DEFENDING THE KING OF POP: Michael Jackson Is Innocent!

Michael Jackson Is Innocent!

Ramona Giwargis, has written a very positive article about the situation and allegations Michael Jackson was facing. Ramona Giwargis is a student of journalism at the California State University, Stanislaus and this article was published in their University paper.



DEFENDING THE KING OF POP: Michael Jackson Is Innocent!
by Ramona Giwargis

February 27, 2005




For just a single moment, close your eyes and erase every thought, memory, recollection, and trace of 'news' that you may have heard about Michael Jackson. This includes anything you may have seen on television, read in a newspaper, seen in a popular periodical or even heard from your friends, coworkers, and peers. This article will state only the facts and clear the King of Pop of any and all charges that have slandered his name over the past few years, and particularly within the last six months. Through my article, you will only hear the true facts and details about the case, the teenage accuser, and Michael himself. The facts that the media doesn’t want you to know. The real truth is something that the media covers up because the 'media' is nothing more than a group of money-hungry rating-seekers who know that negative news SELLS! The media news coverage will be investigated and revealed as a fraudulent and unreliable source for the truth. So take a moment, clear your mind of the negative thoughts and images you have been fed over the past few years and erase all indications of bias. Now you are ready to open your eyes and heart to a new approach to the Michael Jackson case. Now you can push away the thoughts that the media wants you to eat up, and judge for yourself. Instead of quickly believing everything you see and hear in the form of 'news', you can now think for yourself. By no longer allowing the sensational 'news coverage' to tell you what to think or believe, it’s time for you to decide. And in doing so, you will come to realize that Michael Jackson is completely innocent of all charges and merely an easy target for extortion (he is a money-making machine), ridicule, and a crutch for various money-grubbing individuals to get-rich-quick.

Let’s begin by analyzing this case. Here are the basic facts: A teenage boy stricken with cancer has come forward in the past year and accused pop icon Michael Jackson of molesting him. Immediately, hearts go out to this 'child', and it’s a likely human reaction, given the fact that he is fatally ill. But here are some real facts about this child that you may not know: Michael’s accuser, this boy who has brought these allegations against Michael, is the SAME young man who was featured on the ABC Martin Bashir Documentary titled 'Living With Michael Jackson', which I am sure everyone has seen or heard about. In case you have not, let’s bring you up-to-date. In this documentary, UK reporter Martin Bashir interviews Michael and follows his life for a matter of months, attempting to get to know him and reveal the real Michael Jackson. Of course, in the interview, Bashir questions Michael and this young boy about their relationship. Today, because of the media coverage on the case and the gag order issued by the judge, television programs are encouraged not to air the documentary. And if there is footage of the documentary, the young boy’s face is blurred so you cannot recognize him. But the people who saw the documentary when it originally aired (long before this young man 'accused' Michael) will clearly remember the words and images they have seen. And lucky for you, I have it on tape, and have reviewed it many times since the case began. This boy, I repeat, THE SAME BOY WHO HAS NOW ACCUSED MICHAEL, is seen holding Michael’s hand, resting his head lovingly on Michael’s shoulder, and passionately defending him. He is quoted as saying, he loves Michael, doesn’t think there is anything wrong with spending so much time with him, and that Michael saved him. Michael explained in the interview that this boy had cancer and was told he is going to die. Then Michael generously took him in, and helped him to recover. The boy credits Michael for saving his life. And even when reporter Bashir asks the boy if there is anything wrong with the sleepovers, the boy quickly jumps to Michael’s defense, saying it is very innocent. He claims that everything that has occurred has been completely harmless and he loves Michael and thanks him for helping him during his sickness and near-death experience. He continues defending Michael, adamantly telling Bashir that nothing happened and Michael has been nothing but good to him. Wow, that is a passionate defense of his idol Michael Jackson. Now, a few mere months later, it is this SAME boy that is accusing Michael of ill-behavior. The media will not reveal his face, image, or name for fear of the gag order, but it is confirmed that he is the same boy, sitting next to Michael, holding his hand, defending him passionately. So what changed in a matter of months? The only solution I can see is that this 'kid', who actually really is not a kid anymore, but a grown-teenager, has been given a few expert coaching lessons from his parents and other sources around him. Wouldn’t it make sense to assume that his parents, being quick to take advantage of their son’s relationship with Michael and his loving generosity, would jump at the opportunity to make a quick million bucks? That’s the only logical explanation, considering it doesn’t make sense for the boy to change his fighting words and loving defense of Michael in such a short amount of time. The passion he had for defending Michael couldn’t have been fake. And being a teenaged boy, it’s safe to assume he knows what he is talking about and the difference between right and wrong. If he defended him then, why is he turning his back on Michael now? The only logical explanation is that the boy has been 'taught' or coached to say certain things to now accuse Michael (a few months after defending Michael), to change his story to bring Michael down, and get rich in the process. The media wants you to believe that he is a helpless child without any choices. The truth is, he is a conditioned teenager who has tons of people censoring and choosing his every action, decision, and choice of words. Wouldn’t it make sense to just change your story, especially if your parents and lawyers persuaded and pushed you to? Wouldn’t it make sense to want to leave an enormous amount of money behind for your family? Wouldn’t it make sense to take advantage of someone’s simplicity and generosity, because you were lucky enough to be invited into their life? These things need to make sense, because this otherwise-intelligent teenager would not be doing a 180 and drastically changing his story in a matter of a few months. Who is he trying to please? That kind of sudden change just doesn’t make sense.

