"Why did so many African-American women support R. Kelly?"

Newsweek reporter Allison Samuels recently addressed the question posed in the title to this post. Upon annoucement of the verdict acquitting R. Kelly of 14 counts of child pornography and child endangerment, "dozens of black women (and some black men) cheered outside the courtroom as the singer made his way past them to his waiting tour bus." Samuels reports that the site What About Our Daughters posted a petition "urging black men to stand up for black women and to stop supporting anyone who exploits their daughters, sisters and wives."