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 don't want the fingerprints to be the smoking gun. What are you on about? I barely mentioned them. The case doesn't need a smoking gun for me seeing as it's so blindingly obvious he was a child abuser.

They did, perhaps you're not as familiar with the trial as you seem to think , they said they watching porn in MJs bed while he was completely oblivious and trusting of them, trying to get the little cousin involved, sneaking a look at his porn mags and stealing wine and money, and then to top it off, the ultimate betrayal, lying about everything and trying to claim an innocent, sweet, angel man had sexually abused Gavin. Can't really get more deviant than that can you.

Do you think we ought to look into the conduct of the family members of all victims of SA?

“Sorry miss, I know you said you were raped by Mr X but we’ve just seen your mum’s a bit dodgy and your brother lied about being SA, so we’re throwing your case out.”

I'm aware.
And amazingly people watched it and thought this man isn't an abuser at all...

No, I think some people should try and be less naive about how the world works.

Yes, like yourself.

What an oversight from this man who apparently just wanted to protect innocent little children.

It's weird isn't it that's it's quite common for abusers to abuse the children they don't think will be believed because they're from the 'wrong' families, or as a PP said from families where the parents are actually the sole guilty people for 'pimping their children out'. It's all just justification why this behaviour is okay as long as the child isn't a perfect victim.

Yes, if he was sooo childlike and innocent then why did he have so much pornography?

Why did he have a naked photograph of a child believed to be another of his 'special friends', Johnathan Spence I wonder?

The judge wouldn't let the prosecution admit that photograph and incredibly the defenders dispute the existence of any such naked photo of a boy at all because no one has seen it (because the judge wouldn't allow it). To believe it doesn't exist would suggest that the prosecution asked the judge to allow them to admit a photograph that they didn't have because it didn't exist........

The theme here seems to be that even if you are found not guilty then you are not innocent which is a dangerous way to think. As a society we should have faith in the justice system because otherwise what is the point of having one?
It will get to the point where anyone can accuse anyone of anything and even if there is no proof or evidence that person will be guilty - is this the world we want to live in?

This is what I don’t get . I am not a MJ super fan or fan who thinks that he is the second coming . I am just looking at the evidence and facts that were presented .
As far as I am concerned this man went to trial( a lengthy one) and was acquitted of serious charges . In addition , some alleged victims have proved not to be credible
and are seemingly motivated by money.

I can’t and will not vouch for the innocence of someone I do know let alone a celebrity but what I do know is that this man was acquitted .The jury system is not infallible but that is the system we have .
For people to continue to denigrate this man without the provision of any real , credible evidence is wrong in my opinion
MJ even was investigated and went to trial . There are a number of celebrities( both living and dead) who are frequently lauded on MN who have been involved in nefarious activities and they haven’t even been investigated let alone put on trial .

Never knew there was an English boy who said MJ told him he was masturbating on the phone to him.

The recording at the start where the boy interviews him😷

"What do you like most?"

"I like kids a lot" 🤮

Exactly this, the supporting arguments around Jackson are so hurtful and damaging to victims reading them.
As someone who come from “the wrong type of family” and as someone who has faced her abuser in a court room, it is 100% used as an argument as to why people like me shouldn’t be believed.
I could also see it written all over the police’s face when I reported it.
Just to add op, I’ve just been into my local shop.. They were blaring out Micheal Jackson, my take on it is not only are so many people insensitive to why this isn’t okay but also they must be really really thick… HE SLEPT WITH LITTLE BOYS FOR FUCKSAKE !

Equally bizarre to say he is definitely a Peado when you don't know what happened either.

They were blaring out Micheal Jackson, my take on it is not only are so many people insensitive to why this isn’t okay but also they must be really really thick… HE SLEPT WITH LITTLE BOYS FOR FUCKSAKE !

It’s really not that deep. The people playing the song like his music. It’s that simple.

