Over the weekend, Congressman Pete King posted a YouTube video making a specious connection between the death of Michael Jackson and the men and women who serve in our armed forces. It’s one thing for King to praise the country’s armed services on the Fourth of July weekend; it’s another to say that Jackson was “a low-life… a pervert… a child molester… a pedophile.”
Well, the Fourth of July is Independence Day, intended to celebrate the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. If you want to extend that to honoring people serving our country, fine — that’s King’s right. But equating the media’s coverage of Jackson (which is his real beef) with ignoring people “serving in Afghanistan,” as King says, while dismissing Jackson as “nothing worthwhile… he did some dancin’…” — that doesn’t make sense. Sullying Jackson’s reputation: what a great way for a congressman to get all over the Internet and get his own face all over the weekend TV news.
What do you think?
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Am I the only one that simply doesn’t CARE about MJ?
Michael Jackson(may he rest in peace) was like the the taste of the new and improved nabisco cheese nips, and a coke. Yummy, Yummy, and a SMILE. If your the only one that simply doesn’t care about Mr. Michael Jackson; then be that lonely number. If you’d just take look in the mirror and make that negative change a positive vibe– then you would understand and care enough to care about Michael Jackson and what he meant to those of us who understood and still do understand what the whole world has lost with the passing of Michael Jackson. Simply love. Perhaps that is what you are in need of. Check out his Earth Video and Song. Or do you not care about this planet either.
Obviously, there are people dying all over the world everyday, and each and every time it’s a tragedy. We should weep equally hard for each unknown man, woman, and child as we do for celebrities or politicians. But Mr. King is wrong for two reasons. One, the media is responsible to the public, and they are responsible for reporting what the public is interested in, and their tone or ’spin’ should reflect the public sentiment. The sentiment regarding Jackson is that clearly 80% loving out-pour of emotion, and 20% ridicule for his rumored crimes (and believe me the 24 hour media have definatly been devoting time to Michael’s rumored crimes). Secondly, Mr. King is wrong for chastising the media for glorifying or idolizing a ‘Child Molester’, because there has been no proof of Michael’s rumored crimes and certainly no convictions. Unfortunately, for Mr. King we live in a country where we are all innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If Mr. King disagrees with the way our justice system works, he should lobby for a change to the US and NY State constitutions to make us like Malaysia, where they cane you first and ask questions later, if at all. And for the record, Michael Jackson was an exceptional gentile and loving man and I would have been honored to meet him as a child, and I would have happily brought my children to meet him if I had the opportunity and if my kids were so inclined. I wouldn’t, however, leave my kids alone with any person that I didn’t implicitly trust like a member of my family. Frankly, I feel it’s moot to ask if you would leave your kids alone with Michael Jackson, because it is simply irresponsible parenting to leave your children alone with any adult that you are not close to personally. I hope for Mr. King’s children’s sake he heeds my advise and chooses his babysitters with more discretion then he chooses his words.
I don’t think I could have expressed it more eloquently, Rudd 188. I feel that this man’s SOLE valid point is that the men and women who service this country are not given proper dues, except for the everyday person who gives up his first class seat for a soldier coming home, spontaneous clapping at their returns home. Us ‘average’ americans still hold their sacrifices near and dear.
Why on earth does he feel it necessary to take another beloved (yes, beloved) fixture in our country’s musical/entertainment history to make his point? To me, it just takes away from what he is trying to say. Mr. Jackson was not convicted of ANY crime, and he feels free to call him a pedophile. Isn’t that slander (to his estate and children). Whatever his opinion of MJ is (as if it was a secret), shame on him for stepping on the loss of another human being to raise up his baseless judgemental viewpoint? Why can’t we, as a country (politicians and paparazzi excluded), spend our time honoring both?
Mr. Jackson’s later music was all about removing racial discrimination, world peace. Ohhhhh, how dare he?? I have no respect for a man/politician who uses youtube as a pulpit to denegrate others for his own purposes.
