Deeply ingrained in the tapestry of the American flag lies the alleged inalienable right to a fair trial, regardless of public opinion.
Fortunately and unfortunately for men like Sean "Diddy" Combs, the American dream often disappears during waking hours.
Although we often avoid the deviant elephant in the room as a collective, there is no denying the fact that this Diddy case is beyond viral, thus, his alternative lifestyle and all his misdeeds are officially center-stage.
As such, our collective breakfast banter has become infinitely more salacious, and as per usual, certain opinions are beginning to prevail over others.
What’s the issue? Well, as I have mentioned plenty of times, the Black community has a way of doing Olympic-level mental gymnastics to protect successful Black men.
And, indeed, when speaking of successful Black Americans, outside of the Jay-Zs, Kanyes, and 50s, there aren’t many men who can rival the insane level of success of Combs. So, as expected, every allegation seems to be getting downplayed to the utmost.
The Sexcapades
I can’t lie to y’all. So far, it seems that Diddy’s team is doing a fantastic job of casting doubt over which parts are criminal and which aren’t.
For instance, by pointing out that Cassie was at some times at least seemingly excited about participating in freak-offs, that was enough for many Black Americans to write the entire thing off as a conspiracy to incarcerate a “good Black man.”
Nevertheless, it seems that many people don’t know or don’t care about the many nuances that exist in relationships involving narcissistic abuse. For one thing, Stockholm Syndrome is quite common in these types of relationships because the victim often takes on the views of the predator as a means of staying safe.
This is especially true when the victim is relying on the person for financial support. Sure, it’s easy to assume that she simply traded her dignity in favor of fame and fortune, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out the fact that there is often a threat of real violence to those who attempt to leave the narcissist. And in this case, it’s not just speculation; we have seen Diddy beat Cassie and drag her back.
Therefore, it’s not far-fetched to believe that she could’ve been into the freak-offs at first and gotten tired, or maybe she was never into them and only went along with them to impress him while secretly hoping he would eventually get tired of them and move on.
Either way, in many of these cases, the prevailing opinion is all that counts. So, if the average person believes Cassie was an eager participant rather than a victim, things might not end in her favor.
Sex Trafficking and Coercion
On a very basic level, it seems that the trafficking and coercion allegations could be easily proven. I mean, multiple sex workers have testified, and given that Diddy is a frequent traveler, it’s easy to understand that they were often asked to cross state lines.
On the other hand, when it comes to coercion, it’s also relatively easy to prove. I mean, if a man is beating you and dragging you when you try to leave, one can only wonder what happens when you decline to comply behind closed doors.
Moreover, Kid Cudi’s testimony may also be key here; it’s been alleged that Diddy actually blew up his car when he briefly dated Cassie while her and Combs were on a break. This is threatening and coercive, at the very least.
I mean, if you left your crazy ex and your new man’s car got blown up by said ex, you might reconsider everything, especially if you were already fearful of the ex in question. I mean, that’s one hell of a message to send, no? At the same time, it’s almost the perfect crime, because unless there are witnesses, it’s going to be his word versus Diddy’s.
Nevertheless, it almost seems that her seeming eagerness to participate is trumping everything in the eyes of the public. And although jurors are allegedly protected and shielded from these opinions in real time, the most popular opinions seem to almost magically transport themselves from one psyche to the next.
Is it a Crime?
Once again, I’m not here to say Diddy is guilty or how much time he deserves if he is. But what I am here to address is the fact that no matter how grim things get, there are numerous posts asking — Is it a crime? — even when some of the things they are defending clearly are.
Moreover, the involvement of sex workers also dampens the case, because for many people, they are never allowed to be victims. I mean, if you sell sex for a living, many people can’t wrap their heads around the fact that sex workers can be against certain deeds and get coerced or threatened into doing things. And as able-bodied adults, if they decide to travel to a location to extend their services, that can’t be trafficking, right?
Well, wrong. But this doesn’t change the fact that many people seem to see it that way, and no matter how much we want to believe in one objective truth, the fact of the matter is that perception becomes our reality.
So, whether or not Diddy is found guilty may be based on the fact that all victims are those who have been paid and received a level of fame and/or fortune in exchange. Generally speaking, in the Black community, we tend to look at these types of situations as an exchange, no matter who got shortchanged.
Moreover, per the jury composition — from what I’ve heard, it’s 8 men and 4 women, this makes it even less likely for them to 100% side with a female victim, especially one who they view as sexually deviant.
Unfortunately, it seems that many men and even some women, see Diddy as a wealthy freak who paid the cost to get his rocks off. So, even if he is guilty of some things, this doesn’t change the fact that many have sympathy for a man who they believe is only guilty of having filthy fetishes and greedy participants.
Therefore, when it comes to whether or not Diddy will be found guilty, I guess we’ll have to keep watching to find out.
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