Throw that freaked out Drama Queen Jackson in custody.

[saracat]

He flouts the whole court system and only wants to draw attention to himself and play the victim. The anchors make me hurl.Only one , Miles something, on CNN ,expressed any doubt the freak show was sick. It is obvious he is faking. He even turned to wave to fans . Just snapped out of his daze and did something you can't do with a bad back. Right. I also don't see any reason for the police escort every day. He should be treated just like anyone else.. They talk about how fragile he is. Sheesh the guy is only 108 pounds. He looks like a famine victim. How seriously mentally ill do you have to be before you are locked up? Girls are treated for anorexia who look better than Jackson. This is obcene. His life line of public attention needs to be cut off . If he won't get help, I don't want the media bringing him into my living room. I am turning the channel. I hope that they haul his ass off to the funny farm soon. He isn't a diva, he is certifiable. And by choice , no less!

[AutumnMist]

1. I For One

am sick of the coverage. Geesh, give it a rest.

[Dookus]

4. Click ignore

people are allowed to discuss it here.

[AutumnMist]

6. I'm Sorry If

I appeared that I was busting the poster. I wasn't. I was just simply stating that I was sick of the antics of Mr. Jackson. Thanks.

[MadHound]

2. Well, if you want to cut off his "life line of public attention",

Stop watching! All you're doing is feeding the beast, and fulfilling corporate America's wish for the populace to be distracted by trivial bullshit while thousands of innocents continue to die in Iraq and elswhere.

Don't just turn the channel, turn the damn TV off, it will just rot your brain. You're all whipped up about this Jackson thing, see, it's rotting your brain already.

[Walt Starr]

3. Look at the facts of today. HE FAILED TO APPEAR!

A bench warrant was issued requiring he appear within one hour or forfeit bond and go to jail. He did not appear for another 100 minutes.

Normal people would be sitting in jail over this! IT'S A CRIME THAT JACKSON IS NOT SITTING IN JAIL RIGHT NOW!!!!

[skjpm]

7. replace "Michael Jackson" with "Hillary Clinton" and you've got right-wing

talking points. If it's possible for Hillary to be maligned by an unfriendly media, do you think it could happen to Jackson? About his looks--do you remember Hillary's hair?

If this were David Bowie or somebody more "cool", you'd be defending him.

[Walt Starr]

9. That analogy is a steaming pile of bullshit

Hillary Clinton and David Bowie were not required to appear in a criminal trial and failed to appear. Jackson was. He failed to appear. A bench warrant was issued and he was given 60 minutes to appear. He took 100 minutes to appear. That's automatic forfeiture of bond and you are thrown in jail for the remainder of the trial.

But Mr. Celebrity gets off easy. That's bullshit. His ass should be sitting in jail at all times when he is not in court. That's what would be applied to you, me, or anybody but Mr. Celebrity. It's a double standard and Jackson should be remanded to custody of the court.

[saracat]

12. But they did malign Hillary. Jackson they defend. And how can you malign

such a freak? Look at him and listen to him! He needs to be put away. This isn't right. We are watching an extremely sick person implode by choice on our TV screens. This is creepy and should never have allowed to go this far. He should have been gotten help years ago. His children need to be taken into custody. I understand thre mother wants them back, even the one that isn't hers.Turn the channel!

[Walt Starr]

13. The judge has done the right thing so far today

As soon as Jacko appeared, he ushered in the jury and got the witness on the stand.

The decision on sanctions for failure to appear will be made after the normal court proceedings. Let's hope he forfeits bail and remands Jackson to the custody of the court. It would send one loud and clear message.

[Orsino]

23. Yep. Being an hour late...

...is not the same as not showing up at all, and IMO is a matter of lesser importance than the one of which he is accused. Wasting the court's time is a serious thing. Unless he comes up with some convincing excuse as to why he failed to notify his lawyers that he he was delayed, he should probably be denied bail.

[Walt Starr]

25. And the video shoots his excuse down dramatically

The turn makes it obvious his claim of back pain is spurious.

If I were the judge, I would forfeit bail and remand him to custody of the court because this is not the first time he pulled this stunt, the first one being his arraignment where he was an hour late and then danced on an SUV afterward.

Furthermore, I would charge him with contempt of court and fine him stiffly!

