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Michael Jackson
Creater Syndicate ^ | 11/21/03 | Susan Estrich

Posted on 11/22/2003 10:20:51 PM PST by Servant of the 9

I am the mother of an almost 11-year-old son. More than that, I won't say. Too many wackos out there.

As a parent, our job is to protect our children from those people. Isn't it?

With that in mind, could someone explain to me, care of this newspaper, parent to parent, how it is that you let your child spend the night with a man who was known to have made a multimillion dollar settlement to avoid possible prosecution for child molestation.

It isn't like it's some kind of secret that Michael Jackson has a problem with young boys.

In this year's televised interviews, Jackson describes his willingness to sleep with children only if their parents let them, suggesting that they did.

The lure of celebrity is strong. But your own child? I don't want to sound holier than thou. None of us are perfect. But "lewd and lascivious acts" can take a long time to recover from, and so can the punishment for them. What is going on around Michael Jackson is almost as horrifying as the charges against him.

It's not just the parents who let their children "play" with Jackson in "Neverland" whose judgment is at issue.

What about his well-paid entourage, the people who have literally eaten up millions of dollars over the years and are supposed to protect this man, whose talent is as unquestioned as his obvious problems, whatever the truth of these allegations?

If Michael Jackson were a drug addict, would these people have supplied him with drugs? If he were an alcoholic, would they have built a bar for him to preside over every night? If he were a compulsive gambler, would they have taken suites in Vegas?

How was it that he was allowed to remain in Neverland surrounded by children when it was clear that it was in this environment that he very nearly self-destructed? His failure to grow up cost him his career in the United States, relegating the King of Pop to the ranks of former star issuing albums of old hits for want of new ones, still drawing audiences in Europe, but selling only respectably at home, all because of charges arising out of his relationship with a boy.

A man nearly dies from candy, and no one tells him that he can't have more candy. Why? Because he loves it so.

Jackson's representatives have already made their second mistake, in choosing Mark Geragos to represent him. Geragos is a perfectly fine criminal defense lawyer, although some observers here question whether his style is suited to Santa Barbara or the case. But he has to be overstretched. And the picture of him leaving the courthouse where Scott Peterson was being bound over for the murder of his wife, Laci, and unborn son and going directly to Michael Jackson and his child molestation charges was about as bad an image as you could get.

Tying those two cases together would be the sort of thing you'd complain to a network for doing, not something you would ever in your right mind do to yourself.

I'm not going to be the only one who, every time I see Mark with Michael Jackson, thinks of Laci Peterson. Sorry, Michael. If anything could make you even less sympathetic than you are now, it's the choice of Geragos to stand next to you and represent you. I'm taking bets on how long he lasts. Scott Peterson will seem likely an easy client, seeing as how he is in prison already.

Michael Jackson himself almost certainly believes that whatever he did was as harmless and innocent as he is. The criminal law, however, does not leave those judgments to the individual. It's not a question of what he thinks is appropriate, or what children do among themselves -- but what is appropriate conduct between a child and a grown man according to society's standards.

In the end, if the system works, every individual is responsible for living up to society's standards, even if those around him have also failed.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Editorial; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: badparent; childabuse; michaeljackson; perverts; susanestrich; whackojacko
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Estrich is beginning to occasionally sound middle of the road.

So9

1 posted on 11/22/2003 10:20:52 PM PST by Servant of the 9
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To: Servant of the 9
If Michael Jackson were in the same room as I, I would use various implements like garden shears and baseball bats to change his appearance.
2 posted on 11/22/2003 10:25:45 PM PST by Paleo Conservative (Do not remove this tag under penalty of law.)
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To: Servant of the 9
With that in mind, could someone explain to me, care of this newspaper, parent to parent, how it is that you let your child spend the night with a man who was known to have made a multimillion dollar settlement to avoid possible prosecution for child molestation.

Surely the question is rhetorical, since surely Estrich knows the answer --- $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

3 posted on 11/22/2003 10:32:30 PM PST by Torie
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To: Paleo Conservative
Why is everyone dumping on Michael all the time? He wants to help raise America's youth. He wants to rear boys.
4 posted on 11/22/2003 10:33:21 PM PST by jraven
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To: Servant of the 9
I still can't get beyond the parents of the children. This boy was not kidnapped or lured to Neverland. Being too young to drive he was delivered there. To me all parents of all kids left there alone are complicit. I can only wonder if they were hoping for an opportunity to cash in.
5 posted on 11/22/2003 10:33:55 PM PST by linton59
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To: jraven
He wants to rear boys.

No he wants boys rears.

6 posted on 11/22/2003 10:34:22 PM PST by Paleo Conservative (Do not remove this tag under penalty of law.)
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To: Paleo Conservative
hehe!
7 posted on 11/22/2003 10:37:32 PM PST by cmsgop (Why don't you settle down and go buy a Juice Newton Album...)
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To: Servant of the 9; All
In this year's televised interviews, Jackson describes his willingness to sleep with children only if their parents let them, suggesting that they did.

