AIBU to be shocked by public celebration of Michael Jackson?

[2021x]

Now the MJ film is out my social media feed is flooded with people doing the dances and talking about the movie etc. My local cinema is holding special events and screenings.

I personally have no doubt that he was a predatory paedophile. All the signs are there, especially how he talks about how he would never hurt a child and sharing a bed with them is the "most loving thing you can do in the world". He manipulated the world into thinking he had a "child-like persona" but was able to manage a music career worth millions... which someone who is naive would never be able to manage.

I also do not judge people who enjoy his music. It was very popular at the time, and would be associated with all types nostaligic memories. I listen to problematic artists all the time, but I don't pretend that they weren't abusive.

AIBU to be astounded that any business/media outlet would be seen dead even associating with him let alone celebrating such a horrifically abusive man.

I am the same age as MJ. I grew up loving his music. I found it really hard to believe he was paedophile. What changed my mind was the bit where he said on camera that having children in your bed was a loving thing to do, the victim who described MJ's penis and the porn with children's fingerprints beside his bed.

She has said that they did have sex, when she was 14. They met when she was 13. Chillingly, he says in his book, of the 13 year old Mandy, “She took my breath away ... she was a woman at thirteen.“

I'd take whatever he says with a pinch of salt.
If the money is right,I'm sure he'd say anything 🤦‍♂️

Yes of course I read the article. Where did I imply that Feldman said he was abused? I was sharing it to show that Feldman now clearly respects the victims’ right to be heard.

For all those people saying that he didn’t abuse the children, what evidence would need to see to believe that he did i.e why would you believe the victims of Saville and not the victims of MJ?

I thought she said they didnt until she was 16 but nevertheless, the point Im making is that I dont think people like him, or Elvis or JLL fall into the category of being attracted to children as such or predators of children, they're attracted to girls/women who look like women, he says as much in that ill thought out comment.

There was a long thread about Scott Mills who after one allegation was completely villified and has been cancelled. Wiped off the face of the earth.

There wasn’t enough evidence to proceed, but it was more than ‘an allegation’.

People will always think there’s no smoke without fire.

I think MJ’s legacy has been tainted to a large extent. But as he was found not guilty, it gives people leeway to have room for doubt. I don’t think we should judge people for going with the not guilty verdict.

It was an allegation in the same way it was an allegation with MJ

Because of this thread, I have massively changed my mind about MJ. I used to think he was innocent, now I don’t. It’s hard to accept in some ways because I’ve always loved his music etc. I started watching the documentary last night on the BBC. I still have an episode to go but how can a child accurately describe markings on a man’s penis if he hadn’t actually seen it?

No, that’s incorrect. She has said in interviews they had sex when she was 14 and also said she felt “abused”.

Victorian Coren writes about it here:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2010/apr/18/mandy-smith-bill-wyman-coren

He wasn't just some guy from next door though was he. I think because he had such an unusual childhood (well no childhood) and was such a unique character, people don't really know what to think. You could make an argument either way really.

I think he's probably guilty now, but a lot of facts have been muddled with the case. Like I still don't know how many times these kids spent nights at Jackson's (not that one night is OK but I'd just like to know the facts) or if he did really drop the kids as soon as they reached a certain age.

I guess the above poster nailed it. The fact the alleged abused kept changing their stories made me question how accurate they were...

Do they keep changing their stories?

Also another couple are re telling their story of abuse now that the film is out. I don't know,I'm 50/50 on him but...they just come across as money grabbing which really isn't helping their cause 🤦‍♂️

I'm sorry but unless he abused you, you have absolutely no proof what so ever that he was a paedophile. People were out to get him, so if they found any evidence then he would have been found guilty. Look up Aaron Carter on what he had to say about it. His parents wanted him to lie and pretend he was abused by him to get money. Humans are greedy and many lied to get money for an easy life. I've never been a huge fan of him, but the media back in the 90s had it in for him.

Wade Robson did.

How many times?

You understand about victims I take it and why they often say it didnt happen?

Why do you add more weight to his unproven stories that people were out to get him, rather than the unproven stories about him abusing children?

Most of the allegations have been in civil court (ie. Just about money). Why wouldn't you go to the authorities and go via criminal courts?

There are so many tapes and stories and documentaries about the alleged victims being made to say things by their parents. Especially Jordan Chandler.

Some of the alleged victims have changed their stories several times (Wade Robson).

MJ was one of the most wealthy men in the world... He was being sued constantly for money - he often said that people were out to destroy him/kill him.

The press twist everything - there's this narrative that he only invited young boys to stay but reality is he had boys and girls and their families staying at the ranch. He had thousands of children visiting to use the fairground and zoo. He had a team of people who worked there over the years. None of the staff have come out and said anything against MJ. There was a bullshit story about his housekeeper but she later came out and said she lied.

There have been several documentaries debunking leaving neverland - why should we believe one documentary over another? Unless there is police evidence/investigation then I will continue to believe he was not guilty.

If all of that were true, how do you explain Jordan Chandler being able to accurately draw the patterns of vitiligo on Jackson's genitals from memory when asked to do so?

That's pretty damning evidence.

And even if Jordan was shown a picture (by whom?) or was shown it in person, and not asked to touch, and he was the only boy and it was one incident, that's one too many for me.

I agree. He was known to be a paedophile hiding in plain sight. This is one crime you can’t separate from the artist in my view. Every time I hear his music I wonder who he abused that day.

That's the thing the drawings and the photos were disputed. It was all settled out of court. Jordan Chandler later admitted that his Dad had drugged him to make him say those things. Google Evan Chandler - all the stories will come up

@vickylou78 yep some sources said they matched some said they didn't. Who knows what to believe. He also said he was circumcised when he wasn't.