Now let’s take a look at sensationalist journalism and a reporter’s ability to twist the truth. Martin Bashir, the reporter responsible for that famous documentary, promised Michael a fair and unbiased story on his lifestyle. Michael took him in, got to know him, befriended him, and trusted him for a very long time. In return, Bashir took advantage of Michael’s trust by promising him a fair and balanced documentary that would help the public see Michael for the 'caring and kind' individual that he really is. But Bashir did not deliver on that promise. Unfortunately for Michael, he chose the wrong reporter to trust. Much to his surprise and dismay, Michael and the world watched in shock as the real documentary 'Living With Michael Jackson' aired on ABC. It was quite opposite from what Bashir promised. Instead of achieving a fair point of view and benefiting Michael, Bashir used the tactics of false journalism and editing techniques to make Michael look completely out of control and strange. Through his biased narration, he is heard saying things such as 'how strange Michael is', or 'I began to worry about his children', to make the documentary take a very negative spin and brainwash the American audience into thinking he is an unstable man. However, in private, Bashir was heard telling Michael the opposite things! Michael also hired his own video crew to tape the events and happenings of the interview (smart man). And this footage was aired in another documentary aired on FOX which defended Michael and revealed Bashir’s two faces. Hosted by talk show host Maury Povich, this documentary aired a few days later and revealed the real story behind the Bashir interview. In the footage, Bashir praises Michael's relationship with his children. He says to Michael "Your relationship with your children is spectacular. It almost makes me weep when I see you with them because your interaction with them is just so natural, so loving, so caring." This is quite opposite from the story he aired on his documentary, where he attempted to make Michael look like a bad father. The truth is, Bashir took advantage of Michael’s trust and betrayed it by twisting the story to make him look like a monster. Journalism is supposed to be fair and balanced, and Bashir is neither of these things. Whether he has a personal vendetta against Michael or his motive is fifteen minutes of fame and a quick buck, he is a two-faced reporter who abused Michael’s trust in order to increase the size of his paycheck. What he did was completely despicable and his tactics were low and dirty. He is a shameful representation of real journalism, and fortunately for us, we now know the real story behind that biased documentary and Bashir’s unrealistic portrayal of Michael.

Back to the case. A few facts you still may not know: there has been no single trace or real evidence or facts to accuse Michael. From the media’s representation of this case, you would think that Michael has already been found guilty. But he deserves a fair trial, just like any other human being living in this country. Unfortunately for him, because of his fame, money-hungry reporters like Bashir, and the biased media hoopla, he isn’t going to get one. But I remind you: we are innocent until proven guilty. And no facts or evidence has been found, therefore, he is innocent and should not be crucified by the media this way. Another disturbing fact, did you know that the District Attorney in Santa Barbara in charge of the new Michael Jackson case, Tom Sneddon, was also in charge of the 1993 case? Now he is on the case again today in 2005. Why would the SAME MAN be trying to bring Michael down twice? Don’t they get new detectives and police members on the case after so many years? Could this be a personal motive or vendetta in terms of 'I will get you this time!'? Could this be another power struggle and method of gaining fame and more money to your name? In regards to Tom Sneddon, attorney Gary Dunlap was quoted as saying, "It’s a very bad situation here in the north county, and the general public is very unaware of it because Tom Sneddon and his assistant up here have pretty much dominated the justice system in Santa Barbara County for several years. And he has run several terms without even any opposition and he’s very powerful. His office is very powerful and public officials are intimidated by them, court personnel are intimidated by them, I mean, they just have had it their own way, and they pretty much do whatever they want."

