REGULARS

Reader Feedback on "In Defense of Michael Jackson"

I really like what you wrote. I grew up on MJ music and like the old MJ of the 80's. That is how I see him in my head. But, when I see the pictures of what he became toward the end is just sad. Quite apparent, he was mentally ill..and probably was all his life. Ultimate fame, influence, and money just exacerbates the illness. Its too bad he could never see what everyone else did. Maybe he could have become healthy and alive today.
--dlm
08/31

It is disgusting how this woman writer misused her intellectualism to slander this good compassionate man, one of the best among us. People like her are the molesters who project their own perverse thoughts unto an innocent man, and they are also murderers, for their actions pushed him to his death. Even the title of this piece is a blatant lie to manipulating people to read her slanderous article, and I'm glad I did in order to come to his defense. From one authentic author, to a twisted demented one. C Alvarez, PhD-abd PS...I just read the caption at the bottom. You should really follow your own rules and practice what you preach. PSS...I suggest you go tho psychotherapy and deal with your own anger issues, as it comes out in your writing and is not attractive in a writer.
--ca
06/30

Hey, buddy! Were you in the courtroom? Were you on the jury? The prosecution couldn't prove it "beyond a reasonable doubt". End of story. The jurors did their job. It doesn't matter what you think. Don't buy his music, okay? His life has absolutely no effect on yours. Get over it.
--jjt
06/17

Michael Jackson is a total fake child malesting freak! He is totally guilty and should put in jail! I could not believe what i was hearing when they read NOT GUILTY FOR ALL 10 FUCKIN COUNTS!!!! thats BS!!! i cant believe that even after he admitted to malesting a kid. Im just wondering how much he paid to the jury ???? SOrry if i offended anyone but theres millions of ppl out there that are with me.
--
06/17

I agree with sg's comment about personal Neverlands. What would we see from our neighbors if they had the finances to make their internal reality take physical form? There is plenty of blame to be spread around in this situation. The only innocent ones are the children. It's a Hollywood glamourised big-budget rendition of the abusive family. Jackson grew up in a dysfunctional situation so this among other reasons makes it difficult or impossible to see how skewed his own actions are. The parents of the children who were 'pimped' out to Neverland were well aware of Jackson's persona. They were seduced by fame and money and were willing to sacrifice their children's innocence to come close to this chimera. The tragedy is the children who were involved in this situation will carry the effects with them the rest of their life either consiously or subconsiously. I hope they find the strength to face their demons.
--ajh
06/16

In a culture that prides itself on individualism, the United States states has low tolerance for eccentricity. Every time I watch TV I am reminded that everyone is starting to look the same, act the same and attend the same plastic surgeon and therapist. What if Michael Jackson is just plain weird and there is no psycho-babble label? Where were the parents while Jackson was allegedly abusing these children? Why is action against them for neglect not being taken by the golden state? These parents are no better than pimps. As for Jackson, I think there are plenty of people living in their own Neverland; they just don't have the money to make it external
--sg
06/16

Oh, yeah... And to PJC, when you criticize someone else's article, make sure you spell the word "exception" correctly. I don't think "acception" is even a word.
--rs
06/14

Hey, Lisa. Your article was right on the money, girlfriend. NOT "overwritten" as someone else wrote. You covered all the bases and, in the end, you were absolutely correct. Did Michael Jackson really get set free? No. To me, he's been sent back to the hell that has been his life for many years. He may be weird, strange and perverted by everyone's standards; but he is in the prison of his own mind and I can't imagine ANYONE would want to trade places with him. He's a sick puppy and parents need to stop sending their children to Neverland Ranch. What is wrong with these people???? Let's put them on trial!
--rs
06/14

Perfect. Straight. Accurate.
--luiz
06/14

I appreciated this article. It doesn't so much proclaim guilt or innocence as ask the question of how we could ever know. Knowing nothing about "typical" pedophile behavior, I cannot judge if MJ's actions are typical or not. Having never been a 12-year-old boy in MJ's bedroom, I cannot begin to guess whether any physical molestation has taken place. I feel that the little I know about MJ's behavior is that it's not appropriate and that he is not capable of being responsible for the care of children... his own or otherwise. But guilty of sexual molestation? Let's just say that I'm not surprised that the jury is still deliberating. I'd hate to sit on this jury. They're job is to either find him innoncent or guilty "without a shadow of doubt." There are so many shadows in this case I'm surprised anyone can see anything at all.
--T
06/12

