<p>Favorite MJ quote was my son then aged 9 running in from school a few years ago and saying:</p>
<p>“Mom! Did you know Michael Jackson used to be black?”</p>
<p>I think it is enlightening that so many commentators felt MJ would be convicted all these weeks, and even heard one saying that it is criminal that the crowds are supporting MJ, but no one is supporting the boys that were molested - he stated that as a fact. If someone accuses, then they are a victims and the accused is automatically guilty. The jury did not believe the young man, his brother or mother. My understanding is that there was a 10year period in which no child alleged inappropriate contact. Perhaps my understanding of pedophilia is inaccurate - but I thought that if such a person were exposed to children for this period of time, that they couldn’t help themselves. That alone would raise reasonable doubt. And remember, under the law, even if one believes the person could have done the act, but has a reasonable doubt, then the juror must acquit. SHades of the Scott Peterson trial - his actions made him guilty - here the accuser’s statements to three different authority figures that nothing happened, then a changed story, and his mother’s prior actions, along with her prepping the boys to lie in the past, and the brother’s lies on the stand, basically did a Peterson effect on the accuser. And this time, it acquitted the accused. And the prosecutor says he will prosecute again if someone else comes forward!!! Enough, already!</p>
<p>I am glad he wasn’t convicted. I have no idea whether he was guilty or not - and I didn’t follow the trial - but I didn’t want to listen to media reports over the next three years regarding his condition in prison.</p>
<p>Guilty or not in the larger scheme of things hardly matters. For every sex offender removed from your neighborhood by the criminal justice system, there are 20-30 that remain. They aren’t deterred. And Michael Jackson is not likely to ever live in my neighborhood or yours.</p>
<p>Newspeak and more newspeak.</p>
<p>D was playing Cranium with German friends. Her partner had to draw “Michael Jackson.” She didn’t guess it in time. Was talking about how hard it was to draw. I told her I would have drawn musical notes = musician. Stick figure in pants = man. Then draw and color in black face, and begin erasing. She was confused; huh? I said surely anyone would guess MJ, based on black, turning lighter. She was still confused. More conversation – turns out she had no idea he was black. She is almost 16, not a little kid. Just sheltered, I guess.</p>
<p>(We’ve heard radio news, but don’t have TV, so she didn’t see photos of family, etc.)</p>