[Orsino]

118. That pretty much shows...

...that the two situations are not identical. It may be that he's faking, but a turn doesn't prove that to my satisfaction.

If he can't document a medical problem (surely he can afford to pay a doctor to write any excuse he wants), however, I certainly agree that contempt is the minimum he should face, with a fine great enough that his full attention will be engaged re his next court appearance. Perhaps his bail should be revoked; when he has drivers on-call 24/7, there are few valid excuses for not making an appointment.

As much as I'm trying to extend Jackson the benefit of the doubt, his behavior strongly resembles that of an isolated wealthy neurotic afraid to face the consequences of actions he realizes are considered wrong.

[hollywood926]

21. Your arguments never make any sense

The media is not maligning MJ - they are over-covering a sensational story, which is what they have ALWAYS done, even before TV was invented.

And I wouldn't defend a pedophile for any reason. EVER.

[Tomee450]

31. They

ARE maligining Jackson. They have been doing it since the day he was charged. It's disgusting. People should be tried in court, not by the news media.

[Walt Starr]

33. HE FAILED TO APPEAR

The consequences of that action is to forfeit bail and be remanded to the custody of the court.

This is the second time he pulled this stunt. He did the same are his arraignment and was warned that the next time he was late, he would forfeit bail and be remanded to the custody of the court.

[Tomee450]

41. He failed to appear because of

medical reasons. If he was sick, he had every right to go to the hospital.

[Walt Starr]

43. Did you even see the video of his appearance?

Sorry, that excuse does not fly. If there was a medical issue, he should ahve done what was done last time and notified the court.

Throw his ass in jail. Teach him a lesson!

[Tomee450]

51. Yes I did

see the video and he LOOKED SICK TO ME AS HE DID TO OTHERS. I am not surprised that certain people would want him in jail? Such hatred for someone whom you have never met and whose guilt has not been proven.

[Walt Starr]

53. Oh come off it! BACK PROBLEM???????

If he has a back problem and twisted around like a pretzel to wave at his adoring fans, he should have fallen over in agony.

:eyes:

I will never EVER get anybody being a Jackson apologist.

:eyes:

My hope is he has to spend the rest of the trial in jail and pay a million dollar fine for contempt.

[Tomee450]

80. And I will never

understand hating someone because he is of a different race, is odd, or unstable. I will never understand judging someone to be guilty just because he is accused of a crime. I will always want to treat people as I would like to be treated. All you know about Jackson is what is reported in the media. Yet you are ready to call him names and convict him.

[Walt Starr]

82. I don't hate JAckson

and the man is GUILTY of FAILURE TO APPEAR! He committed a crime IN PUBLIC VIEW!!!

He needs to be thrown in jail for the remainder of th trial just like you or I would be.

And insinuating I'm racist because of that is not very becoming of you.

[Tomee450]

90. I call it as I see

it. You have made no allowance for the possibility that Jackson is actually sick. You have judged him to be faking without having heard a report by a doctor. You don't like him. I wonder why. He has been accused of a crime, not convicted. Furthermore, the people accusing him have shady records. I believe in being fair. The defense has not even put on its case, hasn't even had a chance to refute these allegations, yet Jackson is being judged guilty.

[saracat]

109. He has feigned sickness in all his other trials. He has no history of back

problems. As he faked injuries and illnesses before, why should anyone believe him now?

[Walt Starr]

112. I think the man is *probably* guilty of being a pedophile

HE has a history of these sorts of actions., He had to pay off previous accusers to keep from being prosecuted. The pattern of behavior is there.

Furthermore, I am pretty positive he will not be convicted in this go around. I never said he was guilty of what he is being accused of in this case, ONLY THAT HE IS GUILTY OF FLAUNTING THE AUTHORITY OF THE COURT!

[MXMLLN]

104. Don't you think that Scott Peterson went through a similar situation ? n/t

[saracat]

108. MJ has been treating the Judicial System with contempt since he was first

cited. He is NOT above the law!

[iconoclastNYC]

26. How dare you sully David Bowie

David Bowie didn't plastic surgery his nose until it literally died. David Bowie didn't try to erase any physical evidence of his natural race.

David Bowie didn't settle one pedophile case for 8 figures, and then years later go on TV bragging about how much he loves sharing his bed with young supple boys.