It is a thriller and he is goint to beat it. ABC 123 easy as doe re me. he is the world, we are the children. and he will make a together we can manke a brighter world so let's start giving. He busted hi ass to do thisgs for the world. I'm sure that Mother THeresa fed warm milk to children, tucket them in pot holes( no offence ) KP- he who has never sined cast the first stone. HE DID NOT DO I!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He is innocent
--
06/10

I really appreciated this article. All too easy in America, we delight in the downfall of superstars. It's too easy to make-fun & point fingers of the child/man music genius who sleeps with boys, ruins his face and creates a fantasy world to live in. It's really sickening that there was a cacophany of people who went along with this bullshit and did nothing... I agree, Michael should go away somewhere; exhiled from children. But there should be a special kind of hell for those that contributed and/or stood by in their apathy. A well balanced article.
--kp
06/09

I read that the local DA's office has been concerned about the goings on in Neverland for some time. I have often wondered if the local police department have had strong reasons to believe that MJ was frequently abusing children, then why have they not sent in undercover cops posing as employees/parents? Surely this would have brought MJ to court years ago. Maybe they already did and the public doesn't know...
--ndb
06/09

hey kali, that's like, what the writer was saying..... read it again....
--peg
06/08

how elegiac. Mr. Jackson may be sick, but he is human. No human is born and no personality is created in a vacuum: I agree that he is very likely guilty of transgressing our normative laws, although guilty of flat-out touchy-peepee he may not be. and yet...Why do we all care so much? Is it the purple badge of courage, the scarlet letter S (for schadenfreude) that we all wear? We work out our own demons on the faces of the famous, equally loving and reviling our new gods. a deeper issue yet? If the jury says he is guilty, truly, what the fuck does that mean? About him and about our judicial system? how can the opinions of 12 people matter? I cant count 12 friends whose opinions I trust... sweet fuzzy baby jesus. we are all doomed.
--qb
06/08

This will certainly put me in the minority here but I'm not convinced Jackson is guilty. He's bizarre to be sure, a sad little boy in a manufactured body. I fear for his children, because there is no way he can teach anyone how to grow up to be an adult. But isn't anyone else bothered by the fact that not one of the so-called witnesses to his crimes stepped in to STOP the supposed molestations? How souless do you have to be to witness child abuse happening and do nothing?
--Kali
06/08

Hmmm..I find GP's post below pretty disturbing. He is condemning the parents (and the kids too!!) and portraying Jackson as an angelical figure. Now: If Jackson (as you assure in your post) is such an angel, why do you condemn the parents who let his kids sleep with him? There's nothing wrong with letting your kids sleep with Michael, right?. So why did he had to silence with money those families years ago if he was so sure of his inocence? If I get accused of something I haven't done I wouldn't pay anybody off. I'll just say "Prove it". What I find interesting is the fact that he had all those "PRIVATE" magazines at home hanging around (apparently he likes to jerk off to err..young women?) During the trial his security people declared the only women they had seen spending private time in Jackson's headquarter's was Liza Minelli and Elisabeth Taylor. Precious.
--SU
06/08

Hi. I am a social worker with extensive experience working with child sexual abusers and I was intrigued by your article. It is written well, and I agree with it in some parts, I too can't help following Britney, even though she is so trailer chic. Anyway, about child molesters, their main defense is rationalization. . .and they usually DON'T see anything wrong with their behavior. I've seen it over and over. The two most common ways to molest a child are 1) with violence and 2) with romance. Michael Jackson is of the second breed. And one of the reasons child molesters are hard to rehabilitate is they don't believe they did anything wrong. In fact, they believe, as a large well-organized groups of pedaphiles like to say, "after eight, its too late". Anyway, it is sad to see a man as great as Michael Jackson fall (remember the King?), and yes it seems like his naivity is his best courtroom defense. . .but remember, the main form of psychological defense for a pedaphile is rationalization. Rebecca
--rl
06/08

well done...at first I thought they'd bring back a swift verdick but now i'm thinking that he may be found guilty! Pete
--
06/08

