Sexism on Trial

I read this article with amusement. In the six years since the r. Kelly incident I've spoken to persons in our community from all different backgrounds, and there is only one constant within the community: inconsistency. How black women, black men, black teens, etc., feel about r. Kelly, and even more generally, about pedophilia runs the gamit.

Like the author, and some of the commentors, I'm disgusted by those who "blame the victim" or more accurately, do not recognize that a 14 y.o. girl could be a victim when participating in sexual acts with a 30 plus year old adult male.

But unlike the author, I recognize that the black community is not monolithic, despite the caricatures of our lifestyles that exist in pop culture. And I think that is the problem with this article. Portraying to the world that "so many" black women support a pedophile says something extremely negative about black women. And while sexism is a real problem in the black community, this article's inflammatory rhetoric does not make it a tool to confront and route out such sexism. Instead, it is an indictment against an entire community of women.

Personally, I'm tired of being the scapegoat for every ill within the black community: the R. Kelly's, Mike Tyson's, and O.J.'s of the world. I'm also tired of being equated with those segments of our community that are incapable of more than simplistic thinking (every culture has them). I do not believe that a 14 y.o. girl is a sexual predator, rather than a victim of sexual assault. I do not believe that permitting black men guilty of horrible criminal acts "evens out" the system because of the many black males serving time for acts they did not commit, and I do not believe that a black celebrity, well-known for his indiscretions with young girls, deserves my defense, sympathy, or empathy.

I agree that men need to start understanding that if they do not protect the person who gives bith to their children no one else will. White men will never have to guess that white women are the bomb because every other nationality keeps her on a pedestal for them. If we can get the same then a whole lot of the ills in our community can begin to heal. Another thing is that a lot of women have to stop putting their man first and know that he will be fine if she does not pay for his whatever...She needs to know that her kids are not to go without because he wants some new Jordans, he can get out and work just like she did...It is a two way street, we have women music artist who to me degrade themselves dancing like a stripper in front of their man and slink down in front of his croctch and then dance in a video that shows everything that GOD gave her. She is a role model for so many youg girls and that translate into how they feel about themselves and it translates into young men who see her now husband just stand there while she dances, so one gleans that this is the way to behave because she is famous and has her man and he is famous and his girl dances for him so why are'nt you dancing for me....We need everyone to watch our kids, male and female and let them know the true meaning of repsect...first it starts with mom and dad, grandma and grandpa and on down once we can start there again then maybe we will have a chance again in this lifetime to see the respect and honor that was once seen in so many African-American communitties acorss this country.....

PLEASE DON'T TOUCH MICHEL JACKSON NEITHER WITNEY HOUSTON.
..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Our poor black community never had anything, there is the reason why when they have...they go literraly nuts.
As matter of the fact, blacks care about the other black even thought the other black is wrong.
In their culture the only thing that counts IS WHO KISS THE RING TO WHO.
OBAMA KISS SOME ASS BUT AT THE END, EVERYONE HAS TO KISS HIS ASS......................................................
(well, except myself )

Let's get this straight, not all African American women love R. Kelly. Don't try to put all of us in the same category with the dozens at his trial. I cannot think of not one of my friends or family members of the female persuasion that think anything good about R. Kelly. We all agree that he is sick and needs Jesus. Amen.

WHAT A BUNCH OF CRAP!

The majority of Black women don't give a "rat's ass" about R. Kelley. And those Black women (his groupies and fans) who did support him speak for THEMSELVES - their actions DO NOT speak for ME nor millions of other Black women - quit the stereotyping, generalizing, and pathologizing. No one is in an uproar about MICK JAGGER and a whole mess of other rock stars who have been screwing "underaged" girls for years - no one is accusing White women and their legions of fans of "supporting" them and their immoral behavior. LEAVE BLACK WOMEN OUT OF R. KELLY'S MESS!

There are millions of Black women who feel Kelly and the victim (whomever she is) got their day in Court and that it was up to a judge and jury to settle this mess - NOT PUBLIC OPINION. Don't blame us Black women for the outcome. Blame the prosecutor. They had six years to gather evidence on this guy and all they could come up with was a GRAINY VIDEO with a person that "could" or "could not" be R. Kelly...AND NO VICTIM! So what in the hell did everyone expect the outcome to be?

