A loyal reader took umbrage at a statement that I wrote yesterday about singer Chris Brown being provoked into beating down his ex-girlfriend Rihanna in 2009. While I don’t condone violence against women, the reality is that some women can (and do) provoke men to violence. Even a normally calm man will swing wildly at a female who punches him in the mouth (see photo above).

I stand by my statement that Rihanna probably provoked the savage beating she received at the hands of Chris Brown. I doubt that she sat there silently while he tattooed her face with his fists without provocation. We know now from Rihanna’s increasingly erratic behavior that she is quite capable of making a man snap. But I guess some people will never find it in their hearts to forgive him.

Mirna writes:

Dear Ms. Rose:

It was with serious disappointment and alarm that I read your post on Chris Brown today, hailing his “successful” comeback to the music scene following his brutal assault on Rihanna. You then go on to say that “we” were “misled” into believing he had assaulted her, when, in fact, she “provoked” him. Are you serious? Did you see the same pictures the rest of us saw?

Chris Brown had a dot on his lip that he was calling an “injury”; Rihanna had her face rearranged.

I don’t know how old you are, but please grow up. Feud with the girl all you want. Call her names and make fun of her forehead, if you have too. But do not make uninformed and ignorant comments like that on your blog. As you know, you have a very public forum. And people are impressionable. It is NEVER alright for a man to beat a woman like Chris Brown did to Rihanna.

There is no “provocation” sufficient to incite someone to violence like that. By saying that she provoked him, you are saying that what he did was alright. IT WAS NOT. I have seen enough women abused and hurt in my life to know that anything can serve as a “provocation” for a violent man — a look, a sound, a “tasteless” meal, a telephone call, anything!

We have enough issues in our community without glossing over what this convict did. There is no excuse for Chris Brown. I don’t begrudge him trying to earn a living; but, I, for one, will never spend another cent on his records or products.

Thank you for listening,

Mirna