The Sad Truth by Butch Ford

One year after the release of the 2018 critically acclaimed docuseries “Surviving R. Kelly”, the Lifetime Network has released its follow-up.  If you’re unfamiliar with the story, it chronicles the alleged sexual assault allegations by dozens of women who claim to have suffered sexual and physical abuse at the hands of R&B star Robert Sylvester Kelly for the better part of three decades.  Old “survivors” returned to update their stories, while new victims have emerged to tell theirs.

Part two of the documentary doesn’t appear to have garnered the ratings or the attention of its predecessor, but is just as alarming…in my opinion.  Kelly is currently being held in a Federal Correctional Facility outside of Chicago as he awaits trial later this year.  Part one of the docuseries had us all in an uproar.  Some were appalled by the allegations against the embattled singer, while his die-hard fans refused to waver and defended him totally.

I’m sickened by the allegations and have used this ordeal to further educate my daughters, colleagues, relatives and friends.  This extends way beyond music and is a very serious issue in The African American community.  People should know about the predatory nature of these animals in our society, today.  With so much access to our daily routine and personal lives, due to the digital age, security is paramount.  We should be more proactive and have plans in place to avoid being victims of these crimes.

I’m not here to judge Mr. Kelly, but as a father of young daughters, I do have strong feelings of discontent regarding his alleged pattern of abuse towards our young black women.  Personally, I don’t believe that 48+ women are all lying.  This could be any one of us in this position; pleading for the safe return of our daughters, reaching out for help from the local authorities to address this systematic problem, or seeking the necessary resources to heal our damaged children upon their return.

What are your thoughts on the matter?  Share with us.  And let’s pray for the victims and their families.

Butch Ford

Photo by Engin Akyurt from Pexels