No Adam, “You Are Not Alone.” I am sick and tired of all the MJ coverage. The congressman is right, he did some singing and dancing, and he died. Millions of people die, do they get the extended media coverage that MJ is getting? NO. I think its time to move on.
The Congressman isn’t exactly *wrong* in his assessment of the MJ media coverage.
But at the same time, anyone who thinks this yokel isn’t twisting the media spotlight to serve his own ends is in deep denial.
Truthfully, he’s no worse than anyone else currently exploiting Jackson’s death.
I think before Mr King makes anymore comments like those about Jackson,he should look at his own Republican party,the party of family values. Names like Fey,Vitter and Mark Sanford come to mind.
To Adam and Cherie: I agree with both of you.
I think EW did exactly what he wanted and printed a story about him
OJ was proven innocent of murder. Does that make you think he is less guilty? I loved his music too, that doesn’t mean he was innocent.
Excuse me – I seem to remember in 1980 the media covered PRINCESS DIANA’S MARRIAGE FOR WEEKS… When she died they covered that for MONTHS! Talk about double standards… Why not give that kind of coverage to Mother Theresa then?? Peter King is a racist. He can’t stand that someone black can garner such honor… and what about good old alkie/womanizer slave trader Christoper Columbus who we honor every year??
Why didn’t Peter King put up a video complaining that there was over-coverage of Anna Nicole Smith when she died all and he did not call her gold-digger? Why didn’t Peter King complain when there was over-coverage of Paris Hilton by the media watching her every move? Pter complains about the coverage of a music icon, king of pop, a Black man, etc. but he did not complain about the coverage of Anna Nicole Smith and Paris Hilton. Peter King must like pretty WHITE women more.
Why didn’t Peter King put up a video complaining that there was over-coverage of Anna Nicole Smith when she died and he did not call her gold-digger? Why didn’t Peter King complain when there was over-coverage of Paris Hilton and her jail hoopla by the media watching her every move? Peter complains about the coverage of a music icon, king of pop, a Black man, etc. but he did not complain about the coverage of Anna Nicole Smith and Paris Hilton. Peter King must like pretty WHITE women more.
WE ARE ALL ENTITLED TO OUR OWN DECISIONS AND EMOTIONS…IF THE PEOPLE WANTS TO IDOLIZE,GLORIFY OR REMEMBER HIM THEN I THINK THAT’S NOBODY ELSE’S BUSINESS..SURE YOU WANTED THE PEOPLE TO FOCUS MORE ON OUR UNSUNG HEROES…BUT HEY,MICHAEL JACKSON MIGHT BE SOMEBODY ELSE’S HERO TOO….PERSONALLY, I BELIEVE HE DESERVES AN EXTRA CREDIT BECAUSE HE ENTERTAINED MANY OF US ALMOST ALL HIS LIFE…AS FOR THE CRIMES THAT HE WAS ACCUSED OF…THERE’S NO CONVICTION…SO WE DON’T KNOW FOR SURE WHAT REALLY HAPPENED SO WHY NOT LEAVE THE JUDGEMENT TO GOD? ANYWAY,HE’S THE ONLY ONE WHO’S WORTHY TO DO THAT…”LET THE ONE WHO HAS NO DIRT ON HIS FACE BE THE ONE TO THROW THE FIRST STONE….” I SUPPOSED YOU ARE CLEAN,SINLESS,&PURE…GOOD FOR YOU.BUT NOT EVERYONE IS AS BLESSED AS YOU. GIVE MJ A BREAK…EVEN ONLY ON HIS DEATH…THANKS.
OJ was found not guilty because the prosecution screwed up. The evidence was there, they just couldn’t present it in a way that the jury could find him guilty beyond all reasonable doubt. In Michael’s case, there wasn’t enough evidence. Period. Very big difference.
tij, not even on the same level. Typical whining about the race card. That gets old. If you haven’t noticed there is a black president. Give it up.
