photo: Nineball2727/ BY-NC-SA

You’ve heard the news and followed the trial. We hung on to every development. We posted comments on numerous articles, adding drops of water into the oceans of commentary. These perpetrators of crime were not like those we’ve come across in the streets or in news reports that lead the hour; these perps are famous. We’ve known them before they committed their crimes. They slipped into the back of our subconscious as they began serving their sentences. When these folks are released, having paid their debts to society, it’s as though they never left prison. We write them off as renegades. They may have served their time, but they are never released from the stigma of their crimes.

A month after pleading guilty to felony assault charges of his then girlfriend, Rihanna, Chris Brown released an apology video via his record label, taking ownership of his actions. Already, web commentators dismissed his apology as being insincere. Articles around the web began circulating, questioning what other motives Brown might have for a public apology, other than salvaging his manhood, like getting back in good graces with awards shows, for example. While I can say that accounts of Chris Brown actions were extremely inappropriate, I cannot say I am willing to DEFINE him by those actions. Sadly, he is, and will be forever branded as a “woman beater” by the media writers, whose keyboards will serve as cattle branders.

Up and coming rap artist, Gucci Mane, who has been in and out of prison since his first single, “So Icey”, went national in 2005, is currently under threat of going back for failing a mandatory parole drug screening. On Sunday, July 19th, however, the Twitter population started spreading the word that the Atlanta rapper was actually IN jail based on a tweet from associate, Soulja Boy. It came out later that day that Gucci was actually not in jail at the time, but not before a great chunk of the “Twopulation” added their two cents on whether Gucci should be a free man or not. “Charlamagne the God,” co-host of the Wendy Williams show, even started a topic trend lampooning the rapper.

While Chris Brown’s offense is fairly new, and Gucci Mane’s legal status is frequently updated, what about stars who have completely served their time for crimes committed? Former NFL quarterback Michael Vick was just released after completing a sentence for animal cruelty for his part in a dog fighting ring. PETA, an animal rights activist organization, announced that they do not feel Vick is “entitled to regain his spot in the NFL.” While PETA may feel they should have a say on whether Vick should be allowed to play football, by not allowing him the regain his life in dignity, they not only undermine his right to freedom, they undermine the justice system that agrees 20 months for such an offense is just. It would be different if Vick was a zookeeper, but he’s a football quarterback, whose only professional contact with animals would be folks dressed as mascots. Not only is Michael Vick threatened to be branded a “dog fighter” forever regardless of if he continues to commit those crimes, but teams that support him will likely face protest -- as if choosing the Vick to lead players on the field is the equivalent of promoting dog fighting.

It’s been rumored that celebrities are people, too -- people like us who might make legal missteps. But should being defined by the least of one’s actions be considered the price of fame? Michael Jackson was labeled a “child molester” in the media for more than a decade, and even though he was never found guilty of such conduct, he wasn’t cleared of public suspicion (kinda) until his death in June. You shouldn’t have to die in order to regain your dignity in the public eye, especially when the public eye has blurred vision and is only focused on the shadows.