling and abusive relationships. In the second book, "New Moon", the werewolves' leader had terribly mauled his wife because he got angry one day and couldn't control himself and she was nearby. Tell me I'm reading into much into, but I don't think I am.
Thanks SMeyer for making girls think it's okay to stay with someone that hurts you.
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Monday 23 March
By Neep
You are very right.
Girls think, 'IT'S OKAY. HE LOVES ME AND HE WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING UNLESS I DESERVED IT.' because of all this Bella and Edward crap.
It's not right
Thursday 26 March
By Mary Fran
I felt very uncomfortable reading the 2nd book. It felt so abusive in so many ways. And what makes it so dangerous is that it sweeps women up in the sexy heavy almost druglike feeling of arousal by 2 hot guys fighting over the heroine. Yet, the one who supposedly loves her just disappears and she becomes nothing w/out him. It is so sick, so Wuthering Heights.
Friday 03 April
By Shannon
Hey, I think you need to re read New Moon, one Sam the head werewolf is not married yet, two he did not maul her on purpose, he was not in control of his changing yet and she was too close. He didn't do it on purpose and Twilight series is not in anyway saying it is okay for girls to take abuse of any kind from anyone. How old are you anyhow? Grow up.... really
Monday 06 April
By Donna
OK, Chris Brown did something terrible. I am not condoning his actions and the fact is we don't know what their relationship consists of, because none of us are actually in the relationship with them to know. Therefore, people shouldn't judge either of them. However, if it happened as it's said in the press, Rihanna shouldn't stay with him.
Parents should teach their children the right way to behave, and even though there is too much parenting left up to the media, its not just the media's fault. Parents, schools, and the environment girls as well as boys who grow up thinking that its okay for a guy to abuse/control a girl have a lot more influence coming from other sources.
Now, I personally loved the Twilight series. The werewolf that badly hurt his girlfriend never meant to hurt her and did not abuse her in any way otherwise. Abuse comes in many forms other than physical. There were many points in the book where he would look at her and feel awful for doing that to her. Jacob said it numerous times, and reading it you could see the pain in the mans face and the love he had for this girl.
The relationship between Edward and Bella is a little strange, yes, however not abusive. Bella was just as controlling as Edward was, and in the fourth book, she's allowing herself pain while Edward is literally on floor feeling like scum (you must read the book to understand).
Anyway, there are a lot of strange people in this world, and whats important for today's generation, and all future generations is for the PARENTS TO TALK TO AND GIVE POSITIVE GUIDANCE TO THEIR KIDS ABOUT SERIOUS ISSUES!!! Nothing, and no one can be blamed for anything without blaming the parents or caregivers first. The environment and lack of services or attention to children in schools is next.
Bottom line: Rihanna shouldn't take that from Chris, and he needs anger management, and is certainly not Stephanie Meyers fault that girls who are too young to understand the full significance of it are reading her books, and getting the wrong message.
Thursday 09 April
By SarenTheGreat
Yeah, I'm sure Stephanie Meyer is the strongest cultural influence here. The girls were totally feminist and then, bam! Twilight brainwashed them. It may or may not be a good influence, but there's a hell of a lot more at work here than that.
Thursday 09 April
By kyle
You people got be kidding your blaming all this on a book serious ? Are you people not willing to take the blame for your self. It is the parents that are pushed around and beating up that are to blame . The keep on going back to the men who are doing this them and the kids see that as normal . Stop blaming t.v and books for all this . I guess if t.v broad casted a show of people jumping of a bridge then all of the kids would go do the same the thing becuase they saw it on t.v but waite kids have seen people jump of bridges before how come we don't see a bunch of kids trying to jump of bridges . The movie Martix teachs that we can fly and stop bullets with are hands do you see kids trying that NO . Stop blaming everything else and put the blame whereneeds to be placed ON THE PARENTS who don't teach their childern anything .
Wednesday 15 April
By alice
Yes i agree teens are being too easy, however twilight does not have anything to do with this. His wife was scared because he's a warewolf and happened to be morphing while she was standing too close. Warewolfs and abusive relationships have nothing to do with eachother. However, your ignorance and automatically placing blame on someone else does have something to do with this huge issue.