Way, way, way overwritten, as were some of the feedbacks. In summary, people do bad things, for which they should be held accountable. You know who is no acception. End of story. I hope the jury simplifies this, the same way they do for the catholic priests.
--PJC
06/08

I think this is mostly a very well written opinion and observation of Michael Jackson. Last night I had a lengthy conversation with a very famous friend where we discussed growing up famous and how that changes a person. I came to the conclusion during this chat that any parent who does not put first his/her child (eg, above spouse, money, society) is not worthy of parenting and the cliche that you get a drivers license but not a parental license comes to mind. Aside from Michael Jackson, who upon years of passing interest but of late more observation and research, I find to be a unique individual. Sadly, I think he is very much the character in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" albeit a twisted version. I think he is as innocent as can be and though he realizes society at large is judegemental of his actions and same is judgemental of his actions. Unfortunately, I think he has been a better role model or protector of these children he has allowed into his Neverland world. While, Jackson's world and actions are easy to condemn, it's clear that the parents and guardians of these children are really the abhorant monsters. Jackson is a child himself, incapable of understanding a world where people take advantage of him and try to seek financial gain from him. That is why he has lost millions and wasted as much on what most of would call frivolity. In it's best sense, he has created a refuge, not for troubled children, BUT away from disgustingly troubled adults who simply have had the sperm and eggs that allowed them to bear (bare? sorry if I spelled it wrong) children or should I see potential profit centers. The parents of these children and the adults working around Michael Jackson that allow this are no better than the parents in poor countries who sell their children into slavery and prostitution. The parents who created Michael Jackson are equally horrible. They shirked their responsibility to raised correctly, one of the most gifted chldren of our generation and profitted in much the same way as the parents who brought children to Neverland. The kids he has accepted into his world have been for the most part helped and given a better environment through his efforts. That this is true is very troubling.
--GP
06/08

good, clear, yet on the eve of Mrs. Robinson's death... why are we allowed to talk about sexual disparity in hetero-land but not ambiguo-or gay-land????
--
06/07

great piece....he's going to be found not guilty though...hey, a joke I jeard...if the glove fits..umm, the glove fits. dunno, I laughed.
--RO'L
06/07

I think the thing that saddens me the most is that we live in a society that makes people like this, and we grant them utter impunity. Do celebrities live by the same rules? Clearly not. Yet who's ruling their "rules"; certainly not us....as this writer says and makes cogently clear. Alas, I do agree with her that we're ultimately culpable, in that we make people such as this, we isolate them and give them their own hammer and sickle, or crown and castle, but we have no laws that affectively govern them...oops, gotta go, Brad's on Prime Time, not that I "care". Mike O'Brian obrianwrites@gmail.com
--me
06/07

It shows that you read trash, your writing is trash. Your article managed not to say one interesting thing. You write like you are trying to please everyone and you don't have a mind of your own.
--lc
06/07

he's still a fucking perv, but how come I don't hate him so much and why do I think that's maybe not so good??? I hate you Nerve!!! don't make me think when I came here to fuck! Jesse.
--
06/07

wow. ow.
--none
06/07

that's some damn good middle of 2005 what the fuck are we thinking anyway writing. thank you.
--BB
06/07

That was poignant and eloquent. Thank you.
--JS
06/07

nice one, this is all so pathetic....but me thinks the man's guilty...though me thinks he'll also walk...
--JT
06/07

Actually he's a great pedophelic poster child. Almost all non-violent child molesters feel they are doing nothing wrong, that they are just "loving" the children. If you don't believe me, check and see what NAMBLA has been saying all along.
--mg
06/07

nail, meet head. brilliant.
--hr
06/07

uh, reread the article, that's what the author's saying, that he doesn't think he did anything wrong, which is why he may be more of a menace.....
--MOP
06/07

i agree with you, but i think he isn't ashamed of what he's done. he really doesn't know it's wrong -- he thinks he's spreading love and making the world a better place. he is seriously fucked up, but he is NOT the right pedophelic poster child.
--gh
06/07

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