The People vs. Chris Brown

Okay, this Chris Brown this is getting completely fucking out of control.

Number One, people need to stop acting like Chris Brown is the only guy that's ever lost his shit and hit a girl. Right now, he's trying his best to acknowledge where he's gone wrong and try to make up for it, but the media just won't let him. Continuing to call him names like Woman-Beater and saying that these kind of things don't happen in modern times aren't helping him clear his image - they're making him the poster boy of Domestic Violence.

Secondly, people are completely up in arms about his saying that he doesn't remember beating Rihanna. For starters, that makes sense - when you're at a point where you hit a woman multiple times in the face, there's a fierce chance that your blood is boiling, your endorphins are rushing, and you may very well "lose your shit" as I like to say. It's completely plausible that he blacked out and doesn't remember a thing.
...ya know, except he didn't really say that.

He released a press statement today saying that people need to tune in and watch the entire video:

"There have been reports on the Internet that I didn't remember what happened that night with Rihanna. I want to try and set things straight.
That 30 seconds of the interview they used of me was taken from a one hour interview during which that same question was asked something like 4 or 5 times -- and when you look at the entire interview you will see it is not representative of what I said.
The first four times - or how ever many times it was - I gave the same answer -- which was that I didn't think it was appropriate for me to talk about what happened that night. I said it was not right for me and it really wasn't fair to Rihanna. The fifth time - or whatever it was - I just misspoke. I was asked, "Do you remember doing it?" and I said, "No."
Of course I remember what happened. Several times during the interview, my mother said that I came to her right afterwards and told her everything. But it was and still is a blur. And yes, I still can't believe it happened because it is not me or who I am or is what happened like anything I have ever done before.
As I have said several times previously, I am ashamed of and sorry for what happened that night and I wish I could relive that moment and change things, but I can't. I take full responsibility for my actions. What I have to do now is to prove to the world that this was an isolated incident and that is not who I am and I intend to do so by my behavior now and in the future."

News anchors and interviewers constantly badger interviewees trying to get them to slip up - when Larry asks the same question FIVE TIMES you're likely to try and get out of answering too. But all people are hearing is him doing damage control, "uh... no! That's not what I meant!" This is yet another instance of the media improperly representing itself, cutting and pasting pieces of tape together to send across a completely different message. I'm not saying that all media in a sense "photoshops" their pieces to alter the message, but there are few companies that can truthfully say that they're guilt-free.

As a psychologist, I'll tell you right now - Chris Brown's upbringing did not provide him a stable atmosphere. His father abused his mother (he later denied it completely, despite the fact that he's blind due to his gun misfiring during a fight with his wife) leading a poor example for Chris on the proper way to express anger. Chris was not just taught that hitting women was okay, but he was also taught that violence is the correct way to express anger.

Mind you, I am in no way, shape, or form excusing his behavior. Growing up, he should have realized that this was in every way wrong; however, his "fight or flight" response is and forever will be geared towards "fight." It's not like he went home every day and hit Rihanna when she overcooked the roast. There are much worse men in America who truly need corrective therapy, vs Chris who really needs some Anger Management.

In essence, YES, Chris Brown was WRONG in what he did; but he knows it. Give him the chance to apologize and try and make things right. If Rihanna has, you can too.

You know what? Let's compare this to something that's kinda basically completely different.
Remember when Perez Hilton called will.i.am a "fucking f@ggot"? People are still legitimately upset by that, myself included. But why, Alex, when he went on national media and talk show circuits apologizing?

...oh wait, he didn't. He cried a whole lot though. He cried a whole lot, and then threatened to sue the shit out of will.i.am and donate it all to the Matthew Shepard Foundation (who, by the way, refused the money; they didn't like Perez exploiting his use of the word for monetary gain and publicity.)

Chris Brown isn't like Perez. He's trying. Sure, he leaked songs for his new album called "Smash" and "Uh Oh," but those are just poor choices. Not nearly as poor as punching Rihanna, but still.

If you really wanna keep hating on Chris Brown, try donating your time and money to Domestic Abuse shelters. Learn more about what you can do to help thousands and thousands of abused women (and men) who can't just take a trip to Barbados after the wounds heal. Find the local domestic abuse shelter and volunteer; instead of vlogging about your hatred towards Chris Brown, try spreading awareness about what everyone can do to help.