Chris Brown Apologizes! – Can we forgive him?
Below I’ve included Chris Brown’s two minute apology concerning his attack on R&B superstar Rihanna. I felt it was necessary to include his apology for a couple of reasons. And here they are.
1. Chris Brown was 19 when this attack occurred and to our knowledge he has no other criminal incidents or violent incidents on his record. He’s young enough to be rehabilitated.
2. Chris Brown was in a home where domestic violence was a part of the usual routine. He learned violence as a way of life. He is smart enough to be rehabilitated.
3. We talk about forgiving people, but when someone reaches out to us, we often turn our backs. We can support his effort for recovery.
4. The punishment should fit the crime. I feel that Chris Brown has been all but exiled from the entertainment business because of this act. As many presentations on domestic violence and teen dating violence that I’ve done, it is wrong for us to exile a young man who wants and NEEDS our help. It is wrong of us to try to end his career over a mistake that he made when he was barely an adult.
5. If Chris Brown learns from this incident that he will never ever raise his hand again to another woman and then becomes an advocate for other young men to turn away from violence, then his forgiveness will have been well earned. Can we forgive him? Shouldn’t we? I think so.
Tags: apology, Chris Brown, teen dating violence
About the Author
Yasmin Shiraz is the President of Still Eye Rise Films, an independent production company which films educational and thought provoking documentaries that chronicle the lives, traumas and experiences of youth. Her first production, Can She Be Saved?, a documentary that examines violence among middle school girls, was an official selection of the 2009 Roxbury Film Festival and recently won a 2009 Indie Award of Merit from IndieFest.
Yasmin Shiraz is the Award winning Author of Retaliation a novel about a community’s response to youth violence. In 2009, it was selected as one of the top Ten Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers by the American Library Association. She is the author of The Blueprint for My Girls: How To Build A Life Full of Courage, Determination & Self Love (Simon and Schuster) and five other books. Her best selling “Blueprint” empowerment series is utilized as a self esteem, motivational, and educational tool at middle and high schools, after school programs, non-profit youth centers, as well as Boys and Girls Clubs throughout the country. 
2 Comments for Chris Brown Apologizes! – Can we forgive him?
July 21, 2009 at 1:58 pm
I personally feel like he should be forgiven because it is not our duty to join nor prosecute. he is a 19 year old boy who will have a hard enough time being a felon in this country! I think that we need to stop punishing people and pushing them up against the wall. Have we learned nothing from Michael Jackson and all the BS the media and people put him through. Enough is truly enough. we have forgiven people for lots worst and still buy thier music and support them.
Sidenote-Jay Z has some nerve when he slapped that girl down to the ground during his hard knock life concert.. A suit and tie only changes the man’s appearance..
August 24, 2009 at 12:29 pm
Men have always been known for their chivalry. If they are treated well by women, they get treated better in return. If women want to be taken good care of by their men, they need to respect and treat their men with dignity.