Should we forgive Chris Brown for his past crimes, or move on? That seems to be the question of the day, and everyone's got a different opinion. According to Sherri Shepherd from The View, Chris Brown should be considered a role model. According to Miranda Lambert, Brown should be "put back in his place." According to at least 25 girls on Twitter, Brown should beat them up any day, because he's so dreeeaaaaamy.

What does Chris Brown himself think about the renewed interest in him since his Grammy appearance? Well, yesterday he put it rather succinctly in a tweet that's since been deleted—but thanks to the magic of the Internet, his sentiment's been preserved for all to enjoy.

He responded to the influx of criticism by describing himself as a man who made a big mistake and learned from it, then went on to add a little colorful commentary:


It's that sort of outburst that makes you wonder if Chris Brown has in fact learned from his mistakes.

From the police report of his February 2009 assault against Rihanna, whose real name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty:

A verbal argument ensued and Brown pulled the vehicle over on an unknown street, reached over Robyn F. with his right hand, opened the car door and attempted to force her out. Brown was unable to force Robyn F. out of the vehicle because she was wearing a seat belt. When he could not force her to exit, he took his right hand and shoved her head against the passenger window of the vehicle.

Is he a calmer, more mature individual these days, who's unlikely to respond to a situation with violence? If you remember, it was just a year ago that Chris Brown reacted with fury after being asked about the domestic abuse incident during a Good Morning America interview. His response was to storm off the set and shatter a window.

Robyn F. turned to face Brown and he punched her in the left eye with his right hand. He then drove away in the vehicle and continued to punch her in the face with his right hand while steering the vehicle with his left hand. The assault caused Robyn F.'s mouth to fill with blood and blood to splatter all over her clothing and the interior of the vehicle.

The thing is, what he did was unforgettable. Whether or not you forgive him is a personal choice, and I don't actually think it's something the industry can or should decide for us. If fans didn't like Brown, he wouldn't have won a Grammy. He wouldn't have had a high-profile appearance at an awards show if there weren't thousands of people willing to look past the events of 2009.

Brown looked at Robyn F. and stated, 'I'm going to beat the sh-- out of you when we get home! You wait and see!' (…) Brown resumed punching Robyn F. and she interlocked her fingers behind her head and brought her elbows forward to protect her face. She then bent over at the waist, placing her elbows and face near her lap in [an] attempt to protect her face and head.

Personally, I don't think he's changed much as a person. Fundamentally, he comes across as the same angry young man who's incapable of slowing down and making levelheaded decisions. Ranting on Twitter that his Grammy win is the "ultimate fuck off" just proves he's still immature, prone to outbursts, and making choices he later regrets.

(Brown) placed her in a head lock positioning the front of her throat between his bicep and forearm. Brown began applying pressure to Robyn F.'s left and right carotid arteries, causing her to be unable to breathe and she began to lose consciousness.

However, in a way he's right. For everyone who's been saying he shouldn't be glorified in the entertainment industry, the entertainment industry wouldn't give a rat's ass about him if the public didn't love him. He has critics, for sure, but the bottom line is that he has more fans than detractors. Should it be up to the Recording Academy to evaluate the personal lives of artists in order to determine their worth? In my opinion, no. It should be up to us to vote with our dollars. Don't like Chris Brown? Don't buy his music.

In (a later) text message, Brown apologized for what he had done to Robyn F. and advised [Rihanna's assistant] Ford that he was going to get help.

Unless, of course, you think he's changed.

Image via ChrisBrownWorld.com