Looking back at my childhood, I remember how cool Michael
Jackson used to be. Songs like “Bad” and “Beat
It” were great, although I probably was exposed to the Weird
Al parodies “Fat” and “Eat It” before the
originals. I have fond memories of the Captain EO 3-D adventure at
Disneyland. And of course, there was the Moonwalker arcade game in
which you fought and danced with a pet monkey named Bubbles by your
side. All in all, Michael Jackson was pretty much the man.
Funny how something like allegations of child molestation could
change all that.
Ever since the first accusations were made public a decade ago,
Jackson’s popularity has been consistently falling. Now there
are new accusations, and everyone seems to have an opinion about
Jackson and his alleged affinity for children, and in many cases
they’re far from favorable.
It’s hard not to understand the American public’s
snap judgment of the one-time King of Pop. Take his looks, for
example. His nose has become progressively skinnier, his dark skin
increasingly paler, and his curly hair amazingly straighter ““
leading detractors to proclaim that he’s denying his black
heritage to become white.
Oh. And there’s the fact that he dangled one of his
children from a hotel balcony and that he has gone public many
times to say he shares his bed with young visitors to his Neverland
Ranch. Suddenly, the goal of the early ’90s video game, to
save kidnapped children from the evil Mr. Big, has taken on some
very weird undertones in my mind.
But does this man really deserve our condemnation before we even
know all the facts? Already the name of the Michael Jackson
Auditorium has been covered up at his old high school, and a
marching band opted not to play “Thriller” during the
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. When allegations of rape were
leveled against another American icon, Kobe Bryant, his fans
continued to cheer him on, and the Lakers didn’t suspend him
temporarily out of embarrassment. It’s just so much easier to
believe Kobe’s handsome smile rather than Michael’s
disfigured mug.
Sure, Jackson has admitted to sleeping in the same bed with
children, and there is something inherently creepy and wrong about
a grown man doing so. It’s this public admission, though,
that casts the greatest shadows of doubt about his guilt in my
mind. Were he really a child molester, it is hard to believe that
Jackson actually would be so stupid as to announce to the world his
fondness of sleeping ““ in the most innocent sense of the word
““ with kids.
There’s also the idea that his accusers could simply be
out for money. According to a 1994 Gentlemen’s Quarterly
magazine article, there is evidence suggesting that the 1993
accusations of molestation aimed at Jackson were part of a
get-rich-quick scheme planned by the alleged victim’s father.
It’s impossible to verify this claim, but rich celebrities
always are vulnerable.
This time around, there are again questions about the source of
the accusations. The mother of the boy involved praised Jackson in
an audio tape made earlier this year and even signed an affidavit
exonerating Jackson of any wrongful behavior toward her child.
Also, in 1998 the boy’s mother sued J.C. Penney Co., saying
that security guards sexually assaulted her and beat her children.
In 2001, she sued her son’s father, charging him with abuse
of her children. In light of all this, at least some doubt might be
cast on the claims against Jackson.
Also of note is that the family has been working with Larry
Feldman, the same lawyer who represented the boy from the 1993
case. That case ended in a reported $15 million settlement, so why
not get the same guy?
Don’t get me wrong. In presenting all this evidence, I am
not saying everyone should join the candlelight vigils held in
honor of Michael Jackson and sing “Kumbaya” until
charges are dropped.
I have my suspicions about his guilt as well. I just am
reminding you that we live in the land where people, even
celebrities, are innocent until proven guilty.
Please don’t proclaim Jackson a not-so-smooth criminal
before we know the whole truth. If, however, he is found guilty of
the charges brought against him, I will be as happy as everyone
else to see him sent to prison.
Vaszari is a third-year cybernetics student. E-mail him at
jvaszari@media.ucla.edu. Send general comments to
viewpoint@media.ucla.edu