Why do so many black entertainers defend Michael Jackson?

[anti_shrub]

Reading the thread here about how Eminem's jab at MJ prompted Stevie Wonder to voice his disappointment at Mr. Mathers made me stop and think about how many black entertainers seem to feel its their duty to personally defend MJ when people call him a child molester as if it was the most unheard of allegation ever. I think it was Steve Harvey (of all people) who said that he was revoking Eminem's "ghetto card" for mocking Michael as if mocking the strangest man on the planet was an offense worthy of being shunned by the whole black community.

I hear black comedians all the time saying stuff like "you can't hate on Michael"....well why the hell not? I'm all for due process but at least you have a 40 something year old man who sees nothing wrong with sharing a bed with little boys. Regardless if you want to believe anything else about him or not, this is not a guy who deserves to be defended by the black community.


p.s.: In the name of full disclosure, let me say now I myself am a white guy so I fully allow the possibility of a cultural difference here than my brain just doesn't compute. I just don't understand why so many people act like its still 1985 and Michael rules the world.

[benburch]

1. Because they have such a history of persecution.

When a high profile member of their community is being taken down by the law, they do NOT assume fairness on the part of the law. And usually, they would be correct.

[Gryffindor_Bookworm]

2. Did you see the same interview I saw?

"Do you think there's anything wrong with a 40-year-old man sharing his bed with little boys?"

"No....."

"Would you let your children share a bed with a 40-year-old man?"

"Yes...."

Believe it or not, non-white people do commit crimes now and then, including child abuse.

[benburch]

5. Nope.

Didn't see that. But I still think I am right about the reason for this reaction.

[Cheswick2.0]

6. You don't know he is guilty but you are convinced he is

maybe that is why people defend him

[mondo joe]

9. Guilt is not required to acknowledge that a 40 yr old man sleeping with

Guilt is not required to acknowledge that a 40 yr old man sleeping with these kids is not appropriate.

[Gryffindor_Bookworm]

11. Sigh.

This is ludicrous. Unless there are video cameras in his bedroom, no one will ever KNOW. That is why the standard for criminal conviction is BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT.

When a man who has paid out millions to his prior victims rather than go to court appears on global TV and says it's okay for him to sleep with little boys and that he would allow his children to sleep with a 40 year old man, there is no reasonable doubt left.

Edited for emphasis.

[forgethell]

15. Don't know that he's guilty,

in fact, I think he is being harassed by the prosecutor. that doesn't mean he didn't do, or that he did. But there is no dispute, MJ is one of the three wierdest human beings on the planet,and shows a appalling lack of judgment and discretion. In these politically correct times, that alone can put you in prison.


Merry Christmas, :-)

You, too, Michael

[blondeatlast]

10. My thoughts as well.

I'm married to a man with brown skin and it sure as hell changes your outlook on things.

[mondo joe]

14. I'm sure it does. But I still don't see defending niappropriate behavior.

I don't think there's any question that people with brown skin don't face persecution and inequity.

But in the case of Michael Jackson you have a guy already accused of molesting one child continuing to sleep with little boys who are separated from their parents or any supervision.

I don't see any justification for defending an adult with RALLY bad boundaries.

[jrthin]

17. As you stated,

He has been "accused" of a crime. Being accused of a crime is quite different from being convicted of one. Heck, I can "accuse" you of being a child molester, but unless I or the prosecutor can show objective evidence and you get "convicted", I got nadda.

The thinking that because one is accused of a crime, one is guilty, is very prevalent today and that jeopardizes everyone's freedom, regardless if it's Michael or the average Joe/Jane.

[mondo joe]

19. Again, didn't say he was necessarily guilty. But you're ignoring the

Again, didn't say he was necessarily guilty. But you're ignoring the real issue.

This is a 40 something year old man who was accused of child molestation, and then goes on sleeping in bed with little boys out of the supervision of their parents.

Does that speak to SOUND JUDGMENT to you?

[jrthin]

16. I have to agree

with you.

[redqueen]

3. Um...

Because he's black?

:shrug:

To be honest, I really don't know.

[pretzel4gore]

8. michael jackson's white!

he's white as toby's ass!
sheeese... (whole world's gone bananas)

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

13. Not really ... look at the R. Kelly case ...

you don't see many people defending him .

[Cheswick2.0]

4. because there know there is a long tradition of guilty till proven

innocent if you are black.

[qanda]

7. Very interesting question

You should post this same question in the DU African-American Issue's Group. Sounds like something we would enjoy discussing there also. Here's the link: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=258

[vickie]

12. As a black person, I am embarassed and mortified by all who

defend the creepy, depraved Michael Jackson.

[Karenina]

18. The people who "seem" to be defending him

have known him and his family since he was a child, know very well how he and his siblings got so fucked up, are quite aware of his predilections and don't cotton much to "the new white kid on the block" enhancing his homophobic, racist, corporate-sponsored stance by stomping his "popularly acclaimed" jackboot down on the neck of a talent who has already fallen so low.

[mondo joe]

20. So if they're aware of why he's fucked up, they should be aware

So if they're aware of why he's fucked up, they should be aware of how fucked up he's BEHAVING.

Having had a fucked up childhood is not an excuse for highly inappropriate behavior with other kids.

[Karenina]

21. You are correct.

Not an excuse, just an explanation of why human beings behave as they do. Have YOU experienced abuse within your family? Know anyone who has?
It's FUBAR the lengths to which seemingly cogent beings will go to protect their concept of the status quo. Look at what America has become. How about Delay and the Newt? This shit is ubiquitous.

[mondo joe]

25. Nope - no one in my family. Of course that is in part because no one in

Nope - no one in my family. Of course that is in part because no one in my family would permit this sort of thing to go on, and no one would make excuses for it.