Not everyone is a fan of Michael Jackson. It’s overkill.
here’s the only question you have to ask yourself:
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on wednesday, june 24, before michael jackson died, would you let your child be alone with him?
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so why is it on thursday, june 25, he’s now some sort of saint? this has nothing to do with race and everything to do with celebrating a man who was a drug addict, a debtor, and had, while maybe not illegal, certainly inappropriate relationships with children.
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oh, but who are you to judge? you may ask me. well, i’m not a drug addict, i have no debt, and i’ve never been accused of messing around with kids nor have i ever gone on international television and proclaimed that i have sleepovers with boys. also i never dangled a baby off a balcony.
I wouldn’t let my children remain alone with anyone, even Mother Theresa (GRHS)! That’s just bad parenting, ya fool. Who are you to judge, you ask? You are only a bystander sucking up everything the media throws you as gospel, IMHO. We are celebrating the loss of a HUMAN BEING, not some sort of god. Flaws and all. I guess you are so sure of your stellar life that you feel comfortable throwing stones from your lazyboy chair. Isn’t that the good lord’s job?
what a basterd!!!
Last time I checked Princess Di wasn’t accusesd of molesting children or paying off families to be quiet.
Dear Mr. Peter King:
First of all, is it okay if I call you Dick? Thank you!
Dick, why would you put your small size shoe in your mouth?
Dick, Republicans are mostly racist, I understand that, but why make it so obvious?
Dick, I certainly hope you run for another term, maybe even President. We had another Republican Dick in the White House before you, so you will not be the first, if you make it.
I agree with “AIRA’s” statement!
@mikeman
Exactly. I bet if a regular guy accused of child molestation, whether guilty or not, moved next door to any of these people’s family, would they be friends with that guy or let their kids hang around his house. Probably not. So why MJ, because he could sing and dance?
And lastly,
Dick, Michael Jackson was a great charity giver. How much cash have you shelled over to charity?
Action is louder than work Mr.King..stop worrying about MJ and work on fixing the mess the Republicians put us into…you work on healing the country…MJ was a gentle person…you are a evil person with much hate…I see that in your eyes.
To rudd188, you have insight, sensitivity and accuracy. Well done. To the other ‘who cares’ types, well, it is one thing to have no connection to a person, it is another to be oblivious to the contributions of the person to a society. Besides his influence as an entertainment marvel, his incredible success and creativity, MJ was also known for many humanitarian acts. Do not assume to second guess the verdicts pronounced on the accusations that were made. Recognize the benefits, outstanding achievements and positive influences. Have some respect and sympathy in this time of mourning and keep such negativity to yourselves.
Fred, gee, what a well thought out mature post you have there.
Media Sales!!! Michael Jackson is a big celebrity and has been for along time. Fame or shame its great to pay respect to those who leave us behind. Now lets move forward. RIP Michael Jackson..
judge not lest you be judge….we judge you Mr. King as a man with much hatred for people you consider different from you..I rather be MJ than a PK any day of the week…
It’s amazing that upon his death, we remember Jackson for the musical icon he was 20 years ago not the introverted weirdo he became. We’re sweeping the last 20 years of allegations and out-of-court settlements under the rug. Upon his death, will we remember O.J. as a Hall of Fame football player – or a felon? Or Phil Spector – musical genius or convicted murderer. You can’t ignore the last 20 years and compare him to Princess Diana or Christ like many are doing. He was a talented man once upon a time, but he was also a one man freak show.
OJ was found innocent by a jury of his peers. So was MJ.
Giving a 22 million dollar settlement to a family accusing you of child molesting doesn;t exactly portray you in an “I’m the innocent victim” light.
So by some of your reasonings, if I give money to charity I can get away with doing bad things? Cool.
beb, you would like to be someone who was ashamed of his race, addicted to drugs, and an accused child molester? More power to you.