David Bowie was never accused of showing boys pornography, David Bowie hasn't been caught with creepy lifelike children manikines in a secret room off his bedroom.

Michael Jackson is a total freak. He's our generations Howard Hughes, deeply gifted, but seriously disturbed, and with so much money that you never get labeled insane, just 'eccentric'.

His case reallys shows you what can go wrong when you are forced into a career as a child and your whole development as a human being is based on your career and being a commericial product, to be adored, and you have nothing but employees around you telling you how great you are.

He's clearly sick. Nobody in thier right mind who had his reputation nearly destroyed by molestation charges would put themself in the position to be *falsely* accused again.

Only a pedophile would do that. And a really stupid one at that.

Rich Pedophiles who have half a brain go do this in the third world where it so much easier to get away with.

But MJ, beyond a sick pedophile is just stupid and/or completely gone upstairs that he thinks he can just keep on going at it.

He's sick and he needs to be locked up and he needs to be kept far away from children. If he wants to help cancer patients he can give a donation to the Shriners.

Lock him up.

[Warpy]

8. Jail for that freak would be a death sentence

However, a trip to a good mental hospital would probably do him a world of good.

Rich people rarely have to do anything they don't want to do. Those laws are only there to punish me and thee.

[Walt Starr]

10. Sorry, but jail is the price for failure to appear

If I failed to appear in the same court, I would cite the Jackson trial as a reason to not remand me to custody.

[Tomee450]

28. Some people seem

to get so upset when the offender is black. Were you this upset when Robert Blake was allowed to go free for almost a year? OJ Simpson was arrested, handcuffed, and sent to jail. HE certainly was treated far differently than Blake. I'll bet if Blake is acquitted, some people wont be outraged about that either. As far as I know, Jackson was accused of a crime but never convicted. Since when is being accused equated to being guilty. In this country, it appears that some people become far more outraged at a black person than they are with a non-black who has commited the same crime. There are a lot of holes in this story. I watched Jeffrey Toobin of CNN say that after hearing the opening statements, he was not certain of Jackson's guilt. They have already caught the accuser's siblings in lies and the mother is known for coaching her children to lie to obtain money.

Jackson may be odd but that does not mean he is a child molester.
As far as him not being in court, how do you know he did not have a legitimate reason for not appearing on time. There are such things as emergencies. I've noticed that on this board there are certain people who become enraged at any alleged offense committed by an African American. They would support vigilante justice it appears if the offender is a black person.

Calling people vile names is so unseemly. Jackson is not a freak but someone who obviously has emotional problems. I heard a doctor say that she has seen people who were perfectly normal one day, and completely abnormal the next. Jackson needs treatment, not ridicule. Having mental problems does not mean someone is likely to be a child molester. I believe a person is innocent until proven guilty. All of the people calling for Jackson's head would feel quite differently if they or a member of their family were a defendant. This country has not come far in it's treatment of African Americans accused of crimes. They, unlike others, are to be assumed guilty until proven innocent. Just more of the double standard we continue to face.

[Walt Starr]

32. I will not dignify your spurious accusations with anything more than this

n/t

[Tomee450]

39. Well, why would I

expect anything different? You have shown your feelings. There are certain people who do seem to have a problem with black people. They dislike them and when the African American is accused of wrongdoing, it is reason for great rage. Sadly that is the way it is in this country. We blacks know about the double standard. Poor Michael. As many blacks are now saying, he is learning the hard way that he cannot escape his blackness. In the mind of many he is still just another N-----, guilty, guilty, guilty, unless proven innocent, and even if acquitted, for some, still guilty.

[Walt Starr]

42. the only double standard here is the difference between rich celebrity

and the average joe.

Average joe would be sent to jail and would forfeit bail. Rich celebrity gets to flout the authority of the court.

[Tomee450]

62. Oh please,

that's a lot of baloney. When it comes to black people, celebrity does not often mean much. Rich black people are discriminated against just like other African Americans. Rich black people find themselves being racially profiled just like their black brothers. Much of the hatred being directed at Jackson is simply because of his race. He hasn't been convicted of anything. Certain people have judged him guilty even before the defense has put on its case. It's the same old stereotypes blacks have always encountered. The black man is guilty until proven innocence and sometimes, because of a biased media, even an innocent verdict may not be accepted by some people. It's a shame that many in this country have the same attitude about African Americans that were prevalent in the 1800s. That's why so many blacks are convicted by all white juries. The black man just has to be guilty. However, many times he is not guilty,as shown by the fact that the Innocence Project has been successful in getting many black men out of prison who had been convicted of crimes they did not commit.

