Dear Akon,

News Type: Opinion — Tue May 15, 2007 4:38 PM EDT

I've been following your story for a while now. I saw what you did to that 14-year-old girl on stage and almost hurled. I froze when I saw you whip her around and grind your pelvis into her while she hung there like a rag-doll. I shook from anger when I saw you point to your audience for more applause as you ripped her legs open and pumped even harder. She didn't ask to be degraded when she got up on stage with you. Maybe she was a fan and the thought of you singing to her on stage was exciting, but she didn't ask to have simulated rape performed on her. I saw that Verizon dropped its sponsorship for your concert with Gwen this summer. I don't blame them. Kudos to the corporation who said no to simulated rape on a 14-year-old girl. I saw your apology. The one where you said that you didn't know she was 14 and that the club shouldn't have let her in. The one where you apologized for hurting anybody's feelings by grinding your crotch into a helpless little girl. Let me decode this for you: My name is Akon and I'm sorry because I lost money when Verizon dropped its sponsorship. Actually, my name is "Akon's publicist" and I wrote this for him :o) You're not fooling anyone.

You see Akon, it's NOT about what you did to a 14-year-old girl. Her age is striking and that needs to be addressed, but this is about you degrading WOMEN on stage. It's about you using us as sexual objects to display in front of your adoring fans. It's about you influencing your young male fans. Heaven forbid your young male fans go out and do what you did because lord knows there's enough rape already. Why don't you apologize for what's really going on during your concerts; the objectification and degradation of women.

When you do that… then we'll talk.

Love,
Colleen

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{"commentId":712369,"authorDomain":"deatienza"}

Eric Atienza

You see Akon, it's NOT about what you did to a 14-year-old girl. Her age is striking and that needs to be addressed, but this is about you degrading WOMEN on stage.

Yeah I caught that in his apology too. As if, had she been 18, his actions would have been totally alright.

{"commentId":712369,"threadId":"104096","contentId":"717125","authorDomain":"deatienza"}

1 vote

#1 - Wed May 16, 2007 4:51 PM EDT

{"commentId":720847,"authorDomain":"seanslater"}

Sean Slater

You've hit the nail on the head. However, in my opinion it's not just Akon but the entire music industry that needs to have a reality check.

{"commentId":720847,"threadId":"104096","contentId":"717125","authorDomain":"seanslater"}

#2 - Sun May 20, 2007 3:18 PM EDT

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COLLEEN22

Backyard

Dear Akon,

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