I watched every minute of the 2012 Grammy Awards on television and, for the most part, I enjoyed it.  Big wins by Adele and moving tributes to the late Whitney Houston were expected and did not disappoint.  But I was, frankly, disgusted by the amount of time devoted to Chris Brown.  He was seen center stage three times during the broadcast.  He won the Grammy for Best R&B Album, he performed a single from his upcoming album, and he opened a dance tribute to Soul Train creator Don Cornelius who passed away earlier this month.

Just three years ago, the night before the 2009 Grammy celebration, Brown fiercely beat his then-girlfriend Rihanna in what became a highly publicized domestic violence incident that led to Brown pleading guilty to a charge of assault.  He was sentenced to five years of probation and six months of community service.

"Chris Brown twice? I don't get it.  He beat on a girl ... Not cool that we act like that didn't happen." - Miranda Lambert

Sure, he’s worked to repair his image, undergoing domestic violence counseling and channeling his rage into his music, but he’s still on probation.  Last year, a restraining order requiring him to stay at least 50 yards away from Rihanna was reduced to 10 yards if they were at a music industry event.  But just because he CAN be in the same room with her doesn’t mean that he SHOULD.

Chris Brown’s actions surrounding the 2009 Grammys should not be so quickly forgotten.  Those with the words “felony assault” attached to their biographies should not be afforded a worldwide audience to celebrate a comeback.

“While people deserve second chances, that doesn’t mean they deserve a chance to strut around the Grammy stage a few years after being convicted of felony assault” – Valerie Strauss, The Washington Post

At the very least, the choice by the Grammy’s producers to feature Brown so prominently in the broadcast was in poor taste.  His defenders say that his work in the past year is deserving of the attention that it is getting.  That might be true, but it doesn’t make him any less of a violent criminal.  And in an industry that knows very well that many young and impressionable listeners look to their favorite performing artists as role models and inspiration, there are many better options than Chris Brown.

Seriously … nobody else wanted to honor Don Cornelius?