More Thoughts On The Late Gloved One

UPDATED AND BUMPED:
Frank Girardot doubles-down in the Michael Jackson fiasco. He, rightfully, blasts congress for even considering Congressman Sheila Jackson-Lee. Because she is circulating an insipid congressional resolution honoring Michael Jackson. Good to see our Democrat-led congress is doing serious work.


Since my posting in support of Congressman Peter King (R-NY) and his comments on the late Michael Jackson drew a lot of commentary, I am back for more and not alone.
In today's local fishwrap, the Pasadena Star-News, columnist Frank Girardot hit the nail on the head. He, like many of us, does not understand the wall-to-wall coverage and adulation that the late Mr. Jackson has been receiving.
Some points Mr. Girardot makes are worth noting:

If there's any proof it probably lies in the multimillion-dollar settlements Jackson reached with purported victims. One of those claimed the singer molested him at age 7 and again at age 10.

Exactly.
I know that many will say that the late Mr. Jackson's lawyer's told him to settle. Or the time-warned "It's just people trying to make money off of Michael" crap.
If anyone, I mean anyone, even just accused me of doing what the late Mr. Jackson was accused of doing, I would never settle. I would want to meet my accuser or accusers in a court of law and prove my innocence. The fact that the late Mr. Jackson did not meet his accusers head on until he was charged with child molestation leaves more than enough room to take some of the accusations at face value.
Or here are several money paragraphs:

The boy's mother explained later how Jackson begged her to let him sleep with the boy, according to court documents and testimony at trial.
The star and the mom argued about it, but ultimately the boy's mom gave in and allowed her teen to spend nights in Jackson's bed.
After the mom relented, Jackson bought her a Cartier bracelet. Clearly, this was a man who thought he could hurt whomever he wanted and do what he wanted because he had the means to buy his way out of trouble.

OK, what man of the late Mr. Jackson's age, about 34 at the time, would be so hot to have a 13-year old boy sleep in his bed? And why would the late Mr. Jackson beg the child's mother to allow her son to sleep in the same bed as himself? And, why buy the mother a Cartier bracelet if he was not doing anything wrong?
And Mr. Girardot points out that while a Santa Barbara country jury did acquit the late Mr. Jackson of the charges, it was not because they thought he was totally innocent:

A member of the jury that ultimately acquitted Jackson said later he thought Jackson was a child molester. Another said Jackson should stop sleeping with kids.

But, the same jury did not think the prosecution made an airtight case. But, what case the prosecution did make had a long term effect on jurors. Had there been more concrete evidence, the late Mr. Jackson may have died in prison. Sorry Mr. Jackson fans, but that is the truth.
And here is the money paragraph:

If Jackson were any other 46-year- old man in that situation, he'd probably still be in prison fending off predators who take no mercy on pedophiles.

EXACTLY!
Yet, so many of the masses that are crying, coming from all corners of the United States and the world seem to want to ignore the obvious.
If this was Michael Jackson, construction worker in a middle-class neighborhood and carried on like he did, many of these same people would be screaming to throw the son-of-a-bitch in jail. Or worse. Come on, you know that you would.
But, a person of the late Mr. Jackson's talent went off the deep end. And, he played a very dangerous game with young boys. He is very fortunate he was not convicted of child molestation. And, in the end, the late Mr. Jackson may have pushed the drug combination over the edge and that maybe what led to his death.
But, for the fans to ignore the dark side of the late Mr. Jackson is worse than burying your heads in the sand. You are just as much an enabler as those that sucked him financially dry. The same people who did not get him real help that he clearly needed.
Many famous people have died and we have to look at the totality of their lives.
Former President Richard Nixon died. And the first thing that came out of anyone and everyone's mouth was that he was the only president to resign in disgrace. When former President Bill Clinton goes to the great beyond, it will be noted that he was only the second president to be impeached. Whether one liked one or even both leaders, their lives have to be looked at in the overall. Not rose colored glasses.
Michael Jackson fans. The memorial is over. You need to now look at his life in the overall, not just the music. You can not gloss over the dark side of this pop music icon. You should think about the fact that no one in his inner circle did anything to genuinely help this troubled man. You should think about those that used him for their own fame and or gain. And yes, celebrate the talent that he was. But now it is time to take off those rose colored glasses. Keep it real, MJ fans. Keep it real.