I NEVER thought Michael Jackson was guilty. I always thought he was weird and a man who never had a childhood and had his childhood through these children. After all, he never tried to hide his behavior. Child molesters DO.
My husband thought I was crazy and that Jackson was guilty as sin. I called him at work, but he had already heard the verdict. He said "WEll, your boy got off."
I am not surprised at this conservative white jury finding him not guilty. After all, I am a FAR right-wing conservative, throw-the-bum-in-jail and throw away the key kind of gal. I am NOT a Jackson fan, never bought his music and never listened to it if I could help it. I do believe in justice though. No matter what you think, justice was served today.
I have some swampland in Florida I would like to sell you.
I am in favor of the death penalty for child molesters. However, I think justice was served in tnis case today.
Nightowl, I'm probably closer to your point of view.
Make that two of us -- non-Jackson fan, TTBIJTATK kind of gal, who also figured that the fact that he never tried to hide his behavior said something. In addition:
1. More than most, I'm around prolifically productive, weirdly creative artist-type people and know how eccentric they are at their core. I have witnessed, seen, sometimes shared, their eccentric but innocent lifestyles that conventional people would NEVER, could never, believe were innocent (with regard to drugs or booze) because of their own lack of eccentricy or exposure to it. And Jackson has been a superstar since he was 11 years old, never had a "normal" life or had to learn and/or deal with real-world conventions regarding how he may or may not appear to outsiders. It's not a stretch at all for me to believe he is, quite simply, child-like in a non-sexual way (God knows I've been around enough kids-who-never-grew-up and who live great lives because of it!). I'd need more than the word of proven grifters to convince me otherwise.
2. I have spoken with people who've worked professionally with Jackson, and they all say that he is weird, alright, but magical, and extremely kind. Like you, and like me, they think he's innocent.
3. They found heterosexual adult average porn his his home -- not child porn, not gay porn, just regular ol' Hustlers and such. That's about the most NORMAL thing about the guy!! And I laughed when I heard about it.
If there is ever compelling proof that he has sexually molested little kids, then he deserves the punishment. But short of compelling proof, all I see is a lynch mob used to living within the confines of a small island.