Supreme Court nominee no fan of Michael Jackson

[Judi Lynn]

Supreme Court nominee no fan of Michael Jackson
By Dana Milbank

The Washington Post

Sunday, August 21, 2005

WASHINGTON — Now it's getting personal.

Researchers recently found several memos from the summer and fall of 1984 in which future Supreme Court nominee John Roberts, working as a Reagan White House lawyer, argued against sending presidential thank-you notes to Michael Jackson for his charitable works.

But it turns out this was just the beginning of what appears to be the young lawyer's concerns about the star. Three new memos uncovered by Washington Post reporters show Roberts described Jackson as "androgynous," "mono-gloved" and a balladeer of illegitimacy.

On April 30, 1984, Roberts wrote to oppose a presidential award that was to have been given to Jackson for his efforts against drunken driving. Roberts particularly objected to award wording that described Jackson as an "outstanding example" for American youth.

Roberts wrote: "If one wants the youth of America and the world sashaying around in garish sequined costumes, hair dripping with pomade, body shot full of female hormones to prevent voice change, mono-gloved, well, then, I suppose 'Michael,' as he is affectionately known in the trade, is in fact a good example. Quite apart from the problem of appearing to endorse Jackson's androgynous life style, a Presidential award would be perceived as a shallow effort by the President to share in the constant publicity surrounding Jackson.... The whole episode would, in my view, be demeaning to the President."
(snip/...)

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/nation/epaper/2005/08/21/m1a_roberts_0821.html

[madeline_con]

1. I think androgynous is harsh...

Michael obviously wants to be a white girl.

[LibDemAlways]

2. Why was a WH lawyer concerned about

something as trivial as whether or not Michael Jackson - who was a big star at the time - received an award for charitable works? Judging by his descriptions of the singer, I detect more than a little whiff of homophobia.

[Judi Lynn]

4. Oh, yeah! He's definitely way overheated. Fired up! n/t

[hlthe2b]

5. Now that you mention, this guy (Roberts) sets off my

gaydar... which, granted may not be well tuned when it comes to these RW Rethuglicans since I find them all so unappealing that sexuality is very secondary.

But, I've wondered if any of our gay DUers would agree that he just may protest too much....?

[NoQuarter]

7. Just another in a long line

of rethugs exhibiting way too much animation on the subject. And we all know how closet doors have been exploding off hinges lately.

[dweller]

3. that sounds straight out of

The Onion.


Roberts quote i mean. Sadly, i know it's not.

[NoQuarter]

6. Roberts' lack of knowledge

about Black People's (that's what we were in 1984) grooming just comes out as a racist remark - "hair dripping with pomade"

That shit was curl activator. In 1984 the jheri curl ruled!

That "pomade" thing is a relic of a 1950's mentality. Little Richard wore a head full of pomade (which NEVER dripped.)

Ass hat.

[Dogmudgeon]

12. They don't call it pomade anymore?

I had a black friend who called it that, but was never certain whether she was using the word ironically or not. (This was circa 1991, by the way.)

--p!

[Toucano]

26. Technically, your friend is right

Pomade is any fragrant hair dressing.

Curl activator, gel, mousse, dipity doo, etc. can all be categorized generally as pomade.

[longship]

8. In this case, I agree with Roberts.

I'll go further. MJ is a sick freak who needs to be institutionalized. No person with his problems should be able to spend time with any minor children without adult supervision.

[genius]

13. In 1984, he won the Grammy for "Thriller" Robers issues were racist.

There were no allegations from money-hungry families at that time and Roberts comments were based on nothing but objection to an African-American hitting the big time.

[longship]

23. I'll somewhat temper my words.

I'll grant that MJ has been a very good citizen, especially concerning charitable contributions. That is very good of him. I really have no issue with MJ, although I have never listened to him, nor do I desire to. But these issues have nothing to do with his personality or his personal problems. I just don't like popular music.