There's nothing bizarre about believing that MJ is a pedo, there's more evidence against him than there is in most child abuse cases.

Do you think it's bizarre when people believe that other people are pedos? Most of the time it's just the victims word against the person they're accusing.

He was angry due to her crazy antics and he was joking!! Honestly this was discussed a lot in court!!! He acknowledged his language he used was terrible but he was joking.

Don't be so hyperbolic, they wouldn't be guilty as in imprisoned. Do you understand something doesn't get charged or even to trial without evidence? It's not a case of just accusing someone of something, it's about the police and prosecution gathering enough evidence that from their expert opinion it is proved beyond a reasonable doubt but what they can't do is determine the decision of a jury. Instead of stressing about innocent people fairly being accused and tarnished, what about the way the system actually works that means the majority of rapists aren't charged let alone convicted? That systems working SO well right? Do you genuinely have faith in a system that systemically doesn't get justice for women and girls?

A simple Google will tell you not guilty does not mean innocent and why that's the case.

And what kind of person would say those things when they were angry? A sick, abusive person.

He said he was joking, that doesn't mean that he was.

A really simple way to not have people weigh up if you're a person or not is to simply not do inappropriate things with children isn't it?

Exactly I'm so sorry that happened to you but it's such a common tactic and perpetuated by abuse apologists. Again, I really hope none of these people have children of their own if that's the attitude they take when it comes to listening to children who say they're being abused.

No, but there's obviously a world of difference between anyone accusing anyone of anything and that person being guilty and cases where people just believe an individual is guilty because there is extremely strong and irrefutable evidence.

I wouldn't want to live in a world like you described but also wouldn't want to live in a world where we must think all people are innocent if they haven't been found guilty in court even when it's blindingly obvious they're guilty.

You mention the justice system and how we should have faith in it but this happened in America, do you accept that OJ Simpson is innocent or Casey Anthony? Do we have to have faith in the justice system of every country worldwide? What about Israel or Afghanistan? do we have to have faith in their justice systems or can we draw the line there?

I'm very much a believer in Blackstones ratio that it's better that 10 guilty go free than one innocent be locked up, but that applies to locking people up, I have no issue whatsoever with people thinking that someone is guilty in a case such as this where there is very clear evidence that this person has groomed and abused children. He paraded these kids around like he was in a relationship with them, he slept in the bed with them, and now there have been multiple victims who have said that yes this is exactly how it looked, we were sexually abused. Absolute madness to try to tell us that it's a dangerous way to think that this man is guilty.

Except for 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 20 boys it is that deep. It’s a massive reminder that speaking out will result in them not being believed.. Especially if they are accusing The King of Pop.. But hey ho, Thriller was one of the best music videos of all time, and the tunes are catchy so fuck the feeling of victims, we probably all need to stop being so damn sensitive.

The principal of our justice system (and also the US) is also based on justice for the accused entitling them to what the law states is a fair trial. Thinking the justice system is there to seek justice for victims especially women or children is naive given how we've seen it in practice again and again spare abusive men. I think it's very easy to shrug at it until you've been a victim of a crime and seen the person who hurt you walk free because they're 'not guilty' and yet it still happened, and the system has nothing in place to actually help victims of abuse beyond that point.

I don’t know he’s definitely a paedo. I can’t categorically say he was, I wasn’t there. I very much suspect he was.

It actually is that deep.
Look at the comment on here yesterday about how they were in the cinema waiting for the film to start and how it was packed and it was 'great to see 😊'

That's the attitude of some, not "Oh I like the music" but I support Michael and I'm showing my support for Michael and I'm happy that so many others are supporting Michael ✊

Some people are supporting him like it's a badge of honour to express your belief in him over the victims.

Reminds me of a horrific rape case we had here in Ireland where a man was on trial for rape, evidence was extremely strong, there was zero doubt he did it, but yet dozens of people from their community including the local parish priest lined up in court to shake his hand before the verdict was announced.