While processing this Penn State debacle, I keep coming back to R. Kelly

[RZM]

I'm glad Paterno was fired. If there are grounds to file criminal charges against him, I hope that happens too. I'm also very disappointed to see Penn State students out there showing their support for him. I respect their first amendment right to do so, but I really wish they would stay home.

Paterno apparently protected a pehophile and that is a reprehensible thing to do. But R. Kelly, on the other hand, actually IS a pedophile.

Yes, R. Kelly was found not guilty by a jury of his peers. But a quick look of his wikipedia page also yields this lesser-known nugget:

In January 2003 in Florida, Kelly was arrested again on child pornography charges. In June 2002, authorities searched his house in Davenport, Florida. Officers allegedly found pictures of an underage girl as well as a video of Kelly having sex with an underage girl on a digital camera – wrapped in a towel in a duffel bag. In March 2004 these charges were dropped due to a lack of probable cause for the search warrants.

Here's the link to the original news story that the wikipedia entry comes from:

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1485804/r-kellys-florida-child-porn-charges-dropped.jhtml

Kelly's 2003 album 'Chocolate Factory,' which was released after the scandal hit, sold 3 million copies worldwide. He has released six more albums since then and another is forthcoming and will be accompanied by a tour.

It's pretty clear that R. Kelly has retained a lot of his support despite the allegations against him.

My point here is that this is not at all unusual and not too different from what's going on at Penn State. I think it's understandable to disapprove of what the Penn State students are doing right now. But will there be similar ire directed at Kelly's fans next year when they register their support for him by buying his new album 'Black Panties' (yes that's the real title) and shelling out millions for his concert tour? Kelly has every right to make his music and his fans have every right to support him. All I ask is that everyone condemning the Paterno fans right now think about this next year when Kelly enjoys all the support that he has.

[valerief]

1. Michael Jackson. nt

[Book Lover]

2. LOL - I had no idea who R. Kelly is

Thank you for this info.