I don't care: A Michael Jackson Rant

[pattygreen 5]

I believe that MJ was a victim of parents who used his talents to better themselves financially, and never took a moment to recognize that their children were lacking a 'normal' childhood. They didn't allow him to have fun and play and grow. They took that away from him. I heard that they also abused him. (his dad, anyway) After receiving all that fame, it became impossible to be 'normal' again. He was a prisoner. No more taking a walk. Always having a body guard around you. You can get confused about things. Money doesn't by love or happiness. He never liked women, and for that matter, he never liked men either. (at least we never saw him with any, except for Priscilla Presley, whom I believe he married as a ruse to fool the public into believeing he had sexual interests in women, and not children.) But that's just my opinion, and it can't be proven of course. I think he was psychologically ill. I think he was lonely, depressed, sickly, a man who didn't like who he was (the plastic surgerys tell me that),hooked on pain killers and after being accused, whether innocent or not, it took its toll on him. He lost almost all his money from what I read, and had to 'tone' down his lavish lifestyle. When you're used to money being there for you, cause you have nothing else, and then it's not there anymore, what else is there? He had his children, but what did they think? Their moms were paid off for sole custody by him. What would you think of your dad if he bought you? What do they think of their mother? She got her price. It's hard to believe anyone would sell her children to their father. It certainly is what the world would call dysfunctional. What a shame. I didn't really like his music, except when I was a teen in the 70's, when he was young with his brothers.

[Gone4Now 4]

You are being facetious.

Sometimes. :thumbdown:

You don’t have be a “great person” to get the attention of the media or for people to be fascinated with you. I never said he was a great person. He did some great things (philanthropy, “We are the World”, Aid for Africa, etc.), he was a great entertainer (the numbers and the fans prove that), but a great person – no I don’t think so. He clearly had a lot of issues, frankly we will probably never really know the extent of those issues.

On this, I agree with you 100%.

I personally can separate what he did as an entertainer and what he may or may not have done in his private life (while still acknowledging that both are true).

See, I can't. I don't know how to. I guess I believe that a person's merits is on how good of person they are. Whether or not I'm entertained doesn't factor into it. Same with Bill Clinton, Kobe Bryant, Angelina Jolie/Brad Pitt. Even if I love them for their accomplishments, if I know that they have hurt others for their gain, I don't see them in the same light anymore.

I grew up in the 70’s and 80’s, he had a huge impact on my generation form a musical perspective. As I said, he was deeply troubled and had some serious problems later in life and I certainly don’t apologize for any of that.

I don't follow...what would you have to aplogize for? I like his music...I just didn't like the man he was underneath.

The media is coin operated. They will run with a story like this until it stops making them money. To some extent they will say what people want to hear so that they will stay tuned in and they will make more money. Like it or not, people are fascinated by Jackson, the media senses that and is riding the wave.

And it kills me!

I don’t buy into the “don’t bash the dead” theory though. Both aspects of his life are truths that should be looked at together and to separate one from the other would be disingenuous. It is a fact that he was an entertainment phenomenon, it’s also true he was an eccentric weirdo.

Thank you.

[KartMan 58]

Interesting you bring up Madonna...I was just comparing the two today. They were both ground breaking, and around the same time. She had kids and didn't do freaky things with them even though, she herself, was a freak. (Has Lourdes SEEN the book X? Yikes....Can you Imagine that conversation? "Hey, mom...is this you naked - with a dog?")

Point is...he went one way, and she went another and I think her parenting skills were slightly better.

I think MJ and kids don't mix. Even if nothing sexual happened, it messed the kids up pretty badly because it wasn't normal, it wasn't appropriate. They were strangers who became friends who slept in his bed. Even IF nothing happened, would you tell anyone about it? If you were one of those kids, would you ever feel comfortable saying, "Yeah - I was one of those kids."?

I don't know that I would.

And, his own kids have that hanging over them, too. He did have the resources to get help and he should have. But, I think he wanted to be kids so badly he didn't think about the consequences. Again, even if it was just friendship he wanted then he should have realized it wasn't the right way to go about getting his own childhood back.

To me, the lack of judgement that he displayed the last two decades proved that he wasn't fit to be a parent, and that he wasn't acting in the best intersest of anyone around him. He was just selfish.

IMO

The only way I can reconcile it is that I think he was some sort of savant or that he was way out of touch with reality. I’ve watched a couple of interviews that he gave on the subject, he just didn’t get it. I’m not apologizing for him, I think what he did was wrong and I think society thinks what he did was wrong – but I’m not sure he knew it. Who really knows what went on inside his head anyway? He had a bizarre upbringing; most probably suffered abuse himself, and then surrounded himself with enablers as an adult.

He did pay a price, if not legally then with fame and fortune. It’s no surprise that his popularity started to wane right about the time all this stuff started coming out in the open.

[elcee 3,341]

All I know is that he managed to keep me awake the whole night because for some dumb reason I had the line

"Heal the world, make it a better place.........."

stuck in my head on constant repeat. And no i'm not an MJ fan!

[BethFromVA 5]

So because he could preform, he deserves our admiration? Being a nut job who endangered kids is overlooked because he can sing?

