Let’s start out by assuming Michael Jackson is guilty. OK? Yes yes yes, innocent until proven and all that. We’re talking theoretically here. We’re going to look at the circumstantial evidence before our eyes — past charges, eccentric lifestyle, an admission that he loves children and has sleepovers with them — and just say, works for me. We’ll stipulate it could all be a setup, yet another shakedown for a few million, but for now, let’s assume it isn’t.
And you know what? When I consider this, I can’t even get all that mad at Michael Jackson anymore. It’s like being angry at a hyena for biting you. Unless the hyena gained entrance to your home in a very convincing kitten suit, who else are you going to blame? “Shut up, silly woman,” said that reptile with a grin / “You knew durn well I was a snake before you brought me in.”
How do you pass out responsibility? How about the first family, who accepted what’s reliably reported to be an eight-figure settlement in exchange for a refusal to testify against Jacko? They accepted a big payday and, in return, allowed a molester to return to the street.
How about the surrogate mothers who, after Jackson switched to a grow-your-own strategy, willingly conceived and bore children for him, turning over their parental rights and effectively delivering defenseless infants into the hands of a man any reasonable person could see should be kept far, far away from anyone under 18?
How about the parents who, star-struck, allowed their children to cuddle up with Jackson during those sleepovers? How about the ones who thought a day at the Neverland amusement park was worth pushing their anxiety aside? How about the ones who never had any anxiety?
What about them?
deb said on November 19, 2003 at 10:59 pm
yes, yes, yes. all those people should hang their heads in shame. but i can still get plenty mad at michael jackson. he is not only a predator, but the worst KIND of predator — the kind who can use his money, influence and high-profile friends to just make it all go away, so he can continue mouthing those sickening denials about how he shows these children “nothing but love.” that’s what they all say. the only difference between him and the pervert bus driver who lands in the slam is, jacko can buy his way out of it.
all i can say is, i hope this charge sticks. i’m betting there are a bunch of guys in cellblock D wishing the same thing.
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alex said on November 20, 2003 at 1:52 am
The story’s nothing less than an extravaganza on MSNBC. (I happened to notice on somebody else’s TV, not mine.) They ran a piece on all these different trials over the years that in their time were hyped as the most sensational ever: Lizzie Borden, Fattie Arbuckle, O.J. Simpson�and these were three relative unknowns next to the third most identifiable celebrity in the world: Michael Jackson.
Also mentioned: O.J. ushered in the era of 24-hour news. The Michael Jackson trial will be seen around the world in 25 languages.
And MSNBC will have a reason for being.
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ts said on November 20, 2003 at 8:59 am
Amen! I blogged about the parents on Amy’s blog. How could they have not seen the huge warning label plastered on Jackson’s artificial nose?
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M. said on November 20, 2003 at 4:23 pm
I would never, EVER defend a child molester. However, Jackson, like each and every one of us, enjoys the presumption of innocence until proved otherwise. We’re lucky we live in a country where this is so.
But in reality, Jackson does not enjoy the same presumption, partly because of the previous claim, which may or may not have been true, partly because, to most of us, he lives a freakish lifestyle, and partly because he is a celebrity. If you have fame or money or both, the claim is enough to take away your livelihood, your freedom and your life. Yesterday, at the news conference announcing this, the law enforcement officials laughed and joked, and then encouraged others to call in and make claims against Jackson. Can you imagine how many call centers that irresponsible request crashed? Free money for whoever claims the loudest, for the attorneys who have to work on this, and then YEARS in the judicial system, sorting it all out.
Lest we forget, women used to be “kept in their place” by this very method. Step out of line and we’ll call you a witch. Then they were forced to try to deny it, and the very method by which they were “proved” innocent killed them. If Jackson is able to prove he is innocent, he’s already dead, too. He’ll never be free of the possiblity of future claims hanging over his head. Already CBS has canceled a special that was to be aired next week. Who knows what this will do to his record sales. WHAT IF the man is innocent.
And before anyone gets all medieval on me, if it is proved beyond a doubt that he did this, then I will be first in line to say he should suffer the full measure of what the law allows in punishment. Children, above all others, deserve our fiercest protection, and we fail them miserably if one child molester goes free.
But we also fail ourselves if we allow our media to spin us against one another without a shred of proof, simply by force of numbers and hours on the air, and, more important, if our legal system gets put to the use of corrupt officials with a personal axe to grind.
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Jimes said on November 3, 2004 at 6:32 pm
Hello
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