Yesterday I argued that David Bowie’s legacy must be tarnished, but not erased. If anyone thinks it odd that I am defending the legacy of a musician and actor after he committed a genuine crime, I offer this as evidence for why he can’t be simply dismissed:
“…There Are So Few Black Artists on MTV. Why Is That?”
The deep tragedy of heroes who abuse their power is that they are still heroes.
The word is going around: David Bowie had sex with a 14-year-old girl.
Sometimes it’s put more forcefully: Bowie was a child abuser.
Others don’t think so (including the woman in question): It was consensual! “Who wouldn’t want to lose their virginity to David Bowie?” (A direct quote.)
The best piece I’ve seen so far is this one, which boils down to this line: “We want to be inspired be wonderful people, and to condemn the human excrement who do terrible things. We’re not comfortable with how grubby it is, here in the grey areas.”
Always the gray areas. Continue reading
The Generous Grasp 