Here’s yet another disturbing thought-provoking fact about the case that you may not know. Did you know the boy’s mother has been investigated for fraud involving money before in the past? A recent report confirmed that this woman was on welfare, even though her husband at the time had a very large income. Yes, you heard correctly: The mother of the boy is being questioned for fraud for allegedly being on welfare while her then boyfriend (and now husband) was earning $80,000 a year. She already has a history of extortion and a desire to make money the illegal way. The father [of the accuser] also claims in his affidavit that his ex-wife coached their kids to lie in her case against J.C. Penney in which she ultimately won $163,000 in damages. "She would write questions and answers for the kids", he writes, "to study and practice with her." In addition, the family of the boy accusing Michael Jackson of child molestation has already been involved in two previous cases that involved abuse allegations. In addition, the accuser's mother was seeking a "settlement" of some kind with Michael - even hiring several attorneys and private investigators to look for info on him - before she had ever met him in January 20000! Doesn’t paint a great family picture, does it? Maybe she saw Michael’s closeness to her cancer-stricken son and the kindness he has shown to their family, and decided this was a great way to take advantage and bank some of the money that Michael Jackson has spent his entire life working so hard to earn.

A common concern and source of doubt and question I hear from people about Michael Jackson, is the 1993 molestation case. Well, let me ask you a question regarding this case. After Michael gave them the money they were after, the family disappeared and now live in some far-away country you’ve probably never heard of. They basically took the money and ran. Is that something you would do if you had been molested, or your child was molested? Personally, if that had been me, and I was seriously molested by someone, I would not stop until that person was behind bars. Would you be okay with your molester roaming the streets as a free man? I guess you would if your only intent was to take his money and run. They got what they wanted. But a true victim would not be so easily appeased by money, and would want the satisfaction of seeing their accuser behind bars where they cannot hurt anyone else ever again. I guess the right amount of green presidents will make anyone do or say anything. Another interesting point: If Michael truly is a man who is interested in molesting boys, why has it taken so long for another so-called 'victim' to turn up? Between 1993 and 2005, 12 long years have gone by. Michael has needy and sick children visit the Neverland Valley Ranch every single day. That is probably over a million kids. If he was this sicko who can’t stop, where are the other victims? There have been no other accusers in 12 years. That time-gap doesn’t make sense, if he truly was a man who takes advantage of children. Don’t you think it would have occurred again within those 12 years? It didn’t, because nothing happened. The only thing he has been guilty of is giving everything he has to help children around the world. That sure sounds like a highly dangerous crime to me.

How come all the news coverage today is all 'negative'? Well the answer to that is simple. Negative news sells, and makes for some very rich reporters! How often do you turn on the news and hear about all the POSITIVE things going on in the world today? It’s always negative, right? The negative pulls in the ratings, which equals a large paycheck for the networks. However, I am going to change that trend right now. Let’s talk about the positive. Michael Jackson holds the record in the Guinness Book of World Records as 'Most Charities Supported By a Pop Star: Michael Jackson', totaling over 40 separate charities that he contributes to! He has given millions of dollars to helping children around the world, and began two of his own organizations for children, the 'Heal The World' and 'Heal The Kids' foundations. The 'Heal The World'foundation, which was developed in 1992, focuses on 'children’s health and safety development to be the world’s priority. It aims to make the world aware of the rights and needs of all children around the world.' In addition, his songs have spread messages of inspiration, love, and unity. And of course, we cannot forget his record-breaking song 'We Are The World' that raised millions for Aids in Africa. These are just a few of the causes Michael supports. He spends countless hours and unsurpassed amounts of money supporting these causes and charities, helping needy families and children, personally giving everything he’s got to 'make the world a better place', and spreading love and kindness all over the world. Gee, that sure sounds like the profile of a criminal, right?