Really?

I will save my respect and adoration for those who don't hurt children physically and emotionally, whether they can entertain me or not.

I'm just not that selfish.

I'm with ya, Glouc, just so you know. What we revere these days is alarming. Look at the other pop star that people can't get enough of. :thumbdown:

[BethFromVA 5]

He thought he was a little boy...there was nothing dirty about him sleeping in a bed with kids when they were having a sleep over!

But he WASN'T a little boy, he was a grown man!

So... would you let any 40-something man sleep in bed with your kid/s during a slumber party? Forget that it's Michael Jackson... would you let ANY grown man sleep in bed with your kid/s??

[BethFromVA 5]

i'm really not going to dip my toes in this pond if you feel sharing childrens beds w/adults is fine. my mind can't even go there to have a conversation about it ..

i respectfully disagree with you - i would have the law on him or anyone else that thought their grown self should be in any bed w/kids that aren't theirs.

I'm glad I waited a second and saw your post below hers because I was gonna let fly with some very colorful language that would not be anywhere as delicate and proper as yours is... words pertaining to the stupidity and absurdity of youth today, for a start. :thumbdown:

[BethFromVA 5]

I'm not saying you need to respect HIM because of his death, but it would be nice if you could show a little respect for the people mourning his death...

Then show some personal accountability and stay out of a thread entitled "I DON'T CARE: A MICHAEL JACKSON RANT" for crying out loud...

[ColoradoChick 33]

Glouc, Lulu, Beth.. I agree with you.

IMO, MJ is a child predator. Where there is smoke there is fire.

I loved his music but he ruined that for me all he morphed into his "Bat-Sh$t crazy child predator" phase.

[Kat817 19]

Many years ago, my brother was almost killed in a car accident, it left him with brain damage. He is now 45 years old, and has the reactionary level of about a 10 -13 year old. He is permanently a pre teen/young teenage boy......mouthy, infantile one minute, and grown up the next.

In other words, he knows everything, all the time, he argues pretty much non stop, and everything is either totally lame or really cool. He does odd jobs, heavy physical labor type of cleaning, and yard work to support himself.

Most adult men cannot be around him for very long, because he is annoying as hell. He disagrees, and questions EVERYTHING! My DH works really hard at being his friend, because he cannot make and keep friends, his mental attitude is not one people want to be around. Men his age, work all day, have bosses, and families, wives, and kids to argue with they do not choose to associate with his personality. It sounds harsh, but it is true. I love him, he is my brother, and there are times, I have to leave, I have had enough, I cannot send him to his room like I did my own kids!

However.....

He gets along wonderfully with like minded, similar aged mentally, kids--------he laughs and jokes and pokes fun at all kinds of things with kids.

He is not however without ALL understanding, and he does realize it is inappropriate for a man his age to hang out with kids. Not only is it inappropriate, it is DANGEROUS! One accusation, and he could be locked up for life, because he has not got millions!

My point is, if MJ had the ability to reason enough to do the good deeds he has done, and had the knowledge necessary to know to hide his kids from cameras, he should be able to understand the same lesson my brother lives with every day. Grown men do not hang out with, and definitely do not sleep with young children like that. If he felt they needed love, then they needed loved in broad daylight, not hidden behind closed doors of a bedroom.

It makes sense to me that if you feel a child needs attention, then doing so in broad daylight in public, sends a second message to that child that they are loved without it being hidden. To only lavish it on a kid in a hidden manner tells that kid they need to be hid. Wrong.

And $20 million bucks is a lotta money to keep your kid from any more traumatization of testifying.

He was not normal. He could reason tho, and CHOSE not to, saw himself above reproach because he says he would never hurt a child. You can say almost anything if you have enough $$$$.

[rodriguezequal 3]

then move to the love thread if so offended - or report the post. that's the options i see, really those who don't feel the same as you have the right to say so - thus this thread was created, or so i think.

Will everyone please stop putting words in my mouth. I did not say I was offended I just said that that is the way this thread comes across!

[rodriguezequal 3]

Then show some personal accountability and stay out of a thread entitled "I DON'T CARE: A MICHAEL JACKSON RANT" for crying out loud...

I have the right to stand up for the other side. I'm sorry if this was just meant to be a bashing post with no opposition! For crying out loud. I am entitled to my opinion as are you!

[rodriguezequal 3]

But he WASN'T a little boy, he was a grown man!

So... would you let any 40-something man sleep in bed with your kid/s during a slumber party? Forget that it's Michael Jackson... would you let ANY grown man sleep in bed with your kid/s??

Why are you attacking me...Those parents gave permission!

[BethFromVA 5]

Will everyone please stop putting words in my mouth. I did not say I was offended I just said that that is the way this thread comes across!

Rodriguez, it's a RANT thread. If you don't like how it comes across, there's this little button called NEXT that you can find something more to your liking.

[rodriguezequal 3]

I'm glad I waited a second and saw your post below hers because I was gonna let fly with some very colorful language that would not be anywhere as delicate and proper as yours is... words pertaining to the stupidity and absurdity of youth today, for a start. :thumbdown:

I may be young, but I am not stupid. Please stop turning this into a personal attack!