This has caused some mental anguish for many who want justice for sex abuse victims but still conflicted because the accused have contributed great art they have enjoyed.
For example, there have been documentaries focusing on the alleged victims of R. Kelly and Micheal Jackson.
Both singers have contributed classic songs that we associated with special memories. Their songs have been played at graduations, weddings, and nightclubs.
But the allegations are very serious.
Both have been found not guilty in court, though R. Kelly faces new charges and investigations. Meanwhile, Micheal Jackson has been dead for a decade, so there's not much we can do now.
Meanwhile, there have been demands that Spotify and other streaming outlets no longer make R. Kelly's music available.
Louis CK's specials have been erased from some online venues since his masturbation allegations surfaced. Kevin Spacey's scenes were deleted from an upcoming film after his sexual assault allegations surfaced.
The Cosby Show reruns have stopped running on various TV stations after Bill Cosby was found guilty of rape.
Yes, any allegations of sexual abuse should be properly investigated, and the predators need to be held accountable.
But we shouldn't erase history to be politically correct.
For the interest of history preservation, I believe that the art should be publicly accessible even if it comes from really bad people.
If you want to study the evolution of the media portrayal of African-Americans, it is very essential that people be able to access The Cosby Show. That show was an important part of entertainment history.
To study the evolution of pop and R&B, you have to be able to access the music of Michael Jackson and R. Kelly. Their music defined a generation. It is their music that paved the way for Usher, Ne-Yo, Pharell, Justin Timberlake, Bruno Mars and more.
If there's money involved (ie. profits from streaming), then whatever money is being made from the bad artist's art should be donated to services for sex abuse victims.
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Let's look outside of the arts. If you want to be a good running back, it is essential to study the highlights of OJ Simpson. He was the best to ever play the position. Admiring his ability to dodge tackles doesn't mean being OK with his domestic abuse.
The same can be true for the arts.
Enjoying R. Kelly's music doesn't mean that you're OK with his abuse of women.
I can't pretend I'm not going to listen to his music.
But I do advocate that he be accountable by the justice system. I do advocate that he be locked up, do some hard labor and get psychiatric help behind bars.
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When you study history, you do notice that some great contributions come from human rights abusers.
The most beautiful documents about protecting human liberty were written by Thomas Jefferson. His words set the foundation for the freedoms we enjoy today.
However, Thomas Jefferson was also a slave-owner who raped his slave mistress!
We can praise Jefferson's contributions to democracy and human rights, while still being appalled by his brutality towards his slaves.
Leaders who contributed greater good and the greater bad isn't just limited to America.
The French king Charlemagne developed an education system that was the envy of the world. Literacy was encouraged and libraries were built. Much of our literary culture can be traced to his leadership.
However, Charlemagne was also a vicious conqueror who brutalized much of Europe. But because Charlemagne's armies killed other "white" people, the modern so-called "justice warriors" just aren't going to denounce him with as much passion as they do to Thomas Jefferson and the other founding fathers.
Intellectual maturity requires understanding that much of what is good can also come from people who committed a lot of bad. Very few people are one-dimensional characters.
It is up to us to praise the good and criticize the bad that comes from the same individual.
We can note that Thomas Jefferson was a great visionary about promoting liberty while also noting he was a hypocrite who owned slaves.
We can note the Charlemagne set up a great education system that benefits us to this very day, while also noting that he was a bloodthirsty dictator.
We can note that OJ Simpson was one of the greatest athletes ever, but also someone who abused (and most likely killed) his ex-wife.
We can note that Bill Cosby has produced classic comedy and has given many scholarships to help African-American students, while also noting that he is a rapist.
We can note that R. Kelly has made some classic songs that were part of our memorable moments, while also noting that he should face criminal prosecutions for his very disturbing allegations of rape.
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More interesting articles on this topic
1) From Salon
Amanda Marcotte, “Can we still listen to Michael Jackson? We wouldn't need 'cancel culture' if we had justice culture,” Salon, March 1, 2019, https://www.salon.com/2019/03/01/can-we-still-listen-to-michael-jackson-we-wouldnt-need-cancel-culture-if-we-had-justice-culture/
The article that expresses that "Separating the art from the artist would be a lot easier if celebrities faced major consequences for their crimes."
The article also mentions how the public reaction to Tupac Shakur's conviction for sexual assault is different from the reaction to R.Kelly's allegations.
Last year, Ayanna Jackson spoke out, as part of the #MeToo movement, about being gang-raped in 1993 by a group of men that included rapper Tupac Shakur. Her story is incredibly violent and distressing and, unfortunately, was met with scorn by those who prefer to believe the denials Shakur kept issuing until his death in 1996.
Ultimately, there was nowhere near the same level public reckoning over Shakur's legacy as there has been over some other artists believed to have committed sexual violence. I suspect the difference comes down to this: Shakur was convicted and sentenced for his crime.
His prison time was relatively short, just nine months. But what matters more is that there was a trial and the victim received public vindication. We do not have to say the crime was "alleged." We can call [Ayanna] Jackson the victim, not the "accuser." She received at least some measure of justice in a real court of law, so there is less need to grasp for some kind of cosmic justice by refusing to listen to Shakur's records.
2) basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar reflects on his friendship with Bill Cosby, and how he now feels conflicted about his friendship and his appreciation for Cosby's legacy knowing that Bill Cosby violated many women.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, “My Bill Cosby Friendship and When Bad People Make Good Art,” kareemabduljabbar.com
https://kareemabduljabbar.com/kareem-abdul-jabbar-my-bill-cosby-friendship-and-when-bad-people-make-good-art/
