Everyone remembers the day they saw the Moonwalk. Watching it live was one of the most amazing things of my life. Michael Jackson was the epitome of cool. He had it all. Blockbuster superstardom at 11 years old that he managed to maintain and masterfully become a stand out solo artist. Not an easy trick, indeed!
I’ve written blogs about child stars before and the pressure on them to try to maintain stardom as adults and it seems like so few are able to do it and even fewer are able to do it without completely derailing their lives in the process. Danny Bonaduce, anyone? It has to be incredibly hard to grow up with the nation looking at you and judging you and taking opportunities to exploit you. Which brings me to the topic of this blog.
I’ve been asked the question many times of the past few days about my thoughts on Michael Jackson. One person wrote this to me:
“I keep wondering… regardless of musical “genius” or “talent” or what have you… is it requisite that I mourn a child molester? Am I the only one who does not feel horribly for his death? Seriously?”
Another friend on my Facebook wrote in her status update:
“can’t get over the news this morning. people are “mourning” the passing of an abuser?”
So here are my thoughts on this very sensitive and very touchy topic.
I think that calling Michael Jackson eccentric would be an understatement. I think that his life has been the product of never knowing who you are but trying to find it in the most unbelievable ways. He never wanted to grow up but in reality he never had a childhood and tried to reclaim it by building Neverland, consorting with chimps, and hanging out with little kids.
Do I think he’s a molester? I have no idea but I do know that his lifestyle made it easy for those types of allegations. Are there people out there that knew that Michael Jackson was an extremely rich man? Yes. Would that make some people try to take advantage of that? Definitely.
After the first molestation trial I was horrified. I couldn’t believe that my childhood idol could even be accused of something like that. He fell from grace and he fell hard. My thoughts of MJ started to change after the second trial. It wouldn’t have mattered how much I loved his music, how much I thought he was a great guy, my children would have NEVER, EVER slept at Neverland; especially after the first trial. But parents still did. It was like an easy opportunity. Ultimately, he was acquitted of all charges both times. He was allowed to have his own children raised by him. He has stepped out of the media spotlight and have kept his children out of it.
Should we mourn a molester? By the law he’s not a molester but by what he has contributed to music, videos, and dancers he is a musical genius and deserves my mourning.
Goodbye Michael!
You have created a legacy that will live forever.
Regina- this was so well written. I have felt the same way- people forget that he was ACQUITTED. They also forget that the accuser’s parents settled for an extremely large sum of money. No amount of money would convince me to let a child molester that had harmed my child back on the street. I think we will never know what went on inside the head and heart of Michael Jackson, but from the outside looking in I saw a tortured soul, longing for a childhood that never was, and trying to impossibly regain lost time. Great editorial.
Heather, thank you! I’ve heard varying opinions on this subject wanted to share mine.
Hey Regina.
Well written. From a personal view point, I believe anyone else in the world who admitted to what he had done, would have been behind bars, and out of court settlements probably point to guilt. So do I think he was a child abuser… I guess probably. I also regret the huge media circus craving any droplet of news right now.
I was at a predominantly white music festival when the news broke. I was surprised at the indifference to the news. 10 years ago, people would have been really upset. Now what I noticed was that many black artists and friends at the festival have been harder hit by the news, and because of that, I’ve not been one to get on my high horse about his passing. This was a young black male striding forth in a white world. Personally I feel that Quincy Jones brilliance is overlooked in Michael Jackson’s music success, but of course that doesn’t take away MJ’s talent. I remember how I loved the Off The Wall album. But I am indifferent overall, because I think he should have gone to jail. RIP MJ, and RIP all the other souls that pass without the fanfare. Just another human.
Hey my dear lady how r u,,long time,,but on to MJ well first trial there is some doubt from a person who has been molested can’t say for sure if he did or not only he knew noone will ever know now,I don’t think so but if he did well he has to anwser to a higher power now, but the second don’t think so I think that child parents probably wanted to find out how much they can squeeze out of MJ
In my state once charge as a molester put into childline it’s pretty much difficult to remove the name from the system
Something has alwys been going on with that family when they were all kids,,and as adults
BUT ANY HOW,,his music will move on no matter what any one says,,i’ve watch him on tv J5,,and the cartoon even watch him soar into stardom an his MUSIC WILL GO ON
Ok Regina love ya girl