Be a Man

     Today is International Women's Day. Why a post titled, Be a Man? As a society, we send out a lot of mixed messages. No where do those messages get more confused than in our treatment of women. This has been building since the Grammys so, time for a little bitchin'. I'm warning you ahead of time there will be cussing, lots of cussing.

     I can't express how disappointed I was that Chris Brown appeared not once but twice this year on the Grammys. Who was the idiot who dreamed that up? Then there were the tweets, "I'd let him beat me". Then there were his tweets about how he felt vindicated, he had an award. blah blah blah. Finally a bit later I ran across this article.
http://www.dramarama.ca/2012/03/rihanna-tells-miranda-lambert-to-pipe-down-about-chris-brown.html
Sure it's a bit of celeb gossip, how much is true?

     Well, Miranda Lambert has actually been quite vocal about how she feels about Mr Brown. Good for her, seriously , good for her.

    There has been so much, "We should all forgive and forget", bullshit floating around lately. Is our collective memory really so short? What exactly am I forgiving him for, other than being a complete waste of skin?

     Three years ago he beat his girlfriend into a hospital visit. Immediately hired a damage management team. Got a ridiculous sentence. Threw an adolescent temper tantrum after an interview and has generally just acted like a complete douche bag.  How could I not forgive you?

     I'm sure you're sorry your career took a hit. I'm sure you're sorry people are holding you up to scrutiny. What I haven't seen is the littlest bit of remorse, growth or contrition. I don't care what your Mom says, or your pastor, or that you come from a broken home or that there was abuse from your mother's boyfriend. You own your actions. Lots of people come from bad situations that never do what you did.

     Angry that after three whole years people still remember? Sorry, this is with you for life. It was a colossally stupid thing to do. You showed us your true colours. Ri forgave you, why can't I?

     She wouldn't be the first woman to forgive and go back to an abuser. She also has a career and reputation to protect. Being a victim doesn't really jive with her "good girl gone bad, don't fuck with me" image. No one is saying she can't make choices just as bad as yours. Like a moth to a flame.

     But hey, you're not alone. The list of high profile bastards who give men a bad name is a long one. Hell, maybe some day you will even approach, Roman Polanski status and get your own documentary made about you.

     Another one that completely mystifies me. Yes Roman, I feel your pain. I'm sure that 13 year old temptress overwhelmed your poor naive 43 year old self. Then of course you had the courage to flee the country. Who cares that for over 30 years this person has had no real closure? You couldn't come to get your Oscar. To all the people who think we should just let it go, by all means send in your 13 year old daughter as a party favour.

     Unfuckingbelieveable.  It kills me to hear people go on about, but he's such a ..... like some how talent erases what a complete piece of shit these guys are.  That some how the rules are different, or they just don't apply. I'm not denying they have talent, sure they do. Does that give them license to act like spoiled children? Taking what they want, regardless of consequences? Oh but wait, there are no real consequences. We embrace them then tell them how they are just so misunderstood.

     I find it ironic, Chris Brown's latest film project is, Think Like a Man. Everybody makes mistakes. How we deal with them is what defines us. Not just talking the talk, but walking the walk. Accepting responsibility, facing the consequences, trying to be better. Guys, for all our sakes, the best gift we can give women the world over on this day, stop acting like tantrum throwing adolescents. Grow a pair, be a man.