[Walt Starr]

63. There is no black and white in our sytem any longer

Today, it's all a bout GREEN!

Sorry, I ain't buyin' what you're sellin'. This is not a black and white issue and attempting to make it so is not very helpful in those cases where there is a real black and white issue.

[Tomee450]

67. I don't expect

you to buy anything. I simply state my opinion as you are stating yours. People with closed minds can never see anything until something happens to them or to some of their family members. For many people this is all about race. I don't care if you reject that assertion or not. I am black, I've seen it all before. This kind of hatred is quite common when the defendant is black.

[Walt Starr]

69. I reject the notion that the Michael Jackson case has anything whatsoever

to do with race and am offended that anybody would attempt to make it about race.

In fact, I would say that the attempts to make this case about race are racist!

This is about a man who has admitted to sleeping with little boys and who has paid off accusers with eight figures to stop cases going forward in the past. This is about a man who flaunts the authority of the court and fails to follow the rules.

He is due his hearing in court, but as is the case with everybody else, he must follow the rules of that court. Failure to do so results in consequences being paid, so don't come crying to me if he winds up in jail for the next month of this trial. He brought it upon himself.

[Tomee450]

88. Please understand

that I do not care that you are offended that I, as other blacks do, believe that there exists a double standard in this country based on race. There is evidence to support my assertions. I am black and I know when the kind of hysteria and outrage I see here and elsewhere in the media, it is usually about race.

And please don't give me that baloney about people being racist who speak about racism. That is just a tactic many people use to silence people, especially black people, who tell the truth about what they have observed and experienced as a black person in America. That is the tactic that Limbaugh uses all the time. It wont work, it's quite transparent. This kind of hatred is because of race. As I said before, Jackson has not been convicted, only accused yet he is the object of utter rage. I've seen this kind of hatred before. It's not uncommon when the defendant is black.

[nonconformist]

95. "I would say that the attempts to make this case about race are racist!"

Ditto x1000. Exactly what I was thinking.

[Tomee450]

97. But I am not at all

surprised that people attempt to silence those who oppose racism by calling them racist. That has been the tactic employed by some for the last twenty-five years. Right wingers uses it regularly.

[Walt Starr]

113. Show me where there is racism in this case

The only race I see Michael Jacksn being a part of is PLASTIC. At ;l;east, he's mostly made up of plastic!

[anitar1]

91. I do not understand what you are saying

What I am hearing ,from your posts is that if people are black, then they cannot ever be guilty of a crime, because the world as you know it automatically frames all of them. If you are fortunate enough to have children, why don't you ask Michael to take them when he is declared innocent? Surely , the jury will find him innocent, unless they are all racists. He might be happy to hear that someome has enough faith in him to give him their little boys for awhile.Do you really believe that a black person is never guilty of a crime?

[Tomee450]

96. Please point

to any of my posts in which I said that Jackson is innocent or that if a black is accused of a crime he cannot be guilty. I did not say that. What I have said, and I repeat, is that for some, the outrage is all about race. I say that because when there are cases involving black defendants, certain people always believe their crime is so much worse than that of others who have committed the same crime and the outrage expressed is extreme.

As a black person, I am so tired of the double standard. We have on this board people who don't know Jackson but who call him vile names. People who do not know his medical condition but say he is faking. There are people who think he is guilty even though he has been accused, not convicted of anything. They judge him guilty even though he has put on no defense. For such persons, it appears that a black man accused of a heinous crime has to be guilty. Well, in our community, many black men have been accused and sent to prison for crimes they did not commit. Some have even been lynched.

If Jackson is proven guilty, so be it. However, I think it is wrong to convict someone based on allegations. I still believe in innocent until proven guilty. Unfortunately, in this country, for black people it is too often, guilty until proven innocent and that is wrong.

[nonconformist]

100. Point us to where anyone made a judgement about

Jackson's guilt or innocence based on his race then.

