MJ's life became grotesque but his artistry remains forever sublime.

Peace to all who grieve.

I am open to that possibility (like I said, I have no strong feelings one way or the other) but if people didn't really like his music I honestly don't think there'd be any significant portion of the population that would give him that benefit of the doubt, especially in the face of two separate accusations from children.

I've certainly never seen such a benefit given to any other person in the face of such accusations.

Yes, there is. But that's true of everybody at some point who faces such charges. Yet, Michael Jackson is the only case where I've seen people bend over backwards and give such support to the idea that in the absence of a criminal conviction nothing happened.

That's not a bad idea, just one that rarely has broad support. Except when celebrities of a certain level are involved.

-I think I question how much of the accusation came from the children and how much came from their parents who saw dollar signs when they looked at MJ.

Yes. That's my point, if you didn't like his music you probably wouldn't question that.

Celebrity and wealth has its rewards. It buys doubt.

I'm pretty well convinced that what he engaged in was the kinds of non-sexual sexual games that children play with each other. "You show me yours, I'll show you mine. Let's play doctor." I have no basis for that other than the public evidence of his stunted emotional maturity and clear attempts to recapture his childhood. He probably felt like he was acting just like one of the kids, doing things that, when done between two adolescents, are perfectly innocent and natural, but when done by an adult with an adolescent are at best creepy and worst wildly inappropriate, even if no actual sex act is involved.

I don't think he ever intended to abuse or harm children, he probably thought he was doing them a service by being an adult who "understood" them. In that way, I more pitied him than anything. He didn't fit in the adult world and he wasn't allowed (rightly) to participate in the childhood world he wished he could.

My belief that those parents saw a payday in MJ have nothing to do with me liking his music.

I am not a fan of many kinds of music-I would suspect the same if any of them were accused of the same.

If they are tried and convicted- then I'm wrong about them.

Her name was Rappe, she was asking for it.

:eek: