More on MJ

The comments were getting a bit full, so here is a fresh post.

I wrote this in response to Louise's last comment to the “Wor Mikey” post.

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I can only imagine how daunting it would be to try and take on the whole Michael Jackson machine.

I think, if he had abused me, I would just  want to walk away, rather than going through the ordeal of a trial where people would accuse me of lying.

Every family has been compromised by accepting large gifts from MJ, and so legal action is hard to face.

Despite all of the vast pressure from MJ fans and the legal pressure from NJ's lawyers, two young people that I know of have had the courage to make the allegations and stand by them. I suspect many more wanted to, be felt unable to.

You're right, we are all making subjective decisions, but the weight of circumstancial evidence is now very great.

From my perspective, sleeping with young boys is enough, on its own. The emotional damage is done in what MJ freely admits.

He takes a young child from a family, showers them with gifts, and spends more and more time with that young person to the point where the family don't see much of their son.

He compensates the family financially to keep them sweet. The boy trusts and likes MJ more than his real family, because he offers them a wonderland experience. Travel, money, celebrity and amazing toys, the like of which they have never seen before.

Eventually, the children share his bed. We do not know what happens there, except to say that more than one child has said that the bed experience does become sexual.

Even without actual sex, however you choose to define that, the damage has already been done - as I said before.

The child has  seen his family undermined and compromised. MJ is now the most important person in the child's life, yet that child feels uneasy about the night time arrangments.

“It's just love” is what MJ is reputed to say when met with these worries. A very typical paedophilic response.

Finally, MJ dumps the kid back with his family. MJ changes his phone numbers and refuses to answer any calls. It's over.

That child then has to deal with rejection from MJ, coupled with the knowledge that his family let it all happen because of the gifts they received from MJ.

He feels betrayed and abandoned.

Even without any “sex” as such, this damage is lamentable and wrong.

No-one should be allowed to make other people into playthings - slaves, if you will.

The world of celebrity will take note of this trial, and many will think long and hard about how their privilaged position can be used and mis-used.

I believe this is a good and healthy thing, and maybe one of the positive things to emerge from this mess.

There is no chance that Michael Jackson can be “innocent”, unless both he and all his previous young friends have lied about everything.

I think that's pretty unlikely.

Comments

[tom]

Below is the deposition of the clinical psychologist who interviewed the complainants and apparently initially reported the abuse to child welfare and law enforcement officials. The linked site frequently publishes such legal documents as they are available to the public.

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0217052katz1.html

[Louise]

My point remain that help should be offered, maybe even forced!
Punishment in what ever form it take rarely works. Locking some one up for how ever many years so often doesn't help and they come out and go back to committing offences.
Do not for one moment assume that I am taking sides, MJ over children, I am not. Not child should ever have to suffer abuse at the hands of anyone, however I am aware that abuse, especially emotional abuse comes in many forms and I would say well over 50% of children world wide suffer abuse of some sort, however it is rarely recognised and dealt with in a way that is helpful to all party's.
Many people suffer the sort of abuse you talk about Andy, Many relationships end that way leaving people feeling rejected and alone. We don't lock those people up... maybe we should? However having "suffered" this sort of "abuse" quite a few times, both from parents and other people I do not wish that on any of them. I wish that they improve themselves and learn how to do relationships better!
I also wish and pray that God helps me to forgive them as often people aren't aware of how they hurt others and therefore it is the "victim" that will go on suffering while holding unforgiveness in their heart.
Fortunately I have good friends and a Loving Father (GOD) who helps me with this and builds me up from my experiences. Being able to forgive someone when they've never said sorry isn't easy but it's so much better when you do.

[AndyC]

Thanks for replying, Louise.

I think the fundamental difference here is that these are not relationshiops between equals. This is a grown man in his forties with young children. That means the responsibility lies with the adult (MJ) to run the relationship in an appropriate way.

I'd be as upset as you if he didn't get good help in dealing with his issues. I do, however, feel the law should prevent him, as far as possible, from being able to hurt people in this way again.

Initially, this may mean incarceration in some form. Unfortunately, the figures on paedophiles re-offending do not make pleasant reading.

as I said before, I would be really pleased if he came to understand why what he did was wrong. That would be quite something. If he can get some help along the way with his other problems - all to the good.

There is plenty of room for compassion here, and I would always fully support that. I'm not interested in a witch hunt.