New House Bill for Celebrities with the Initials “MJ”: Michael Jackson Mania Continues
Posted By Vicki McClure Davidson on July 6, 2009
A frail photo of Michael Jackson; mugshot by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's office following his November 2003 arrest for child molestation
Now it’s Michael Jackson. I want to be frank: I loved most of Michael Jackson’s earlier music, earlier dancing, before he became weird.
His premature death, likely by his own hand (and/or his doctor’s idiocy) by taking too many prescription drugs, was an unfortunate tragedy, but not the end of the world. Had he been coldly murdered, like John Lennon or JFK or Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., or killed by unfortunate circumstances, like Buddy Holly or Princess Diana or Sonny Bono, I’d most certainly have a different opinion on this. Self-destruction should be pitied, not honored or worshipped, even if that person IS a celebrity.
With the oversaturation of MSM coverage on Jackson and the freakin’ circus of his funeral, I’m just weary of hearing about it 24/7. Farrah Fawcett died the same day… I haven’t heard a peep about her courageous battle with cancer once Michael was pronounced dead. What about a teensy bit of news coverage about Sgt. Joshua Soto, an honorable soldier who was killed in action the same day?
There was a time, long ago, I bought Jackson’s albums. Before the accusations of inappropriate behavior with young boys occurred. Before he slept in a pressurized oxygen chamber, or bought the Elephant Man’s remains, or hung out with Emmanuel Lewis, or married—then divorced—the daughter of the King of Rock ‘n Roll, Lisa Marie Presley. Before he capriciously dangled his baby over an upper-level balcony to the cheers of fans below or put veils over the heads of his children—the two boys reportedly share the same first two legal names of “Prince Michael,” and his daughter’s first two names are “Paris Michael”—when out in public. Before he started sleeping with young boys.
Jackson’s reputation as an inspirational child advocate was changed forever, fairly or not, once the accusation of his fondling of young boys was made public. He was acquitted on (or the charges were dropped because he paid the family’s asking price) the molestation charges, but the innocent magic of Michael Jackson became tarnished. For some fans, it disappeared.
He became more and more bizarre, and sad as that is, he was responsible for much of the strangeness. Jackson continued to sleep with young boys, and in an interview, said there was something wrong with the world if he, a grown man, couldn’t share a bed as a grown man with a young boy who was not a blood relative.
Jackson thought his sleeping arrangements with young boys, with milk and cookies and snuggling in bed, were “charming.” To others, such as normal parents in my neighborhood, it is a red-alarm for potential pedophilia and statutory rape, or worse, of a young son.
Was Jackson guilty of pedophilia? I have no idea, nor do I wish to speculate. But, Jackson made matters horrifically worse for himself when he chose to ignore much of the public’s perception of potential sexual abuse/pedophilia when he continued to sleep with little boys. To stoke the fires, he even talked about it in interviews, even after his image was nearly destroyed in America. He justified sleeping with little boys, and made it seem like a G-rated fairy-tale of love and joy and no sexual yearnings.
Had he not been Michael Jackson, he would have been tried in a court of law. Money and fame and platinum albums grant many privileges, although Rev. Al Sharpton doesn’t believe that.
If being in the public eye was too much for Jackson, then he should have left the public eye. Period. He engaged in a dangerous lifestyle with his mixed-drug taking. Same thing happened to Judy Garland. Same thing happened to Elvis Presley. Same thing happened to Heath Ledger. Same thing happened to Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, and many other troubled, creative entertainers.
Jackson became a punch line on many late-night comedy shows; my children’s friends have told many raunchy jokes about Jackson where “homosexual pervert” is one of the key elements in the punch line. Sad? Very. Unexpected? No.
My daughter, who is now 18, and my son, 16, have no idea what a marvel and inspiration Jackson was 20 and 30 years ago. All that they know is that most of their friends have made fun of MJ for years… although, now that he’s died, most of them have stopped doing that out of respect or to jump on the “I Love MJ” bandwagon. My daughter some years ago said, “Mommy, I think Michael Jackson looks creepy.” Judging by the ghoulish way he looked with his countless facial surgeries and white makeup, who could fault her? He did look creepy, especially to someone who didn’t grow up loving the music of the Jackson Five or saw the “Thriller” music video for the first time on MTV.
Feel sorrow for the premature loss of life of a talented, troubled man? Perhaps. Worship and ignore the myriad flaws of that dead entertainer? Absolutely not.