[saracat]

106. Some people have a problem with pedophiles regardless of their race!

Robert Blake is accused of murdering an adult, and a very unlikable adult at that. MJ is accused of molesting an innocent and critically ill child. Surely you can see the difference?

[Mike Daniels]

57. I seriously doubt that anyone thinks of or sees Michael Jackson as black

at this point in his career anymore.

There's at least one generation alive now that wouldn't know that Michael Jackson is black unless you showed them pictures of the Jackson 5 or solo albums up till Thriller.

Even then, I bet that most people from that generation would doubt that the Jackson of "Thriller" and the plastic surgery riddled freak of today are the same person.

Hell, I grew up as a kid during the time of Against the Wall and Thriller and I find "myself" forgetting it's the same person.

[bigtree]

61. I do

My mother had pale skin and blond hair. She was black and an albino.

But I suppose you will decide what group he can identify himself with.

[Walt Starr]

64. I identify him with one group

Rich celebrities who flout the authority of the courts and decide they can do whatever they want to.

[bigtree]

71. great Walt

you follow me here to make your point again. This is not relevant to the comment that I was making about his race.

[Walt Starr]

72. What are you trying to imply?

Seriously, implying this trial has anything whatsoever to do with race is not realistic.

[bigtree]

77. Damnit

The poster I was responding to suggested that Jackson was no longer black. That is what I was responding to.

[Walt Starr]

79. That's where you';re wrong

He stated that Jackson is not perceived as black. Big difference.

[bigtree]

84. Neither was my mother

but she had a right to identify herself as black because of her heritage. So does Jackson. After all, the poster knows his heritage and implied that he doesn't view Jackson as black. But, Jackson is black, albeit with a skin condition that he has further altered that obscures that fact. Anyone who is familiar with Jackson must be familiar with his family, who are visibly black.

[Walt Starr]

85. Why are you trying to make this a race issue?

Seriously, why? Nobody else is. Why are you?

[bigtree]

86. Again, I was responding to a post that raised the issue

[Walt Starr]

87. No, you brought up the issue time and again in this thread

Why?

[bigtree]

89. Brought it up again and again in response to

you Walt.

You are drawing my comments out of context.

[Tomee450]

98. You can spin

it as much as you like. This case, this extreme hatred is about the fact that Jackson is black.

[Tomee450]

93. Oh please

I am so tired of hearing people say that they don't see Michael Jackson as black. Everyone in America see Jackson as black. I don't care how light or white a black person looks, if people know that his heritage is black, he then,is also black and subject to racial discrimination. And his money is often no shield against racism. Just ask all the famous blacks who have been the victim of racial profiling.

[saracat]

110. Every person in America except Michael Jackson,

who has become a white girl! Please. And this guy didn't even have his children with a black woman. He might have started out as a black but he certainly doesn't want to be Black. When has he ever identified himself with anything Black? His children are white and he bleached their hair, and his wives and egg donors were all white. I don't know why Blacks would want to acknowleedge him. He certainly doesn't acknowledge them!

[bigtree]

117. Folks would be correct and justified to identify his race by his heritage

but it is not correct or justified to identify his race by his appearance or his associations as you have.

Also you refuse to acknowledge his pigmentation disease which apparently blotched a major portion of his visible skin a lighter shade of brown. According to Jackson, he chose to bleach the rest of his visible skin to match. I've seen folks who have the condition who haven't had the benefit of cosmetic surgery. It's a rather disfiguring disease.

Also, Jackson is not the only American to opt for some sort of cosmetic surgery to alter their nose, chin etc. This doesn't negate their heritage. He certainly hasn't disowned or refused to be associated with his family who are visibly black. As for acknowledging other blacks, how would you know what or who he acknowledges? Are you a personal friend?

Your insinuation that he is a woman is rather insulting. Interesting that you acknowledge that he has a wife and children. And you refer to him as 'he'. Such hateful insults. Such arrogant venom to wards this man who hasn't been convicted in court of anything.

BTW, settling out of court does not necessarily imply guilt. Trial by media does not prove guilt. That's where most of the reports of the accusations come from. The rest of the accusations are being judged in a trial. The defense hasn't even begun their presentation and he is already being called a pedophile repeatedly here. Arrogantly here. Viciously here.