Thursday 16 April
By mandy
Ahaha wow.... one: I don't think many teenagers are dating werewolves, so THEIR boyfriends don't have an excuse. two: They weren't even dating when that happened. three: Relationship violence has always been ignored, not because of some book fad, but because no one wants to talk about it. That goes for adults of both genders, not just teenaged girls.
Wednesday 25 March
By Dayna
I blame Jesus.
Read Your Scriptures of hate...You'll see why.
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Tuesday 07 April
By me
wow. apparently you don't understand the bible.
Thursday 26 March
By Captvoncrapp
This makes me wish I had given the ex a good pounding after I found out about her and that punk from the gas station! Of course, I'm not famous...
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Thursday 26 March
By Cassandra
Are you kidding me? Blaming a book series for a violent act like this is unfeasible! What was done was wrong; there is no question to that. Passing the blame from person to person (or book) is pointless. Provocation is not an excuse. Stop being ignorant.
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Thursday 26 March
By Lisa
I'm amazed that people think that Twilight is that relevant. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the books. But women/girls have been sticking by their abusive men long before Stephanie M was a twinkle. Can't we just enjoy a work of fiction as... a work of fiction? Let's all learn to think for ourselves and stand up for something rather than just point the finger and lay blame.
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Friday 27 March
By Lala
Passing the blame to a book may be stupid, but it IS relevant.
Teenage girls are seeing the way Edward treats Bella. They think it's "romantic", and it's okay because it happens in a book. So then, they start assuming, "Well if Edward did it...It cant be that bad! I mean look at where they ended up! They had a kid and were happy!"
Teenagers are impressionable. So reading something that is such a phenomenon (why I don't know, the writing and story is atrocious) makes them think that it's all good.
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Friday 27 March
By Cassandra
Edward had more self-control than any character in the series. You can't pick and choose which parts of the series to use to defend yourself. If you're going to be ignorant enough to relate the fictional story to "real life," you have to see the series as a whole. The books are about defending your family, practicing abstinence until marriage, friendships, trust, respect, honesty, and yes, falling in love. Using "Twilight" as an excuse for abuse would not hold up in court.
I agree with Lisa. No one taught any man to beat a woman. Abusive relationships are wrong, regardless. People, in general, have a hard time finding their own faults. Everyone blames everyone else. It's human nature. Teenagers are constantly questioning, learning, and imitating. That doesn't necessarily define them as a person. What they think is acceptable one minute may not be the next. Pointing fingers is easy but it is not right. Apparently, we all have a lot to learn.
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Saturday 28 March
By Evan D.
i am sorry, if i offend anybody but the reason i'm not getting upset is because i don't know the whole story and neither do any of you. you weren't in the car with them. you don't know how the situation occured. because i know many relationships where the men woud say something hurtful to the women and she would hit him but becuase she is not as strong, she would leave no briuses. in this case, no one would report abuse. but if it how the other way around the man could leave briuse which cause he to go court. Is that fair? I don't think so, so don't go blaming anyone unless you know the whole, complete story.
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Tuesday 21 April
By Laura
I'm sorry Evan and Kim, I have to disagree. No matter what the "situation" or "whole story" is, there is no excuse for violence-from the man or the woman.
Sunday 29 March
By kim
I agree with Evan.
No one knows the whole story.
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Sunday 29 March
By Devynn
domestic violence is NOT OK NO MATTER WHO DOES IT! there are times i'm mad enough at my husband to lay my hands on him, but if he decided to defend himself, as is his right, he'd be the one in jail, even tho i was just as wrong. so we have decided that when things get that bad, to take a step back and breathe for a while b/c getting THAT angry is NEVER worth it.
rihanna had the crap beaten out of her. we ALL saw the picture. i don't care what she did, NO ONE deserves a beat down like that. even if she started it, he could have clued into the fact that as a man, he could do more damage to her, than she could EVER do to him, and just let it go. but no, he fell right into the pot she was swimming in and they BOTH ended up losing. hopefully, they'll just break up and NEVER get back together again. to do otherwise only makes domestic violence ok to impressionable ppl. i hope their record lables and management realizes that would default their investments that they made into these two kids. money talks y'all! here's hoping that the money will make the impression needed to get these kids apart and back to good.
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