Quit blaming the race everytime a Black person gets in trouble and feeling "a call to action" needs to take place! There's something called "personal accountability" and in this case it belongs to R. Kelly, whoever the victim is, and the parents...not the millions of Black women going about their daily lives and steering themselves and their daughters away from trashy men like R. Kelly.

The judge and jury have spoken - MOVE ON - and leave the rest of US Black women out of R. Kelley's mess! And for those of you so concerned about the young girl in the video - tame your own damn daughters' infatuations with entertainers and watch the example YOU set for them in fixating on everything in popular culture. You don't need a MARCH ON WASHINGTON for that!

Good Grief! What a bunch of trash and bull!

WHAT A BUNCH OF CRAP!

The majority of Black women don't give a "rat's ass" about R. Kelley. And those Black women (his groupies and fans) who did support him speak for THEMSELVES - their actions DO NOT speak for ME nor millions of other Black women - quit the stereotyping, generalizing, and pathologizing. No one is in an uproar about MICK JAGGER and a whole mess of other rock stars who have been screwing "underaged" girls for years - no one is accusing White women and their legions of fans of "supporting" them and their immoral behavior. LEAVE BLACK WOMEN OUT OF R. KELLY'S MESS!

There are millions of Black women who feel Kelly and the victim (whomever she is) got their day in Court and that it was up to a judge and jury to settle this mess - NOT PUBLIC OPINION. Don't blame us Black women for the outcome. Blame the prosecutor. They had six years to gather evidence on this guy and all they could come up with was a GRAINY VIDEO with a person that "could" or "could not" be R. Kelly...AND NO VICTIM! So what in the hell did everyone expect the outcome to be?

Quit blaming the race everytime a Black person gets in trouble and feeling "a call to action" needs to take place! There's something called "personal accountability" and in this case it belongs to R. Kelly, whoever the victim is, and the parents...not the millions of Black women going about their daily lives and steering themselves and their daughters away from trashy men like R. Kelly.

The judge and jury have spoken - MOVE ON - and leave the rest of US Black women out of R. Kelley's mess! And for those of you so conerned about the young girl in the video - tame your own damn daughters' infatuations with entertainers and watch the example YOU set for them in fixating on everything in popular culture. You don't need a MARCH ON WASHINGTON for that!

Good Grief! What a bunch of trash and bull!

Wait there's more: Here's Part 2. A good rant takes space:

Looks like Ms Samuels wanted to share the "wealth." of HER bitter bile.
And you know what, I'm NOT totally pissed at her.
Rush Limbaigh, Ann Coulter say that kinda crap everyday. And get paid VERY WELL. To spew lies and half truths, innuendo. And anyone with any sense realizes that they do so for SELF ENRICHMENT. Being controversial sells. It doesnt even HAVE to be anywhere near the truth. She probably did herself a world of good in the newsroom and will NOW get taken seriously during editorial meetings and story reviews. She did HERSELF alot of good I bet. Upper mgmt are probably re-considering her beyond her sex and race now that she showed she'll gladly skewer her own for a byline. There have always been the house negroes who warn massa when the revolution was coming so they would get the bigger piece of cornbread as a reward . This isnt very different.
Well, here's THIS Black woman's response to your title. I could THROW A ROCK & PROBABLY HIT 50 WOMEN WHO'D GLADLY TAKE TURNS KICKING R KELLY GREASY SLIMY ASS. I'D HOLD HIM DOWN PERSONALLY. AND IF I EVER MET HIM FACE TO FACE I'D TELL HIM HE WASNT WORTH THE DYNAMITE IT'D TAKE TO BLOW HIM TO HELL..
Go on keep telling your lies. Cash that check. Karma is a *** with long red nails and she never sleeps.