TVNewser: TV News Devotes 28 Hours to Michael Jackson; 93% of Cable Airtime
But in this challenging Age of Obama, common sense is being drowned out by wacky political correctness. Drowned out by a mania that is being fed by the state-run mainstream media, building up the hype into a near-deity worshipping of Michael.
So now, we’re faced with a congressional first, one never before presented for an iconic celebrity who likely died of a drug overdose/drug reaction. Our taxpayer dollars again are being used to serve the pet projects of a few loud voices, despite the dissension of the majority. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) has authored a congressional resolution honoring Michael Jackson:
The Library of Congress: Honoring an American legend and musical icon
Jackson was enormously talented, no question about it. He died at age 50, and I’m still a bit sad about that. But angry, too.
Partially because he chose to self-medicate/overindulge in drugs (like Elvis and Judy and Jimi and Janis) and partially because no one in his camp did anything to stop it (like Elvis and Judy and Jimi and Janis). And partially because I would have never, as a devoted mother, let my son when he was younger sleep in the same bed as Jackson, no matter how much money I was paid for him to do so. Paint it pretty, add milk and cookies if you want… but that sounds like pimping to me. So, I suppose, in my fiercely protective maternal mind, Jackson was not as guiltless as Rev. Sharpton would have us think. I would not ever be willing to take that kind of irreversible gamble with my son.
The shameful waste of talent and life, like the shameful waste of taxpayer’s money, should never be honored. Pitied and learned from, but not honored. Not worshipped. Human beings, especially troubled, fading pop stars with unsavory behaviors, should not ever be worshipped.
Additional reading:
Brent Baker, NewsBusters: Regrets Media Didn’t Memorialize a Soldier Killed Same Day Jackson Died
Michelle Malkin: Oh, Sheila and Sheila Jackson-Lee hits rock bottom and Forget Michael Jackson. Meet Pvt. Justin Casillas and Race hustler does freak dance for Jacko and Check out “backlash” against Rep. King over Jacko comments and Stupidest House resolution ever and Twisted priorities and Stomach-turners of the morning and Another reason MSM’s Jacko-mania reeks
Jesse Washington, My Way: Los Angeles braces for Michael Jackson’s final act
GayPatriot: Michael Jackson Memorial Circus & Real Heroes
Libertarian Republican: Queen Sheila may have used Taxpayer dollars to attend Michael Jackson funeral?
The Thinker: Even in death…
Gunservatively!: ScumBum-of-the-Week: Sheila Jackson Lee
NewsBusters: On the Left, Jackson Memorial Reminds That America’s a ‘Dishonest Custodian of Black Life’
Jim Geraghty, The Campaign Spot, NRO: Rep. Peter King Campaigns for President of Those Tired of Michael Jackson Coverage
Chris Arledge, Big Hollywood: The King of Pop, Sir Paul, and the Right to Reclaim Copyrights
John Nolte, Big Hollywood: Power of Pop Culture: Michael Jackson’s Final Makeover
My Way: Elephants lumber to Staples before Jackson service
Clinging to G & G: A final rest from the insanity for Michael
Breitbart.tv: NY Congressman on Jackson: He Was a ‘Pervert…Child Molester…Pedophile’
UrbanGrounds: Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee: Where’s the Resolution to Honor Sgt. Joshua Soto?
Fire Andrea Mitchell!: Are you f**king kidding me? House resolution to honor Jacko? and Democrat “outrage” over Congressman Peter King’s “pervert” “low life” and “pedophile” crack over Michael Jackson raises a grand total of $90
Sister Toldjah: A resolution honoring Michael Jackson? Are you kidding me?
Newsday.com: Rep. Peter King: Michael Jackson a ‘child molester’ and ‘pervert’
Leaning Straight Up: RIP Times Two: Farrah and Jacko: Beauty and the Beast
Mirror.co.uk: Michael Jackson to be buried without his brain
Hot Air: Video: House holds moment of silence for Michael Jackson and Video: The sadly obligatory “Sharpton grinds on woman at Jacko tribute” clip
Ed Driscoll: “King Of Pop Dead At 12″
Rhymes with Right: Michael Jackson Dead — UPDATED
The New Editor: Sharpton wants MJ postage stamp, national day of mourning for the late pop star
Rickey.org: Ratings: SYTYCD beats Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett tributes
Jude, Big Hollywood: On Michael Jackson
Irascible Chef: Michael Jackson
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