Charlayne Hunter-Gault says…
"I think he should not go to prison, where there are already too many black men and where he may come out worse than when he went in. Rather I think he should be rehabilitated by sentencing him to at least a year of house arrest, except for 10 hours a day of community service, five during the day and five at night in a shelter for battered women, plus counseling at least three days a week. And he must be made to keep a diary of his experiences and what he has learned."
Sam Fulwood III says…
"Chris Brown? Is he another one of the guys who didn't pay taxes and couldn't get into the Obama administration? No, wait … I know. He's the guy who is so funny in those movies with Jackie Chan? OK. OK. I don't know who he is and I don't really care."
Jimi Izrael says…
"In a just world, Rihanna's dad would beat Chris Brown's ass with an extension cord. Any cop will tell you that this is simply how some lovers get down, and there is nothing anyone can do about it. Some people in love communicate through violence, and for outsiders to interfere could cause more harm than good. As much as I would like to lay hands on any man who would lay hands on my people, I have come to realize that, as long as she is not being raped or otherwise restrained, I have no place interfering in the lives of a man and woman, no matter who the woman may be. That's hard, but it's fair."
Karen Grigsby Bates says…
"My father used to tell us 'if a man resorts to hitting a woman, he is pathetic and clearly in over his head.' And if she stays with him after he’s hit her, she is pathetic, and clearly out of hers.” I think that about sums it up for me. (And for the record, I see no reason why the no-hitting rule that is usually in force in preschool shouldn’t extend until …oh, death.)"
Sophia A. Nelson says…
"He needs to go two rounds with Mike Tyson, so he can feel what Rihanna felt in that car. After a good ole fashioned ass whuppin' as my granddaddy would say, hopefully Chris will learn that jealousy and violence is a wasteful thing. Just ask Ike Turner. Beat Tina, bully Tina, watch Tina leave, see Tina take off and soar professionally and personally without your sorry behind."
Jack White says…
"Let the women who write for The Root have him and he'll never do wrong again."
Keith Josef Adkins says…
"I'm with Jack. I look forward to your punishments."