[lastyearisblank]

Triggering, triggering, triggering.

Do not read if you don't know what this is about as you will likely be triggered. This is just in case anyone else saw this last night and is upset as I am by it.

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Ok so was anyone else bothered by what happened last night at the Grammys with Chris Brown?

ABC News quoted the executive producer of the Grammys justifying having the little dirt bag back on the air by saying:

"Explaining the decision to allow Brown back on the show, Ehrlich told ABC News Radio, “I think people deserve a second chance, you know. If you’ll note, he has not been on the Grammys for the past few years and it may have taken us a while to kind of get over the fact that we were the victim of what happened.”

This makes me so angry. I feel like this is willfully distorting the importance of domestic violence.

The police report shows that Chris Brown threatened to murder Rihanna in his car. Rihanna was able to stop the attack by stealing his keys and sitting on them and then calling for help until someone came to the scene. So scary. It is amazing what PR can cover up.

Did anyone else see the Grammys last night? Aside from the fact that they sucked, there was an extra dose of unreality and unbelievability to the fact that Chris Brown won 1010930932 awards and everyone stood up and clapped.

[lynn P.]

Sorry you were triggered and I didn't watch them since I had to wake up early. Unfortunately in the entertainment industry, they can be an abuser etc and still be accepted. He even flipped out on Good Morning America a while back. If I had it my way, he would be working cleaning toilets.

[snowgoose]

I am sorry to hear how you were triggered by the grammy's. It is a very tough issue when we are talking about domestic violence. What he did to Riana was criminal.

Still, we can't really know what kind of 'work' he has done to address his violence issues. How he has grown as a young man, how he has changed his patterns etc etc. I don't think it is fair to black mark him for life. He deserves the changes to redeem himself, to prove himself a better person, to go on and do great things in music and in his life.

I didn't see his performance, not my taste in music but he does deserve another chance to be a better person. Unless we believe he and others like him can turn their lives around what hope is there for anyone caught in his same pattern of behaviour or victimized by violence.

It takes a village to raise a child. If the village fails the child the village shares some responsibility. Condemnation without reconsiliation is counter productive to creating a civil society.

Domestic violence is a horrible epidemic and should always be taken very seriously. No one is allowed to put their hands on another in anger. Effective enforcement involves prevention as much as punishments.

I hope he has grown and that he is no longer a threat to others. He is young and he can learn to be a better person with the support of others. Including his fans.

[IceCreamKid]

I felt the same way when OJ Simpson was declared 'not guilty" although I believe Chris Brown pleaded guilty to felony assault of Rihanna. Of course I think part of the problem is that people are willing to call such things as felony assault -- or in the Simpson case, cold-blooded murder -- "domestic violence." Such a mild name for such a horrible thing to do: betray the love and trust that is supposed to be at the heart of our [domestic] relationships. I'm not willing to cut Mr. Brown any slack because he is young, either. He knows hitting and slapping and kicking and cursing someone out hurts; that's why he did what he did: to hurt Rihanna.