R. Kelly: Let The Trial Begin!
by Najee Ali on May 12, 2008
http://urbanthoughtcollective.com/2008/05/12/najee-ali-r-kelly/
R. Kelly is finally on trial! The R&B superstar is charged with 14 counts of child pornography for allegedly videotaping himself having
sex with a girl as young as thirteen years old, then urinating in the child's face.
The 41-year-old has plead not guilty, and faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
Over the last six years, I have spoken out and led protests against R. Kelly at his Los Angeles concerts, as well as the NAACP Image awards. This is an organization that had the audacity to nominate a pedophile for an "image" award in 2005.
So, the fact that I led a protest against R. Kelly outside the courthouse on Friday morning in Chicago came as no surprise to anyone that has followed this saga. I have been the target of hate e-mail and criticism by R. Kelly's management and his ghetto supporters who claim the Kelly is innocent and deserves his day in court.
I believe Kelly is guilty. However, I agree that he deserves his day in court. We have waited six long years for this day. If he was really innocent, and wanted to clear his name, he wouldn't have allowed his high-priced legal team of lawyers to drag this out for several years with delay after delay.
My criticism of Kelly (I deem him the "world's greatest pedophile") begins from the fact that he married the late R&B singer Aaliyah in 1995, when she was just 15 years old. The couple's marriage certificate was published in "Vibe Magazine" and newspapers world wide. The marriage was later annulled by her parents. Is it just me, or does anyone else feel that it is wrong for a grown man to marry and have sex with a 15 year-old?
Over the years, Kelly also has settled at least four out of court settlements in Chicago with other underage teens and their families for undisclosed amounts of cash.
No one can dispute that R. Kelly is a musical genius. But, he has a proven track record of being a pedophile. If black men can't stand up and defend our children and family from sexual predators, who do we expect to do this for us?
R. Kelly needs to brought to justice and locked up. His fame will not save or help him in prison if he's convicted. Kelly will be washing someone's socks and drawers if he's put away. I don't have any sympathy for Kelly or other child molesters. I have waited six years for Kelly to be brought to justice. Let the trial begin!
Najee Ali is Executive Director of Project Islamic H.O.P.E, a national civil rights organization that advocates for the human rights of oppressed people
regardless of race, gender or religion. He was selected by Wave Newspapers and Our Weekly Newspaper as one of the 25 most influential black leaders in Los
Angeles. More information is available at: www.islamichope.org.
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