On the other hand, this guy has problems which should be treated. Okay. I do not think he belongs in jail. I know that would destroy him, and I do not think that he deserves that. But he should be under some kind of observation and/or restrictions. No person with his problems should be allowed unsupervised contact with minor children.

Concerning the Grammies... Pure self-promotion by corrupt, monopolistic industry whose only goal is to take as much money from the public in the name of "entertainment". They define what is entertainment. They define what is good for the people. They define what the people should like and not like. They are the ones who *fuck* the artists with confiscatory contracts. The Grammies are rubbish.

[fortyfeetunder]

14. This is the 1984 MJ we are talking about

And the Jackson family had a history of donating to charitable causes after they became internationally famous.

I can at least separate the sickness of MJ's alleged depravity from the good things he and his family did for the community at large. Why can't Roberts?

[shanti]

15. but again

WHY was roberts so interested in mj that he gave his opinion on him? roberts is racist and mysoginistic, among other things, and as such, is unfit to be a member of the SCOTUS!

[LisaL]

20. Didn't you hear about letters MJ wanted from the president?

Letters were supposed to praise MJ for his charitable work. Roberts didn't think MJ should have been given any letters.

[Toucano]

18. Wow. You're as well informed and generous of spirit as Roberts.

Congratulations.

[LisaL]

21. Knowing what we know now, I would say Roberts didn't show

such bad judgment back then. And what with getting awards for doing charity? The person doing charity presumably does so out of the goodness of his heart, not to get letters and awards.

[Toucano]

24. Michael's mental illness has clearly progressed over time.

It's not wise, realistic nor compassionate to judge the 1984 Michael by the 2005 Michael.

People are given awards for their charitable work because the publicity of the award encourages others to get involved and it raises awareness.

Roberts didn't propose no one be given awards. He proposed someone who doesn't fit his particularly limited definition of gender roles and physical appearance be forbidden from receiving awards.

[LisaL]

25. I realize people are given awards for their charitable work.

However, MJ was the one asking to be given a letter commending on his charitable work. Which means he was expecting an award for something he presumably was doing out of the goodness of his heart.

[Toucano]

27. Irrelevant.

Roberts didn't address the appropriateness of your "goodness of the heart" view in his argument.

How about focusing on Roberts' rationale for denying the award based on his misogynies, homophobia, fascist social agenda, and racism?

Michael Jackson and the nature of charity aren't the point.

[LisaL]

28. Actually, he did address it.

Maybe not in this letter.

[Toucano]

29. Again, congratulations.

The extent you're going to in order to defend this fascist is super.

If it was part of his rationale for this instance, it would be in this memo.

[wli]

9. those kinds of allegations should be documented

Michael Jackson may be a sick freak, but there's no excuse for spraying out those kind of allegations without defensible and thoroughly attributed sources, particularly not in an official pronouncement.

Jackson would be justified suing for libel if they're untrue.

[ngGale]

10. Gawd, the look of the new SCOTUS ...

for the next 35 or 40 years.:sarcasm:

[rodeodance]

11. Wonder what his opinion would have been regarding the Medal of

Freedom given to Tenet by Bush.

[CornField]

16. mono-gloved?

LMAO!! I have no idea what to say about that... I guess I had no idea wearing one glove was a character reference.

[LisaL]

17. What can I say?

I imagine Roberts likes MJ even less now.

[Toucano]

19. What a hateful bastard. n/t

[Gregorian]

22. He certainly has his priorities in the proper order.

Again, I wonder about the poor hungry children of the world. Or the concern for plans to end AIDS. Or imporvement of foreign relations. But Michael Jackson? No wonder I dropped out of politics when Reagan took office. I wonder if there is anything we can do to incite sanity.


PS- I'm sure Elvis would have been just fine for receiving xmas cards from the prez. Dead on the throne full of drugs.

Paging Limbaugh- come get your card!