Lauryn Hill doesn’t pay tax and gives peculiar reasons for not doing so, while looking at prison
EVEN though Lauryn Hill possibly made the greatest debut album of all time, she’s still as mad as a bag of talking rocks. She’s been collared for not paying her taxes and she went to her website to explain why. She said she withdrew from society to keep herself and her family safe from popular culture’s “climate of hostility, false entitlement, manipulation, racial prejudice, sexism and ageism.”
“Over-commercialization and its resulting restrictions and limitations can be very damaging and distorting to the inherent nature of the individual,” Hill wrote. “I did not deliberately abandon my fans, nor did I deliberately abandon any responsibilities, but I did however put my safety, health and freedom and the freedom, safety and health of my family first over all other material concerns! I also embraced my right to resist a system intentionally opposing my right to whole and integral survival.”
Protect them from what?
“Obviously, the danger I faced was not accepted as reasonable grounds for deferring my tax payments, as authorities, who despite being told all of this, still chose to pursue action against me, as opposed to finding an alternative solution,” she wrote, adding: “My intention has always been to get this situation rectified. When I was working consistently without being affected by the interferences mentioned above, I filed and paid my taxes. This only stopped when it was necessary to withdraw from society, in order to guarantee the safety and well-being of myself and my family.”
Yes, but protecting against what? She’s railing against manipulation by “a media-protected military industrial complex.”
Of course, the courts don’t buy any of that and have charged her in federal court for failing to file her taxes for three years, on income of $1.8 million. U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael Shipp asked Ms Lauryn if anyone had forced her — either directly or indirectly — to enter the guilty plea.
Hill took a long pause, then said: “Directly, no, but indirectly, yes.” She then consulted with her attorney, Nathan Hockman, in whispers before answering “No” when the judge asked the question a second time. Hockman pointed out that “Ms. Hill is very particular about language. Language is very important to Ms. Hill.”
She then pleaded guilty and could face up to three years in prison and at least $75,000 in fines when she is sentenced in November. The Judge then startled Hill by ordering her to undergo mental health counseling as directed by pre-trial intervention services.
This story is going to get weirder isn’t it?
Posted: 2nd, July 2012 | In: Celebrities Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