Allison Allison Allison. I read it because the title demanded that I do so, so I could first hand experience how I was "supporting" the not guilty verdict. Yes, all us Black women threw up a "Hallelujah" when the verdict came in.
It may be one of the stupidest things Ive read in a long time. Hamhanded. Unsubtle. Pandering almost for a visceral response. Gee I bet you & your colleagues must have a real giggle over the misspellings and nonsensical retorts. I'm 47 and well aware of the jaundiced, judgmental and withering public opinion about me as a Black woman. Ive struggled all my life to be seen as a PERSON NOT A COLOR. My being African American means mostly my COLOR has nothing to do with my CULTURE. There are many types of Black people in the world, but they arent like me, EXCEPT FOR THEIR COLOR. So that means that "WE" dont "ALL" automatically agree with each other. yES, WITHOUT ACCESS TO JUNGLE DRUMS WE JUST DONT THINK ALL THE SAME LIKE WE USED TO. (For racists readers, I'm being sarcastic - since you're dumb I thought I'd point that out to you - keep reading) But I do know that anyone who thinks ALL Black women applauded this scumbag's acquittal is either a slack jawed idiot or a disingenuous opportunist looking to post an inflammatory byline for her own self aggrandizment. Picture the erstwhile Ms Samuels, sitting disenfranchised, possibly marginalized in the editing conferences. Dismissed, not taken seriously, givren fluff pieces ignored MAYBE because of the color of her skin AND HER SEX, or maybe she just didnt pick good stories to write about. Sitting there, seething, ineffectual, how it must gall to see others get taken seriously. FIlled with anger she probably overheard colleagues talking about the verdict, laughing or saying dismissive things about Black women. Maybe at that moment, filled with disgust at her OWN predicament, or trying to fit in. Maybe it was those few morons who applauded the acquittal, in that moment of weakness, she lashed out at her own. Laying the blame on her fellow Black females for her plight must have taken some of the sting out of never being taken really seriously in the newsroom.
So she sits down to call "us" to task. Set herself as judge jury and clear eyed executiuoner. And I'll be damned if we werent all (pardon the pun) tarred with VERY broad sweeps of Ms Samuels brush dipped in the most bitter paint. Well since ALL BLACK WOMEN are reading this and we're ALL IN AGREEMENT. Damning words werent they? Well arent we all trite and stupid? Low class? Questionable? Immoral? Sketchy at best? Made you feel despised didnt they, the commenters? You felt outraged, maligned, mislabelled and you worried the next day if blame would be heaped on your heads, the disapproving looks and disgusted glances.
Looks like Ms Samuels wanted to share the "wealth." of HER bitter bile.

Allison Allison Allison. I read it because the title demanded that I do so, so I could first hand experience how I was "supporting" the not guilty verdict. Yes, all us Black women threw up a "Hallelujah" when the verdict came in. It may be one of the stupidest things Ive read in a long time. Hamhanded. Unsubtle. Pandering almost for a visceral response. Gee I bet you & your colleagues must have a real giggle over the misspellings and nonsensical retorts. I'm 47 and well aware of the jaundiced, judgmental and withering public opinion about me as a Black woman. Ive struggled all my life to be seen as a PERSON NOT A COLOR. My being African American means mostly my COLOR has nothing to do with my CULTURE. There are many types of Black people in the world, but they arent like me, EXCEPT FOR THEIR COLOR. So that means that "WE" dont "ALL" automatically agree with each other. yES, WITHOUT ACCESS TO JUNGLE DRUMS WE JUST DONT THINK ALL THE SAME LIKE WE USED TO. (For racists readers, I'm being sarcastic - since you're dumb I thought I'd point that out to you - keep reading) But I do know that anyone who thinks ALL Black women applauded this scumbag's acquittal is either a slack jawed idiot or a disingenuous opportunist looking to post an inflammatory byline for her own self aggrandizment. Picture the erstwhile Ms Samuels, sitting disenfranchised, possibly marginalized in the editing conferences. Dismissed, not taken seriously, givren fluff pieces ignored MAYBE because of the color of her skin AND HER SEX, or maybe she just didnt pick good stories to write about. Sitting there, seething, ineffectual, how it must gall to see others get taken seriously. FIlled with anger she probably overheard colleagues talking about the verdict, laughing or saying dismissive things about Black women. Maybe at that moment, filled with disgust at her OWN predicament, or trying to fit in. Maybe it was those few morons who applauded the acquittal, in that moment of weakness, she lashed out at her own. Laying the blame on her fellow Black females for her plight must have taken some of the sting out of never being taken really seriously in the newsroom.
So she sits down to call "us" to task. Set herself as judge jury and clear eyed executiuoner. And I'll be damned if we werent all (pardon the pun) tarred with VERY broad sweeps of Ms Samuels brush dipped in the most bitter paint. Well since ALL BLACK WOMEN are reading this and we're ALL IN AGREEMENT. Damning words werent they? Well arent we all trite and stupid? Low class? Questionable? Immoral? Sketchy at best? Made you feel despised didnt they, the commenters? You felt outraged, maligned, mislabelled and you worried the next day if blame would be heaped on your heads, the disapproving looks and disgusted glances.
Looks like Ms Samuels wanted to share the "wealth." of HER bitter bile.

