Can't keep quiet any longer

The very first thing that went through my mind when I heard that Micheal Jackson had died, was "I thought he died when his skin started changing colour". I honestly meant this in a serious way, the Micheal Jackson the artist, the icon, died in the late 80's when he started to drastically alter his appearance. After that, he turned into a different person.

The news coverage got more and more frequent, and the praise got bigger and bigger. He went from the "King of Pop" to the "King of Kings" (which in and of itself is so blasphemous I can't even stand it) in less then a week. Throughout it all, I kept thinking, "but what about the molestation charges? Surely they can't ignore that part of his life?" but they did. Then I thought, "but what about the drug addiction, someones got to mention that???" and no one did. To top it off, I heard Lisa Marie's statement about how Micheal always thought, "he would die the same way Elvis died" and I waited, and I waited, and not ONE PERSON stopped to say, "well if you knew you were going to die that way, why not STOP TAKING THE DRUGS???" but the only person I heard saying that was me.

On Tuesday was the memorial service, and I hoped so badly that it would be a memorial to his MUSIC, a memorial to his talent and how he changed the way we listened to, and watched our music. I was so saddened to be wrong, as I watched the service (ok, not so much watch, but it was on in the background as I was doing other work) when I heard not only the much deserved praise about his music, but person after person talk about HIM, how amazing he was, how he exuded light, how he would "never hurt a soul", and my stomach turned.

Never hurt a soul??? Really? What about his admission to inviting young boys into his bed? The fact that HE didn't think anything was wrong with it, is irrelevant. As any pedophile in prison right now, and they too probably don't see anything wrong with their actions. Since when is "but I thought it was ok?" as a legitimate legal defence?

Never hurt a soul??? Really? Why then pay a family $20million dollars for the trail to go away? In my experience (granted I've never been on trial before) but innocent people don't pay for charges to go away.

Every time I heard someone talk about what an amazing person he was, my heart broke for all those boys that were wronged (again, I'd like to clarify, I don't know the extension of the wrong, I simply know, that locking yourself in your bedroom with a young boy for an entire day, and not allowing anyone else in with you, is wrong). Every time someone praised HIM outside of his music, I felt like those boys were being wronged all over again. Whatever indignity they suffered (whether they knew that's what was happening at the time or not) was being committed again and again with every word of praise for Micheal the man.

What must they be thinking? The emotions they have been experiencing up until his death would have been confusing enough, but then to see someone who wronged them in such a deep and personal level to be held up as a hero???

I'm sure there are people out there who disagree with me, in fact I've talked to some of those people. There are many people out there who choose to only look at his music and turn a blind eye to the rest of his actions. There are people out there who feel that the word "acquitted" or "not-guilty" are the same as innocent, and that is fine, they are entitled to their opinion as I am to mine. And I only ask that if you are out there and you disagree with me, please do so respectfully.

Finally, there are two lovely ladies out there who wrote about this same topic, and did so MUCH better then I did, so do me a favor, hope over to these ladies sites, and read what they wrote, then come back here and pretend that it was actually me who wrote that! ;)

One Crafty Mother wrote about his addiction and how the rest of us enabled it in her post "Just Calling it Like I See it"

And DaMomma wrote about separating his talent from his behavior in her post "Speaking Out".