Domestic violence remains a prevalent problem in society. Not only does it defy moral standards, but the law rightfully considers it a crime, and those proven guilty suffer consequences for their crime. Afterwards, the action becomes part of his or her past. This year, the Grammys protested against domestic violence, but some people wrongly found flaws in their display because Chris Brown, a convicted abuser, received nomination for an award.

However, the Grammys give out awards for musical talents. This does not mean his acts are condoned, and remember Chris Brown did get punished for his crimes. Unlike artists such as Eminem, Tommy Lee, and 50 Cent, all Grammy award-winning artists accused of domestic violence, Brown served actual jail time.

Whether or not people forgive him personally varies, but in the law’s eyes, Brown paid for his crime. Even after his release, he maintained musical expertise, and no reason should keep him from a reward. Just because someone makes a terrible decision does not mean it should determine the rest of their lives.

The Grammys simply tried to cover a major issue by talking about domestic violence, and nothing wrong emerged from it. People must remember the Grammys revolve around music, not an artist’s past. Whether people forgive Chris Brown or not, he has moved on, and so should everyone else. No one has to like him or enjoy his music, so leave his done deeds behind him.

I remain a fan of Chris Brown simply because he makes good music. Did he make an unjust mistake? Yes. Did he pay for what he did? Yes. He has not committed any similar acts since then, so he has probably changed. And if that proves true, people should accept his nomination, as most people do. When asked about the topic, junior Gage Miller said, “To be honest I don’t see why people still bring it up. Yeah it was bad what he did, but he still makes good songs.”

There is no doubt that domestic violence is wrong, but imagine if the Grammys did not talk about it. The argument of whether Brown should be nominated probably would not have even come up. Let the Grammys give their awards, and if they want to speak about an important topic, let them. But do not shame them for nominating artists because of their behavior.