Remembering Madness

Why in the world are all the people that trashed Michael’s reputation while he was alive now singing his praises? There was money to be made on the fruit of their bad mouthing, and now there is money to be made on their sweet remembrances. The First People of the Americas referred to the white settlers as those who had “forked tongues.” This expression aptly describes the above mentioned hypocrits.

In this moment I feel mad. Not happy mad. Not giddy with joy mad. I feel mad with anger at the thought of social injustice. I feel mad at the type of social injustice that lived, and breathed, during the trial in 2005 when Michael Jackson was mercilessly raked over the coals by the despicable journalism displayed in supposedly reputable newspapers, television and radio stations worldwide.

During the months of the trial, very few people reported accurate information. Very few media outlets, short of a few bloggers and courageous journalists such as NBC’s Geraldo Rivera, took the time to present the objective facts. There was a lot of money to be made, and unfortunately for Michael, dirt meant cash in the coffers of trusted reporting agencies. Truth was not as lucrative as skewed and lurid sensationalism. So that is what we, the public, received regarding the progress and outcome of the infamous Jackson trial of 2005.

Plentiful, but not as blatantly publicized, were  more balanced, honest perspectives. Geraldo Rivera investigated the facts himself, met with Michael and his children numerous times, and refused to regurgitate the popular juicy morsels of hearsay. After Michael’s acquittal Rivera was able to sing to the tune of “I told you so.”

An attorney from Washington state who maintains a blog called “Injustice Anywhere…” wrote on numerous occasions throughout the trial period. On April 13, 2005, she wrote a blog titled: Conspiracy of Dunces. On one post she said, “Does anyone, other than the lame-brained DAs who brought the case, actually believe this wacky story?” Three more poignant examples of her perspectives are available at her blog on: April 13th, 2005, May 19, 2005, June 13, 2005,

Both award-winning British journalist, Charles Thomson, and U.S. criminal investigative journalist, Aphrodite Jones, acquired and studied most of Michael Jackson’s FBI files. Each have written and spoken about the fact that there is not one shred of criminal evidence by any shade, tone or color on Michael.

Charles Thomsen published an insightful article in the Huffington Post on June 13, 2010, writes:

“A not guilty verdict was not quite so lucrative. In an interview with Newsweek, CNN boss Jonathan Klein recalled watching the not guilty verdicts come in and then telling his deputies, “We have a less interesting story now.”  The Hollywood Reporter noted that hastily assembled TV specials about Jackson’s acquittal performed badly and were beaten in the ratings by a re-run of Nanny 911.

The story was over. There were no apologies and no retractions. There was no scrutiny – no inquiries or investigations. Nobody was held to account for what was done to Michael Jackson. The media was content to let people go on believing their heavily skewed and borderline fictitious account of the trial. That was that.

When Michael Jackson died the media went into overdrive again. What drugs had killed him? How long had he been using them? Who had prescribed them? What else was in his system? How much did he weigh?

But there was one question nobody seemed to want to ask: Why?

Why was Michael Jackson so stressed and so paranoid that he couldn’t even get a decent night’s sleep unless somebody stuck a tube full of anesthetic into his arm? I think the answer can be found in the results of various polls conducted in the wake of Michael Jackson’s trial.

A poll conducted by Gallup in the hours after the verdict showed that 54% of White Americans and 48% of the overall population disagreed with the jury’s decision of ‘not guilty’. The poll also found that 62% of people felt Jackson’s celebrity status was instrumental in the verdicts. 34% said they were ‘saddened’ by the verdict and 24% said they were ‘outraged’. In a Fox News poll 37% of voters said the verdict was ‘wrong’ while an additional 25% said ‘celebrities buy justice’. A poll by People Weekly found that a staggering 88% of readers disagreed with the jury’s decision.

The media did a number on its audience and it did a number on Jackson. After battling his way through an exhausting and horrifying trial, riddled with hideous accusations and character assassinations, Michael Jackson should have felt vindicated when the jury delivered 14 unanimous not guilty verdicts. But the media’s irresponsible coverage of the trial made it impossible for Jackson to ever feel truly vindicated.  The legal system may have declared him innocent but the public, on the whole, still thought otherwise. Allegations which were disproven in court went unchallenged in the press. Shaky testimony was presented as fact. The defense’s case was all but ignored.

When asked about those who doubted the verdicts, the jury replied, “They didn’t see what we saw.”

They’re right. We didn’t. But we should have done. And those who refused to tell us remain in their jobs unchecked, unpunished and free to do exactly the same thing to anybody they desire.

Now that’s what I call injustice.”

Read entire artcle here: One of the Most Shameful Episodes In Journalistic History

I ask myself, “Why are intelligent, educated people so gullible when it comes to believing the mainstream media outlets?” and “What is it that propels the masses to pay hard earned money to devour unsubstantiated gossip?”

This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 7th, 2010 at 5:50 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

2 Responses to “Remembering Madness”

  1. Elizabeth Cox says:
    September 10, 2010 at 10:04 am

    Well I truly believe that the L.A police department and the Los Angelos prosecutors office had a little bit of jealousy and greed involved in MJ’s death remember they didn’t even secure the murder scene (why) they were not amateurs they knew how to secure a murder scene. Also money was missing, etc. AEG is deeply involved in Michael Jackson’s death it.s just a matter of time before the truth comes out. Now as far as the media is concerned they tore that young man apart, and all for rating’s and money. Is that what our media is becoming to? No one considererd this man’s parent’s, children, family but I’m a firm believer what goes around comes around I just want justice to be served and Conrad Muirray brought to justice for being the murderer that he is.And why is this man still out on the street with only a $75.000.00 bail substance abuse user’s get a more severe punishment

  2. Elizabeth Cox says:
    September 10, 2010 at 10:16 am

    I really love Geraldo for being so out-spoken and genuinely earnest in his reporting on Mr. jackson death/life. It takes a man with integrity and gut’s who want the truth to be known at all cost. Also anyone who knows Geraldo know that he would in no wise support a child molester friend or foe so it make’s his reporting worth while listening to and/or reading about. We should have more reporter’s such as himself. I AM HONORED TO WATCH HIS SHOW and not just about Mr. Jackson’s death but all the new’s.

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