BINGO!!!

Read Quigley's "Tragedy and Hope: A History of the World in Our Time"

We ASSUME that Fathers would 'protect' their daughters, and "teach" their SONS to be virle, masculine.

Quite frankly, it was evident to Quigley in the 1950's that American "males" were incapable of ANY kind of role in the SEXUAL educational arena.

PSSST!....He didn't even hint that Gobermint had a role.

I write this reply because people ask just how Clinton could charm the "B*lls off an Elephant", walking into a room and having everyone, including one Newt Gingritch, 'love' him.

Quigley was cited by B. J. Clinton in his Acceptance Speech as being the most influential Teacher in his education.

Yes!! Yes!! I know that you have to get the book from a John Birch Society storefront but it is worth the long hot shower you will need afterward!!

8 posted on 11/22/2003 10:45:15 PM PST by Lael (Bush to Middle Class: Send your kids to DIE in Iraq while I send your LIVELIHOODS to INDIA!)
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To: linton59
Well, this latest kid was apparently driven to Neverland in the car that Michael bought. See #3. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$


9 posted on 11/22/2003 10:48:05 PM PST by elli1
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To: Servant of the 9
Is Susan waking up finally?
10 posted on 11/22/2003 11:02:57 PM PST by texasbluebell
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To: elli1
Michael is INNOCENT!

That will be proven! He has an iron clad alibi...

He was fishing with Scott Peterson at the time of the alledged molestation...OJ Simpson and Kobie Bryant were on the shore and have photos of them haviing to return to the dock to pick up Robert Blake, who had forgotten his rod and reel!

No question, Jaco is innocent...just "axe" me...I knowz the reel storie heuh!

11 posted on 11/22/2003 11:03:18 PM PST by NMFXSTC
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To: Paleo Conservative
They are having a 'Michael Jackson' Sale at K-MART: Little boys pants - Half Off!
12 posted on 11/22/2003 11:16:15 PM PST by punster
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To: Servant of the 9
She sounds almost reasonable at times

too much time at Fox
13 posted on 11/22/2003 11:22:25 PM PST by woofie
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To: Servant of the 9
Estrich is beginning to occasionally sound middle of the road.

I must admit I did a double-take when I saw who wrote this.

I was previously surpised by her when she said the groping allegations against Schwarzenegger were distasteful but did not appear to constitute a crime. I expected her to be second in line (behind Ariana Huffington) to file charges against him.

14 posted on 11/22/2003 11:30:12 PM PST by KittyKares
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To: Paleo Conservative; Servant of the 9
<< If Michael Jackson were in the same room as I, I would use various implements like garden shears and baseball bats to change his appearance. >>

Someone already did.
15 posted on 11/23/2003 12:44:07 AM PST by Brian Allen ( Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God - Thomas Jefferson)
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To: linton59; Servant of the 9
<< I still can't get beyond the parents of the children. This boy was not kidnapped or lured to Neverland. Being too young to drive he was delivered there. To me all parents of all kids left there alone are complicit. >>

In a rational and moral state, one with a moral and rational criminal justice system, the parents would be in the next cell.
16 posted on 11/23/2003 12:46:26 AM PST by Brian Allen ( Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God - Thomas Jefferson)
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To: punster; Paleo Conservative
<< They are having a 'Michael Jackson' Sale at K-MART: Little boys pants - Half Off! >>

Awful.

Only nine points!
17 posted on 11/23/2003 12:48:01 AM PST by Brian Allen ( Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God - Thomas Jefferson)
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To: Brian Allen
How 'bout: How do you know it's bed time at Neverland Ranch? When the big hand is holding the little hand...
18 posted on 11/23/2003 12:51:52 AM PST by Keith in Iowa (Tag line produced using 100% post-consumer recycled ethernet packets,)
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To: Lael; Servant of the 9; All
Amazon.com has Quigley's Tragedy and Hope: A History of the World in Our Time.

Which, almost thirty years on, is still in [Limited] hard-cover print and still costs Forty Bucks+!

Talk about living history!

Of course one could buy a paperback copy.

"Used & new from $35.00"
19 posted on 11/23/2003 1:05:48 AM PST by Brian Allen ( Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God - Thomas Jefferson)
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To: Brian Allen
In a rational and moral state, one with a moral and rational criminal justice system, the parents would be in the next cell.

Exactly.

The American criminal justice system has been perverted (no pun intended) to the point where parents can use their children as "bait" to catch a mulitmillion dollar settlement from any celebrity stupid enough to do something illegal.

It's extortion. Either the celebrity pays, or the parents go to the cops.

20 posted on 11/23/2003 4:01:38 AM PST by vox humana
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