I am shocked that this article is depicting that Black women support R. Kelly. I am not a Black woman but work in a very diverse workplace wth all nationalities. The general consensus I've observed is that any person -- male or female that could and possibly would, violate the innocence of a child is a force to reckon with. Women of all races wouldn't support this kind of craziness. This article is unwarranted and portrays a negative stereotype. The article should be titled "How musicians use sex to violate young women." Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis, and numerous others have behaved inappropriately. I would imagine a lot of over-sexed teenaged girls who don't know any better would support this kind of chaos but to label a specific race of women is immature. I am saddened that Newsweek would do this and you have officially lost a subscriber.

I am shocked that this article is depicting that Black women support R. Kelly. I am not a Black women but work in a very diverse workplace wth all nationalities. The general consensus I've observed is that any person -- male or female that could and possibly would, violate the innocence of a child is a force to reckon with. Women of all races wouldn't support this kind of craziness. This article is unwarranted and portrays a negative stereotype. The article should be titled "How musicians use sex to violate young women." Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis, and numerous others have behaved inappropriately. I would imagine a lot of over-sexed teenaged girls who don't know any better would support this kind of chaos but to label a specific race of women is immature. I am saddened that Newsweek would do this and you have officially lost a subscriber.

How ridiculous and arrogant. I am a black woman who doesn't support R. Kelley or any sexually immature, repugnant or sexually abusive male....black, white, yellow, red. What arrogance and stupidity you demonstrate when you publish absurd articles that rely on inflammatory headlines and mediocre journalism. To call it racist would be too easy, to label it simple-minded and unconscious would be accurate.

WHY IS THIS EVEN A RACIAL ISSUE, ALL WOMEN NO MATTER WHAT COLOR HAVE SUPPORTED A MAN THAT WE MAYBE SHOULDN'T HAVE, AND THE SAME GOES FOR MEN. THERE ARE GOOD BLACK MEN AND WOMEN. BUT WE ARE ALL HUMAN AND FOR MANY OF US OR STRUGGLES AND MISTAKES ARE STILL THE SAME. SO WHY IS EVERYONE FOCUSES ON RACE? FOR EVERY BLACK MAN OUT HERE THAT FEELS THE NEED TO DEGRADE WOMEN, THERE'S A MEXICAN, WHITE, RUSSIAN, CHINESE, AFRICAN OR WHATEVER COLOR, DOING THE SAME. SO LETS FOCUS ON ALL PEOPLE, NOT JUST BLACK, OR WOMEN. BLACK MEN SHOULDN'T KEEP BEING ATTACKED BECAUSE THERE ARE GOOD ONE'S OUT HERE.

I can't believe that they would let someone publish an article like this! There were plenty of men who supported Kelly and Tyson, whether they were white, black, or brown. What does color have to do with it, after no one's really sure if it was him on the tape or if the girl was underage. We live in a system were everyone is innocent until proven guilty, so maybe his innonence was celebrated because he didn't commit a crime. There weren't many people who supported Micheal Vick in the black community, but there are millions of white people who supported Lindsey Lohan's behavior, or Brintey Spears. And to say that sex crimes aren't as big a deal as others because of the dispairities we face is insensitive and wrong! White women have been viewed as an object of sex and beauty for centuries, remember Kelly Bundy or those other flat ass white women in t.v. shows flaunting their chests and tight clothes, or white women grinding on the dance floor in videos, like Madonna, Britney, Christina, or Shakira. I think America has to much of a double standard on our culture. They need to spend more time writing articles that empower our country as a whole and less on ignorant, and demeaning things, like this!!!!!!!!!!!