[Karenina]

30. You are VERY FORTUNATE.

Just for a moment imagine that your family fortunes were based upon perpetuating LIES. Go to GD, follow threads about BFEE, Octafish has posted about their proclivities and please do get back to me. IT'S NO "EXCUSE" What I'm trying to present to you is a context and media manipulation.

[mondo joe]

32. I appreciate you are not excusing it. But anyone who perpetuates it

is responsible. No matter what they grew up in.

I find people who DO excuse Jackson or defend his choices to be as vile as he is.

[propagandafreegal]

22. If he is so guilty why is it taking so long... looks like a witchhunt to

me.

[mondo joe]

23. Because he has an army of lawyers, a vast estate and considerable

Because he has an army of lawyers, a vast estate and considerable resources to protect him.

Or do you think Ken Lay is the victim of a witchhunt as well?

[Karenina]

24. Same reason it took so long

with Mike Tyson.

CASH COW.

[bettyellen]

28. and they don't want to screw it up, because Michael is still popular and

well loved by enough people to give him an edge with a jury. i know it's hard to believe, but, we have seen them on the news, people loved him when they were adolescents and i guess they still hold on to that.
Does anyone think Michael is going to be able to play the race card a la OJ? I mean, with all his attempts to look white? Or would that just be too weird? It honestly wouldn't suprise me if he did. He's playing the hater card already.
I really worry about his own kids, are they still with him? Are there any chaperones or anything required for them? I just think he really brainwashed that kid who was on the TV interview with him. That poor kid said he was old enough to decide what he could and couldn't do. Michael removed him from his parents influence and made him think what ever they both did, no one could hold either of them accountable. At the very least he brainwashed that poor sick kid in a big way.

[Radical Activist]

26. They had to search the house a 3rd time

that suggests to me that they didn't find what they were looking for the first two times. They got nothin.

[mondo joe]

27. How many times were Bush's military records reviewed?

Or do they "got nothin'" too?

[Radical Activist]

34. I'm not sure Jackson is that cunning

He's no George Bush. Honestly I haven't paid that much attention and I don't plan to start paying much attention anytime soon. Jackson is a wierd guy with lots of money so he makes a good target for lawsuits. I'm reserving judement until it's all over.

[mondo joe]

35. You understimate his re$ource$ and the cunning of his attorneys

And strangely enough you say you're reserving judgment but you already decided they've got nothing on him.

[Radical Activist]

37. Yes, I could be wrong

that was simply my first impression when I heard they had to search the house again.

[bettyellen]

29. or that there's more they've heard about.

weren't they also compelling a former accuser who accepted payoff to testify as well?
they would want to pile up on the evidence, because it is a he said/ he said.. and he's so damn rich and famous and beloved, he's going to get better than white man's justice. if this was some joe schmo in suburbia, it would be all over for him.

[Radical Activist]

33. better than white man's justice?

who exactly in america is getting better justice than white men? If anything Jackson's money and fame will get him the fair shot that the typical rich white man in the suburbs would get. If he were the average black man in the city it would be all over for him.

[mondo joe]

38. When you write "the typical rich white man in the suburbs"...

When you write "the typical rich white man in the suburbs" please note that the typical white man isn't rich.

[bettyellen]

40. Absolutely, but he's not. We're not talking about Texas justice, either.

He's in L.A. And given his resources, I think he's got a better chance than a suburban white man. Instead of one average lawyer, he could have or 4 of the best in the country. Did you see Capturing the Friedmans? Whoever is accused of pedophilia is going to suffer horrible consequences, no matter their color. Many people went to jail in the eighties over the thinnest of testimony from coereced kids.
What I'm saying is, he was one of the most famous and beloved performers in the this country's history, and yeah, I think that's going to help him with the jury quite a bit.

[JVS]

31. A little secret that a friend told me once was the MJ still has a huge...

following among black americans. We're talking big like Elvis is to lots of white people. It didn't matter that elvis got all fat, sweaty, drugged up and unable to remember the lyrics to songs, he was the King! I couldn't believe it, I said "But MJ has been a joke since the mid nineties!" I was told "It doesn't matter. Even those among black people who will make jokes about Michael still often love him, if you put them in a seat at a concert they'd be going nuts with applause and excitement" I don't get it either.

[CatWoman]

36. maybe this is why

whole lot of sick shit going on in this thread.

Only thing missing is the tar and feathers.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x2158404

[bettyellen]

39. I'm a little offended that you see any connection between

this sad Taye Diggs story and MJ's situation. I don't get it.
Could MJ have been more popular and beloved than he was during his Thriller years? I don't see how.
But children have been able to acurately able to describe his genetalia. There aren't any good explainations for this, and it's horrifying. It looks pretty bad for him and it has nothing to do with color at all. I would love it if it turns out to not be true, but I'm not worried about him getting a fair trial. He has an advantage over all of us non-billionaires in that regard.
If he had no compeeling interest in sleeping with little boys he should have stopped a long time ago. That's why it seems to most people that he just couldn't stop, which is quite damning given what he's accused of.
Heck, I thought Lacy's husband looked pretty damned guilty, I just never understood why it got so much press.

[bettyellen]

41. Did you see the interview with the kid...

the kid making assertions that who's to judge who's still a kid and who's an adult in terms of what a person can/ can't do. That child was seriously manipulated by an adult who wanted to tell this kid there should be no boundaries or judgement on what they do.
Excuse me if I thought it was coming from the grown up holding his hand saying he likes sleeping with him.
I had never thought much about MJ and the earlier case, but when I saw that.Yikes, Forget it, that's the sick shit right there!