Finally, let’s uncover some typical Michael Jackson myths and lies:

* Why is he white? Please don’t ever be one of the ignorant people who accuses Michael of 'bleaching' his skin. First of all, that isn’t even medically possible. The truth is, he has a skin disease named Vitiligo. This disease causes white patches all over a person’s skin. At first, he had only a few patches that were covered up by dark makeup. But as the disease spread and got worse, he had 90% of his skin covered in white patches. So instead, white makeup was used to cover up the dark and even out his skin tone, since it was covered with the patches. Vitiligo also makes skin sensitive to the sun, which explains why he goes out in public with an umbrella in his hand. Another note, he also suffered drastic burns to his skin when the effects for a Pepsi Commercial went wrong.

* What about the plastic surgery? What about it? Do you know any celebrities who don’t have any work done, whether minor or extreme. There is nothing wrong with that. Let me ask you this: why should this even matter? It has nothing to do with innocence, guilt, kindness, or personality. It’s his face, and his personal decision. Barbara Walters and Paula Abdul look a little different each time we see them, but no one cares about that. They don’t sensationalize other celebrities or focus on their changes, but suddenly Michael’s plastic surgery is such a big deal. This is something that is a personal choice and has nothing to do with a person’s character. Instead of pointing fingers, we should be a society who isn’t afraid to ACCEPT each other’s differences. It’s time to embrace being different. And it’s really no one’s business. And for the record, he DID break his nose during a show rehearsal which led to the first surgery.

* What’s up with Neverland? You must keep in mind, this is a man who never really had a childhood. Breaking into fame from a young age thanks to the Jackson 5 group, he was constantly pressured and pushed to work hard by his father. He was expected to work non-stop and never be a kid. Now, as an adult, if he enjoys creating a theme park in his home and relishing in the childhood he never had, why not? What harm does that do? This is his passion, his joy, his pleasure. Who are we to judge that? Hey, if I had the amounts of money he does, I wouldn’t want to grow up either. This is his passion. Popular rappers like Eminem can have their guns and drugs, and that isn’t a problem. But Michael’s petting zoo and Ferris wheel pose such a big threat? That sure sounds logical to me. He earned his money the hard way, and if he chooses to spend it on Neverland, he should be free and we have no right to judge that. It is another way of bringing joy to the lives of children, as he frequently allows cancer-stricken and needy children to visit the park.

* Reckless spending habits? Once again, what business is this of ours? If J.LO can spend her money on a diamond toilet seat, do we really have the right to question Michael’s love for art and spending habits? He worked hard throughout his entire life to earn every penny he has, and it’s his sweat, blood, and tears that gained him the fortune he enjoys today. No one tells us how to spend our money. No one can tell him how to spend his.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." Before we believe every little thing we see on television or read in the media, we must open our eyes and learn to judge for ourselves. We must learn to question the sources of 'news' and begin to form opinions of our own. In this country, we are innocent until proven guilty. And Michael Jackson is a man who deserves the same treatment and respect as any other human being in this world. He is a genius and an entertainer unsurpassed by others, who has paved the way for all the stars and celebrities we see today (he still holds the record for best-selling album of all time for Thriller). But these things are mere afterthoughts compared to the kind and gentle person that he is. I was fortunate enough to see the man himself two summers ago in LA at the Orpheum Theatre. His fan club threw him a party for his 45th birthday in August, and even though he didn’t sing, he made a personal appearance. My sister surprised me with tickets and I still revel at the thought of being in the same room as this legend. What surprised me the most was his kind and sweet personality. In person, this man is so incredibly humble, kind, and shy. After a fan lost a shoe when she was invited to step up to the stage, he bent down, picked it up and placed it on her foot, getting down on one-knee and smiling and looking her in the eye. His personality and characteristics are those that are not even capable of such a malicious crime. I truly believe that he has become an easy target because of his kindness and giving attitude. Michael is a good-natured man who has fallen victim to a vicious media. The same media that put him on a pedestal in the 80’s is attempting to bring him down, and won’t be satisfied till they break him. But the truth is, they can’t and they won‘t. We have a sick fascination with watching the mighty fall, but Michael is an exception. He truly is an innocent man, and a true survivor, providing great inspiration to all his loyal fans around the world. Don’t let the media taint his name and crucify an innocent man. We must take a stand. Next time you are in a room, and Michael’s name comes up, stand up tall, and defend him. Point out the 'other side' of the story and open people’s eyes to the truth. Together, we can beat the negativity of the media and stand by the man who has done nothing but good things for our world. I have faith that Michael will be acquitted of all these false charges, and will continue to reign as the true king that he really is.

Don’t let the media brainwash you: Open your eyes, open your heart, and take a stand.