Pedophilia is a horrendous crime, and should be prosecuted aggressively and punished severely, if the facts prove true. But the facts in this case are in dispute and being adjudicated. There will be more than enough ammo to defend or convict Jackson here when the trial is over. But now there is a matter of due process of law. Our system places the burden of proof on the accusers. The credibility and veracity of his accusers in court are also in judgment.

You have not presented any evidence that would support the charges against Jackson outside of your own biased invectives that center on his appearance and demeanor. That is slanderous at best, character assassination at the worst. It belittles Jackson and is unbecoming of anyone who is truly concerned with 'justice'. This rant of yours amounts to a public dunking in dirty water as in the witch trials centuries ago. It is un-democratic and patently unfair to Jackson.


edit: To Lounge lizards, Sorry for kicking this thing. I couldn't let this hateful rant pass.

[LibDemAlways]

94. Showing up in pajamas is just plain

ridiculous. Every day thousands of people feeling rotten for whatever reason manage to make it out of the house in clothes. Jackson is showing utter contempt for everyone involved in this case.

[AutumnMist]

27. Yes, It Is

Why hasn't the man sat one day in jail? I mean really? He hasn't taken any of his court appearances seriously. So why should a jury think he is serious about defending himself? Its not a photo-op. Its court people. He is charged with a very serious thing, but doesn't seem to get it.

[Tomee450]

34. People should not just make things up.

Michael Jackson has missed very few days of his trial. I believe just two days were missed, one because he had the flu. One commentator said the judge checked to see if he really was sick.

[Walt Starr]

37. Agreed

As a defendent, you are required to appear every time court is in session. He was an hour late to his arraignment and was warned at that time any future breach of his requirement to appear would mean forfeiture of his bail and being remanded to the custody of the court.

He flaunted that order today, ergo, the consequences are he forfeits bail and is remanded to the custody of the court. Flaunting that order is also contempt of court, which might also result in a hefty fine in addition to being sent to jail.

[Tomee450]

49. Were you

at Jackson's home when he decided to go to the hospital? If one is ill and feel the need of medical help, he is not flaunting the law by seeking such help. There ARE such things as extenuating circumstances;that's why we have judges to decide. Furthermore, orders are not set in stone. It's up to the judge to decide whether Jackson as "flaunted" the law. The media persons who saw him said he looked unwell. As I said, in this country blacks are held to the letter of the law. Do something wrong, throw the book at them. In previous era, lynch him- no need for trial. Others engaging in the same behavior are treated differently. No way would a black celebrity be allowed to go free for a whole year as has been the case with Robert Blake. No outrage about that.

[Walt Starr]

50. Then he needed to notify the court at that time

The court was notified at the beginning of the session by Jackson's attorney, not by Jackson prior to the beginning of the proceedings.

Seriously, Jackson is not the sort of person anybody on DU should be defending, especially for flaunting the orders of the court!

[Marnieworld]

59. It took a year to arrest Blake

because it took a year to build the case. That's pretty typical. And I'd like to point out that this persecuted black millionaire has been widely suspected of this horrific crime since at least 1991 was it? He's been free since then as they built their case(just like Blake.) Learn about the law and due process. Not everything is about black and white but most often it's about GREEN.

[Tomee450]

70. If Blake was

black, they would have put him in jail. They arrested, handcuffed Simpson and put him in jail. Then, they prepared the case. Please don't tell me that blacks and whites are treated the same in this country. No black celebrity, given the circumstances under which Bonnie Blakely died, would have been allowed to remain free. The difference is skin color.

[Walt Starr]

74. They had real evidence against Simpson

Simpson was as guilty of murder as you can get! They had a case and were ready to move forward.

If Blake was black and they arrested him a year before they actually did, he would have been acquitted easily as they had no case against him!

Making this a black/white issue is not very becoming. Come on, argue the case on its merits and stoip trying to pull the race card!

[Tomee450]

99. You just keep on spinning.

If Blake had been black, they would still have arrested him and gathered evidence later. No black celebrity would ever been allowed to be free given the circumstances under which Blake's wife died.