I just wanted to say that I hate when Newsweek, CNN, or any news speaks for all black women or black people...Get this straight. I do not love or do I know of any other black woman that support R. Kelly. ..Just because I'm black woman doesn't mean I support him because he is BLACK. So if he was white is it ok for White women to support him??...I never see articles about why White women who loves sex offenders that prey on a small child. So stop speaking for all bLACK PEOPL(WOMEN) GET YOUR STORIES STRAIGHT
bUTTERFLY

I am strongly against any man sexual abusing a black woman or any woman. But when we have our own families not trying to make and keep our black families together and continue to seperate them by teaching ignorance of how they treat their women, it really depreciate the respect and dignity of black women/any woman. Women need to learn not to degrade themselves, just because... We as families got to unite together to make a difference for ourselves. Where there isn't love - give love, no hope - give hope, encourage each other as we look upon one another to not fear who you are and love the bodies GOD has given us and let no one use you no matter what fame of fortune they may have. Remeber you are priceless - you can't be brought. Society does just what they want, R. Kelly is a victim of his own circumstances - he needs help, it dosen't matter if he is declared a free man.

I don't agee to a black man or any man sexually abusing a woman (black or white). Women shouldn't give themselves to any man because of there fortunes. Women should respect there bodies and appreciate what GOD has given them. Families has forgotten their way to respect, trust, love and to have dignity toward family. Women encourage each other as we look upon each other everyday, cause we are sister black or white. Black Men have lost the respect in themselves and that is clearly why they don't respect women of any color. R. Kelly is truly a victim of his own circumstances even though he has been declared a free man, but he still needs help. He has violated the women of his own families, as well as the young lady -n- family and he needs to repent to the Father to ask for forgiveness for his own sins. Remeber he has children and they often say "what goes around, comes around". Remeber we are not exempt from wrong doing and he has to look himself in the mirror everyday. Can his conscious live with that !!!!

"It takes two to tangle" is what I have always been told. While reding this article, as a young african american woman, I got the sense of belittlement. I believe that both parties should take blame for their actions. Yes R.Kelly was wrong but she sat there and let him do it. Instead of saying what the black community is doing wrong and how they seem to have no respect, values, self- esteem or dignity for themselves encourage them. Steer them in the right direction to make them want better out of live and maybe young black girls wont feel the need for a man to make them feel better about who they are. It (encouragement) has to start somewhere let that place be with us.

iF BLACK WOMEN WERE MAJORITY "FOR" R. KELLY, THEN WHY ARE SO CALLED NUMBER DIFFERENT HERE?
MAYBE ITS' BECASUE PEOPLE NOTICE THOSE "TYPES" MORE OR THESE SORT OF BLACK WOMEN TEND TO BE VERY AGGRESSSIVE AND "LOUD" ABOUT THEIR OPINIONS! it WOULD BE A NIGHTMARE OF MOST BLACK WOMEN WENT AROUND CHEERING, BOOING , AND SHRIEKING THEIR VIEWS ON THE STREET OR AT WORK THEY WAY THESE "TYPES" DO! HAVE SOME CLASS.....DISCUSS OPINIONS, OR DEBATE.
GOD HELP US IF THE ONLY WAY WE CAN MAKE OUR RATIONAL OPINIONS HEARD IS BY SHOUTING, NECK ROLLING AND BULLYING LIKE THE BLACK WOMEN WHO GET THE ATTENTION DO.
BTW- there seem to be more men saying pro-Kelly things on this site- than women (thought quite a few men are against R. Kelly here) AGAIN maybe it's the method of communicating or the venue that is defining when the black women are Pro-KElly or Anti-Kelly.