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R. Kelly's NAACP image award

Positive image from a man awaiting trial on such serious charges?

With Janet Jackson‘s bad move at the Super Bowl and the possibility of more bad moves from other performers at this weekend‘s Grammys, here‘s one for you regarding R&B singer R. Kelly: 

The NAACP has been nominated R. Kelly for an image award.  Yes, that‘s the one and the same R. Kelly who‘s awaiting trial for allegedly having sex with an underage girl, after a videotape surfaced purportedly showing him having sex with a child.  The same R. Kelly who‘s also awaiting trial on child pornography charges.  You‘ve got to wonder exactly what kind of image the NAACP is trying to salute.

Here's what the NAACP says about its image awards:  “The annual NAACP Image Awards are given to those who strive for the portrayal of positive images and meaningful opportunities for African Americans in motion pictures, television, literature and recording.”

Positive images?  We all know "innocent until proven guilty," but we‘re not sure what positive image a man awaiting trial on such serious charges portrays.  Now, he was nominated for an Image Award in the outstanding album category, but consider the accomplishments of some of the other Image Award nominees—Whoopi Goldberg, Vanessa Williams, Danny Glover, Forest Whitaker, Ossie Davis, Will Smith, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Halle Berry,  Toni Morrison, Aretha Franklin are just a few of the people whose names have been put in as having projected “positive images.” Previous winners also include Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Condoleezza Rice, and Sammy Davis Jr. 

I'm sorry, but R.  Kelly shouldn‘t be mentioned in the same breath as those outstanding people.  NAACP President Kweisi Mfume hasn‘t asked the nominating board to rescind R. Kelly‘s nomination yet, but a spokesman says he just might at some point. 

And that I think would be a good move.  Oh by the way, Michael Jackson and his long career has won 14 Image Awards. 

'Bad move' is a regular segment on Deborah Norville Tonight. Deborah Norville Tonight airs weeknights, 9 p.m. ET