Does the fact that he was acquitted of wrong-doing not mean anything? Have you that little respect for or trust in our judicial system?

You use phrases in your article such as "[he has been] accused of..." and then go on to outline in many words an egregious incident which supposedly happened. I understand this is the "opinion" area of the paper, but where is the journalistic integrity? Or, if not journalistic, at least personal?

While I agree we should take into account the realities of one's life when they die (especially celebrities), he was found NOT GUILTY in that 2005 trial. I am not saying it guarantees his innocence, but for a matter of public record, he was never found guilty in a court of law. Also, I think it is important to note that even if he was a pedophile, he still made some good music and had a huge impact on pop culture. I realize you are arguing that being a pedophile negates all of those things, and perhaps it does for some. However, I am not sure you can fault people for preferring to remember the better times - which is what I believe Madonna was trying to do. He will always have the molestation allegations attached to his memory, people are not going to forget that.

I'm also confused why someone would watch the MTV VMA's and expect to find a moral compass for humanity. These are people whose lives are sex, drugs and rock-n-roll. Did you expect anything less? Entertainers - by nature - exhibit the extremes of the human condition. Looking for balance or reality in a business designed to create illusions is foolish at best.

That is your opinion and thank you for waiting to express it.

You cannot prove anything and I don't believe it anyway.

Michael had his problems, but molesting children was not one of them.

Those people took advantage of his kindness in order to profit. It was

proven.

Have a nice day.

MJ Fan and proud of it

While the facts with regard to Michael Jackson may be in dispute, I don't think the music industry's idolization of Jackson would be any different if there was documented evidence of all the allegations. Why do I think any crimes that Jackson may have committed wouldn't matter? Because of the standing ovation that was given at the Academy Award ceremony in honor of Roman Polanski winning the Oscar for Best Director in 2002. Polanski didn't attend the award ceremony because he is a wanted fugitive who fled the USA in 1978 after pleading guilty to having sexual intercourse with a 13-year-old girl. Based on the testimony of the girl who has to this day not recanted her allegations, Polanski was initially charged with rape by use of drugs, perversion, sodomy, lewd and lascivious act upon a child under 14, and furnishing a controlled substance (methaqualone) to a minor. While there are allegations that the judge and DA in the case may have acted improperly with regard to certain aspects of the case, there has never been a question about whether or not Polanski had sex with the girl. At the very least he is guilty of the statutory rape of a child. Yet the usually oh-so politically correct Hollywood crowd had no problem in giving a standing ovation to honor this self-admitted, and unrepentent, child-rapist. Their hypocracy is almost as disgusting as Polanski.

Sad, sad. Ignorant. No research for this article. I dare you to list your sources for this ridiculous, inaccurate information. Your school has prepared you well to write for the tabloids. You will have no trouble getting a job.

Besides the obvious that your article on Michael Jackson just shows your ignorance Mr. Manfred, I hope Journalism is not your Major. This article is absolutely alarming with the double-mindedness of the youth today. Factual research is generally required by respectable sources, not tabloid gossip, when writing non-fiction.

Michael Jackson was the target of two extortions plots. The first in 1993, with his insurance company forcing him to settle out of court (they paid the money), Mr. Jackson did not want to settle. The second he would not let them settle (because of the backlash he received by mainstream media and the public) proclaiming his innocence, hence the trial in 2005 proving to a jury of his peers these accusations were false and subsequently acquitted on all charges. I believe it would take your experiencing the same impact of an extortion plot personally to ever understand the magnitude of it.

Mr. Jackson was not only a genius in song and dance he was a great humanitarian. The Millennium-Issue of the “Guinness Book Of Records” names Mr. Jackson as the “Pop Star who supports the most charity organizations”. He gave millions upon millions to these charities. Here is an account of all charities he supported if you care to expand your mind pass Pre-K: http://www.allmichaeljackson.com/charities.html (and yes, I have personally checked out these charities and his involvement in them).

I’m not going to waste my time on all the ridiculous things you alluded to in your article, because your lack of knowledge speaks volumes. I will leave you with this: No one in modern times will ever reach the masses of people he did; no one will reach the magical dance and musical genius he did; and no one will earn the amount of money and then give back to so many charitable organizations as he did, and if there ever were to be another of his statute, it certainly would not be you. In your quest to judge someone so harshly, I suggest you take a long and hard look in the mirror, for it would surely crack.

Can this newspaper tone it down with the shock-value writing style?

It's vulgar and ridiculous and way over the top.

"As if he’d be able to keep his pale paws from grabbing at the prepubescent penises all around him"

"Michael Jackson represented the dregs of humanity, a scumbag of the dirtiest order, a man who was repeatedly accused of fondling, sucking-off, masturbating to and with young boys."

