Topic awaiting preservation: ...guilty or not guilty?

I felt like asking for your views about Michael Jackson's trial... Sorry if it's been done before.

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Just thought at this point of the story we've got enough elements to discuss it. It's not that I really have an opinion, but what interests me, is the length and seriousness of this case.

(Edited by kimson on 05-19-2005 12:50)

He is the scariest-looking person on the planet.

They should've killed him back in the early nineties. Just like Elvis, they should've taken care of him before it went to waste. Cause how do you remember Elvis? You know how you remember Elvis. He was found on the toilet, with his pants around his ankles, and his big fat sweating ass exposed to the world... wouldn't it be nice to remember Elvis thin? With a big head of hair?

That's why I'm glad Jesus died when he did. Because if he lived to be 40, he would have ended up like Elvis. He was famous already at that point. If he lived to be 40, he'd be walking around Jerusalem with a big fat beer gut and black side burns going: "Damn, I'm the son of God. Give me a cheeseburger and french fries right now!"

I'm going to hell for that bit.

(Previous quote by Denis Leary.)

What I think is that Michael Jackson, being deprived of any kind of normal childhood (how old was he when he became famous? Five?) kind of shortcircuited here and there. I believe he just wanted those kids around to play with and have a good time, in the most nonsexual way possible. However, having sleepovers with kids is a bit awkward as a grownup.

But anyway, it's up to the legal system to decide what happened and who's to blame.

The guy is a freak. He may think he's a harmless freak - but there is never smoke without fire, and he's burning, baby!

==I don't believe it! Somebody stole my sig!!==

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They should've killed him back in the early nineties.

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Exactly, this story's going to end up in tears... might end up in blood, or even in secretly organized public suicide.

I'm probably one of the few people here who have absolutely no idea what is going on with this trial. I consider myself fortunate.



___________________________
Suho: www.liminality.org | Cell 270 | Sig Rotator | the Fellowship of Sup

I have stayed away from commenting on this trial. But living in SoCal makes it very difficult not to hear about this almost on a daily basis. I must say that when this story broke several years ago I was very willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. But it has become pretty clear to me that he is very likely guilty and I believe he is going to be found to be so in court. And if he is indeed guilty of these charges, he very much deserves a heavy sentence because abusing children is one of the worst crimes imaginable.

: . . DHTML Slice Puzzle : . . .

The Trail of Michael Jackson reminds me of a Circus...live. And it disturbs me greatly, that it also reminds me of the O.J. Simpson Trial.

IMHO, the Trial should be tried indoors, without ANY public involvement. The charges are very serious, and the trial should reflect this.

I will not comment on whether he is innocent or not - the verdict is not out yet.

I can hear the throngs of "what about the court of public opinion" clamoring through the halls

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I think he's definitely innocent.

I don't think there has been a creditable witness to do any damage to MJ. The family suing him are professional plantiffs who have already been caught in a number of lies. With all that talk about "the killers" the mother should be fitted for a straight jacket. I'm glad that the majority of their claims have already been proven false.

I definitely think MJ is weird, but I don't think he's molesting children. I just think he's an easy target for a family who's sued everyone from department stores to Jay Leno.

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I will not comment on whether he is innocent or not - the verdict is not out yet

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This is not the point, indeed. i am more interested in discussing what such a trial means in our "modern" society, and about the role of the media and so on.

Whatever happens, I find it scary to see the place of the press in the whole story, and this from the beginning: it looks like the media will influence the final decision somehow, and this should not be allowed.

He's not guilty, it's a damn filthy witch hunt!

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Blaise said:

He's not guilty, it's a damn filthy witch hunt!

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Yes indeed, but why does this happen? Are people of the Earth (especially those from a tiny third of the planet) bored enough to look for such an occupation then? I see so many things like that happening in our sociaety for the sake of it, and to kill boredom... That scares me. I believe that regardless to the seriousness of the case - which of course has to be sorted out - the whole story around it just proves how much people need entertainment.
I wonder how far this will go

Kimson,

I don't think its a matter of boredom, its a matter of not wanting to work. It's the same reason why people fake disability and live on welfare for no real reason. This is a family of professional plaintiffs, they make their living suing celebrities & department stores. Many people would rather try to cheat the system then get real jobs.

This is true, from that family's point of view. I am talking about boredom from the point of view of the people in the rest of the world. They get so excited when such things are going on!

Actually I don't think most people care. The reason it appears that Americans are so obsessed with it is because the media can get ratings off of it. But in reality it's just a gimmick to draw people in as they're flipping the channels. I admit that I will stop for 30 seconds to see what they're saying, but it's just a fleeting interest, a reflexive curiosity like gawkers driving by a car accident. American entertainment saturates the world, and gives a false impression of reality. I hate going to other countries and talking to people about American movies or television, because I don't like the idea of our entertainment saturating and usurping other cultures. It's easy to look at all the Hollywood glamour and glitz and wish for that lifestyle (my stepmom in Brazil is a horrible case in point), but when you live in California or New York, so close to all that money and power, most people realize that happiness comes from the inside.

The real America has nothing to do with what's on TV; it's in our coffee shops, churches, town halls, and family gatherings where our lives are lived that you can see our values.

-jiblet

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Actually I don't think most people care. The reason it appears that Americans are so obsessed with it is because the media can get ratings off of it.

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But isn't this a contradiction? They wouldn't get ratings if people didn't care. People watching = ratings = Americans are obsessed. You might be surprised how closely a lot of people follow this garbage and how they let it influence their lives.

Hell, during the O.J. trial the sale of Sony monitors climbed when one was shown on Ito's bench. And I remember reports that, when a particular breed of dog became a focal point during the trial, breeders started having trouble keeping that particular dog in stock.

Some people have nothing better to do. And they love to drag down those "above" them.



(Edited by Wes on 05-19-2005 18:13)

I think its a matter of everyone knowing the celebrity. It's almost like gossiping about a mutual friend.

Trial?

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kimson: Yes indeed, but why does this happen?

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One word, distraction. Distraction from important issues which our media does not cover, for this fluffy and meaningless BS being crammed down our throats everywhere we look.

Ramasax

They say that Jesus had a perfect set of genetics.. and if according to some he was not under condemnation to death because of inherited sin as he had never sinned.. he actually would not have died at all but would be still be walking round today.. and certainly with no fat gut..

. and if you have that much money.. you don't ever have to get caught for anything.. but apparently he's broke now.. so who knows..?

QUOTATION: "If you're too open minded, your brains will fall out."

sorry clicked the submit button too many t imes..

(Edited by Xpirex on 05-24-2005 14:33)

I blame Disney...

==Why is it when we talk to God, it's called praying
- but when God talks to us, it's called paranoid schizophrenia?!==