I love Michael Jackson's music, especially the albums Off The Wall and, of course, Thriller.
He was also an alleged pedophile, who admitted on several occasions to sleeping nude with a variety of young boys in his home. He insisted the action was totally innocent and was surprised and dismayed at the reactions of others.
Child abusers quite frequently react this way.
I'm sorry if others can't or won't accept this part of the reality that was Michael Jackson, that just want to talk about "Wanna Be Starting Something" or "Smooth Criminal" or Eddie Van Halen's guitar solo on "Beat It". Go right ahead. I can tolerate drug addiction, fornication and adultery, even flirtations with self-destruction in an artist. The sexual violation of a child, however, is my particular line. It is arbitrary, yes. It might even be called capricious. It is not less (and certainly no more) defensible than any other line others might draw.
I am sad, yes. In one day, two icons, one of my early youth (Farrah and that poster . . .) and one of my youth and early adulthood have died (and leave us not forget Ed McMahon, "You are correct, sir"). I am even more sad, however, that Michael Jackson never realized how destructive his actions were, how much pain and suffering, grief and anguish he caused others.
Virtual Tin Cup