Um...are you joking? I know you think that graphic imagery and offensive language gets more people talking about your column and stuff, but seriously use some more tact. And get your facts straight.

http://writ.news.findlaw.com/dean/20090710.html

I realize that you're upset because of what you think is the truth, but I'm afraid that you're sorely mistaken about Michael Jackson. You may or may not be open to looking at this entire thing from a different perspective, but if you're willing to think for yourself and learn something in the process (instead of just believing what we hear/see on Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, and/or Nancy Grace's sorry excuse for a crime show), then I have some links that you might be interested in looking at. I'm not trying to be antagonistic, I am just a person who doesn't like to see someone falsely accused, and I can't keep silent when I see it happening. My heart breaks for people who are misunderstood, and the entire Michael Jackson allegation debacle seems to be something that you are misunderstanding. So I offer to you a chance to learn the truth behind the innuendo...a chance to see your fellow man for who he was, instead of who he was made out to be. It's really quite interesting, and I encourage you to learn about it.

I personally set out to find the truth after Michael died. I knew that people would be speculating about his behaviors and accusations for some time, and I feel that when someone passes away, it's important to know who they really were, and to honor their legacy. In order to do this, I had to know for myself if there was any truth to the child abuse accusations. I'm not a crazed Michael Jackson fan, and didn't own any of his music at the time of his death. Sure, I liked him when I was little, and I respected the contributions he made to our culture. But I was uninformed about his life, much the way you are now. All you know is what has come to you from the mass media, but we both know they are hardly credible. Sensationalism sells, and they are money-hungry. It's sad, but we both know it's true that they will destroy any person they need to in order to get the story they want.

Please, dear author, and anyone else who reads this...take a few moments to learn about what was done to this man. Inform yourself. Until you have done that, then you have no place whatsoever treating this human being in any way that is less than dignified. He was acquitted for a reason.

http://mjjr.net/content/mjcase/main.html

http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread477059/pg1

Also, here is a link to a book excerpt from the book by Aphrodite Jones, "Michael Jackson Conspiracy". She was in the courtroom for the 2005 trials, and was given access to all of the evidence and court documents. She began covering the trials with the conviction that he was indeed guilty, and came away from the case wondering how it ever made it to court. Her book was self-published because no one wanted a pro-Jackson book at the time.

http://www.aphroditejones.com/chapters/Excerpt/070828_MichaelJacksonCons...

I sincerely hope you understand my motives in writing this comment. Opinions of someone based upon rumor should not stand. Thank you for your time!

I agree with every thing you wrote.Sadly in this society we praise celebs no matter what evil they have done in their life.To those that keep bringing up the not guilty argument a JURY aka people who know who michael jackson is,fans of his found him not guilty.In other words just because a jury found him not guilty still doesnt mean that he didnt do it.

That I got through the whole of your article is a miracle. I thought you were being funny when I read the false information contained within the first sentence of the article, but alas, you were being serious. Which is sad. Now, it's okay to have an opinion, you can hate MJJ all you want, and trash him to your hearts desire, but come on now, making up "facts" and using them to support your opinion is NOT kosher.

I'm afraid your contempt and lies are a result of you not actually having a legitimate reason to be angry at MJJ and to actually hate him. But you desperately want to. He was extorted in 1993, and totally vindicated by a court of law in 2005.

He continuously gave to charity, not just money and resources, but his time. He made amazing music, danced like magic, and people loved him world wide. He united people even better than Obama.

It's hard to find something to hate about him, and I understand why you would latch unto the unfounded allegations, blow them out of proportion, dress them up a bit and make them sparkly yourself, just to support you deep seated but unfounded hatred of the man. It seems like the popular thing to do, and you joined in with everyone else.

Just so you don't make yourself look really really really bad, just do a little research and include some facts when writing more opinions. Good luck!

I wonder if you feel the same contempt for people who use sexual crimes to extort others and to get their way?

While it is funny, perhaps troubling, how fast the public opinion of Michael Jackson changed upon his death, it does not change the work he has done in music or the impact he has had on millions of people.

The fact of the matter is that he was an artist and a humanitarian plagued with moral troubles and human pains. He was not above humanity in any way.

Though it is fine to have an opinion, i wonder at which point someone (primarily the author of this piece)will recognize the callousness of their words.

Michael Jackson was found not guilty by a jury of 12 American citizens, his peers. So in the eyes of the law (no matter how imperfect you or anyone else believes the justice system in the US is) he is innocent. It is not up to the public to crucify him on a cross of gold. What he did in his life is between him and his god.

It is not our place to crucify this man. Death is not a time to expose all wrongs but to celebrate a life, even if it was troubled. At the end of the day, Michael Jackson changed the music industry for the better: he was an innovator and a brilliant performer. He brought together hundreds of thousands of people in the industry (and in the world) to take action against poverty long before the UN declared the eradication of poverty as one of its MDGs.

I wouldn't be so quick to brush aside the work of a man based solely on his moral sins. Not a single one of us is god nor do we have the right to discount the good he did in his life.