Aibu to not understand why anyone would want to drink a drink indorsed by a convicted rapist

[griphook]

I was in tesco today and there is a new energy drink on sale made by mike Tyson and I was really shocked that firstly it was in sale in tesco and secondly that anyone would want to drink something made by a rapist. It made me wonder how low tesco will go. What next shipman shrimps.

Or aibu because the man was convicted and served his time so therefore deserves a second chance.

Am half way through a complain to tesco, but then I started to wonder. What do you think.

This sickens me,a convicted rapist being held in any sort of aspirational light. Its not mainstreaming rape,rape is already mainstreamed. It should be held in the same disgust as murder.
And yes,only idiots call their dog Tyson. There's a sleaze in my town with a dog called Tyson and I often think how apt.

Perhaps he should find a way of earning an income that isn't about his ego.

I don't think that he is using his 'ego' he is using what he was made into, as a child and the only thing that he is known for.

The name though, does fit in with his work for black rights and black youth opportunities, which in part the lackof is what contributed to his once frame of mind.

Read his background and you will see how MT was turnedintoan animal, to suit the purpose of others.

He was as exploited as any female porn star.

You cannot consider him without taking into account his horrendous start and the area/society (towards poor black boys) grew up in.

Th elikes of MT can reach sectionsof US society that are unreachable to others,because like it ornot,he (along with th elikes of Snoop Dog) are respected.

When someone like him, turns his attitude and mind set round and shows that he is now a good husband and dad to his 7 (once 8) children, then preaches about the change, that is a major breakthrough.

Nomiddle classwhite British woman is going to reach th eladsin the Ghetto's.

Just chiming into say I agree, crackfox is so right. If he'd raped a man it wouldn't matter if it were thirty years ago and he'd served all of them in prison. No way would he endorse anything.

Sorry for typo's.

But the attitude on here wuold wipe off a lot of poor disavantaged/abused lads, before their life has started and sometimes they need to be seen as victims, also.

He is supposed to be doing a talk in our home town, but there have been calls to cancel it. Apparently other talks have been cancelled because of his rape conviction.

I wouldn't buy any energy drinks anyway.

What are you saying Birdsgottafly? that a lot of young poor disadvantaged kids have raped somebody? or that they're at risk of losing sponsorship deals? I don't see how the attitude on here (which seems to be that a rapist shouldn't be seen as a role model endorsing products) would write off a lot of young lads.

Its not about being poor or disadvantaged,its about being a rapist.

sostressedsostressed Oh god, he's not sponsoring your wedding of the century is he? Can we look forward to the press release photos of you with your new husband, arms intertwined, gazing in to each others eyes, whilst each supping on a can of Mike Tyson's finest?

"What are you saying Birdsgottafly? that a lot of young poor disadvantaged kids have raped somebody?"

I am saying that he was turned into a monster and before he had the ability, that prison probably gave him, to make a change, because he was taken out of a created environment and worked with by professionals, he reacted to that environment and state of mind that he was put into.

He was a very damaged human being,i wuld liken him to boy soldiers who are encouraged to rape.

At what age do we stop seeing these damaged children, who live long enough to become adults, as victims?

Labeling a person for life isn't productive, it is important to get the message across that, that person has choose and can change. Calling a man a rapist for life will not help anyone.

He was a rapist, he isn't that today, that is the only way forward to work with perpetrators, otherwise what is the point of a man stopping raping?.

Vote with your feet. Don't buy the fucking drink and make your point that way if that's how you feel.

Why do you think he's any more 'present' or responsible for the things he's involved with now as opposed to the things he was involved with before?

"Why do you think he's any more 'present' or responsible for the things he's involved with now as opposed to the things he was involved with before?"

Because he speaks about the changes that he has made, personally.

He gives honest speeches when he attends his (as in he funds them), charity events. I don't think his family life is a show, unless he is buying trafficked girls to abuse,he has obviously turned his life around.

I work with abused children who go on to be perpetrators, changes can be made, with help and the opportunity to, some of MT charies focuses soley on that.

endorsed of course

We would have to write a lot of teens off, female as well, if these attitudes prevailed across society.

I agree everything you have said Birdsgottafly but majority of people on MN wont have a clue about American ghetto/gang way of life and wont be able to comprehend what made and moulded Tyson. they just like having someone to hate.

Energy drinks - yuck.

To this day I still hold a major grudge against the seemingly cool and intelligent Neneh Cherry. She appeared on The Word when I was a student, and Terry Christian ribbed her for naming her child Tyson. She referred to Tysons victim, saying 'what did she think she was in his hotel room for?' and was rightly booed by the audience.

I can't forget that comment, I truly despise her for it.

Look, all violent criminals are 'made'. Not just black ones from the ghetto. We can understand their background and still be appalled by their crimes.

Why is it always Tyson as well, why don't you all get on your high horse about other criminals that are still in the spotlight and making money?

Tyson was a product of his upbringing and now he's turned it around. Rape is a horrendous crime but he's not a serial killer.

There's lots of things he could do for money, though.

He could become a boxing coach , and a vocal anti-sexism campaigner, in his spare time.

Why don't everyone stop and stop their children buying Chris brown cds for example, what has he done to make up for showing its ok to completely fuck up a womans face.

Inneedofbrandy - because someone's started a thread about Tyson. The principle is the same for any other violent criminal.

He is very unusual in that though his income relies on a public persona and ticket / product sales, he has continued to be able to make money following a rape conviction. Usually a consequence of serious crime, or rather a crime that people find distasteful, for anyone whose living depends on public support, is that they lose the ability to make a living from their trade, for life. That may not be fair or forgiving it's just true. I don't see anyone here campaigning for Gary Glitter's career to be rehabilitated.

The fact that Tyson's conviction hasn't inhibited his career could reflect contrition, self-development, discovery and promotion of a different way of living. I'm interested to read that view. I'm afraid my perception is that it reflects the fact that a lot of the people who idolise Tyson just don't find rape all that distasteful. At best, perhaps he has distinct old and new audiences.

I take great offence at being labelled 'white middle class' and having no idea of life 'in the ghetto'

I am very proud to be white working class.

I also live on a council estate that has massive problems in relation to poverty and drug use. Not necessarily comparable to the problems 'in the Ghetto' but I find it quite patronising to be told that because I am perceived to have no knowledge of a situation, I am not entitled to my opinion.

I do have knowledge. A lot of it. Not specifically to MT's background, but definitely to how a disadvantaged child will struggle and be easily manipulated by those around them.

Not every disadvantaged child turns into a rapist or murderer though.

MT is a rapist. Regardless of what he says or does now, he should not be promoting himself or be promoted as a role model.

Good on him for turning his life around.

I hope his victim is able to wipe out the memory of the rape and pat him on the back for his outstanding contribution to society.

rape is a horrendous crime but he's not a serial killer

Please explain how you grade serious crime.

My child would never buy Chris Brown CD's/music.

Mainly because it is shit, but also, my moral standing is the same - I don't want her to think it is ok to glorify women hating scum.