And I am calling it as I see it. I am African American and have seen much discrimination in my life. I know racism when I see it and I am seeing it now. You know full well that blacks are treated differently in all parts of this society, the judicial system included. How else would you explain that it's usually only blacks who are racially profiled. How do you explain the fact that blacks and whites are given different sentences for possession of drugs, that blacks are given longer sentencing than whites who have committed the same crime. I state the truth, the truth that some are unwilling to admit although there is ample proof of what I say. A black celebrity accused of a crime is not likely to be given the benefit of the doubt. Michael Jackson is finding out what most blacks already know. Try as he might he could not escape his blackness. When a black celebrity gets into trouble, he becomes no different than other blacks. He is believed by many in the majority population to be guilty. They don't wait for the trial.

[Walt Starr]

115. BULLSHIT

All that matters is the amount of money. Nothing else.

[Marnieworld]

83. wha?

They arrested Simpson after he was fleeing the jurisdiction (not immediately) or do you forget the Bronco chase? Simpson also had a documented history of abusing the victim. Incidentally did the police not notice that he was black all of the times that they came to his house for abusing Nicole? Cause they overlooked a lot for a time before she ended up dead. Blood was also found in his car and home and he had suspicious cuts as well as some other probable cause I'm sure I'm forgetting. I never said nor would say that blacks and whites are treated the same in society. I just think that the justice system is about money more than anything. That was my point. OJ after all got rich man's justice.

[lumpy]

92. Did you get this upset when

Courtney Love was late for her court appearances ?

[Tomee450]

101. Exactly

and Courtney acted very strange at one of her several court appearances. People joked about her but not in a hateful manner.

[MXMLLN]

103. What was Courtney Love accused of ... ? n/t

[Walt Starr]

114. Actually, I thought she should've been thrown in jail!

She flaunted the authority of the court as well and should have been thrown in jail as well!

[AutumnMist]

48. Even Still

the day to day folk would be expected to be there. No matter what. They would be there in cuffs and a bright orange shirt if they weren't there. So Jackson is there with a nice tailored suit and his whole crew? How is this normal is my point? He has the money for a great legal team, a great PR person, and an agent. He is not a everyday person. Anyone else, with less money, and less coverage, would have had to stand before the court without all the hoopla that M.J. has attracted. But yet there are no signs of him being even remotely concerned about the legal system. I find that to be insulting.

[Texasgal]

68. Yeah... and he also

Jumped up on top of his drivers SUV and did a little jig when he was being charged.

Have a little respect for our court system Micheal!

[stellanoir]

5. consider this rumor. . .

I have given up entirely on the mainstream media since January 7th.

But even prior to then, anytime they brought up any of the salacious sensational trials (Peterson, Kobe, Jacko, etc), I'd either change channels or turn off the tube entirely. That's just because, though I do have compassion for victims of all crimes, it's really none of anyone else's business aside from those whose lives are directly effected. Besides there are far greater crimes (34 and counting) against all of us perpetrated by this misadministration that garner nary a speck of scrutiny. And then we wonder why this great land of the lively discussion is no more. Ughhhhh. I'd much prefer to watch "Survivor Falluja."

Anyway I lived in LA during the 80's and made an acquaintance of someone who was very close to the Jackson family. According to this person, Michael Jackson was given massive doses of progesterone and estrogen during puberty to prevent his voice from changing since his falsetto was the family's primary cash cow.. It was allegedly, like a pharmaceutical version of the types of castrations that were reputedly once performed on members of Vienna Boys Choir. That could possibly be the most likely the root of his extreme derangement and if true, it was a crime perpetrated upon him by his family. It quite plausibly, is the source of his obsessive desire for young boys in search what was lost in terms of his aborted maturation.

That is really more than I ever cared to know about Michael Jackson. If true, it's really quite tragic and really speaks volumes.

[saracat]

11. I , for one, am not willing to cut Jackson any slack.

I am sick of him . I have changed the channel. I agree with Walt. Anyone else would be in jail or confined to an institution. He isn't "tragic". That is the victim image he likes to portray. What is "tragic" is the media letting him get away with it, and the loon having custody of children. And look at the ego and weirdness of calling the children Prince Michael 1 and Prince Michael 11(aka blanket!) I don't remember the daughters name, but she has never been as important as shee is a girl. He only seems to like little boys.

[stellanoir]

16. there is no question that

this celebrity obsessed culture treats those of his ilk far differently than common folk.

In truth, I've been sick of him for decades.

Am much happier getting news from the radio, the internet, the BBC, and the Daily Show.

But I do think that rumor would explain a whole lot regarding his obtuse behaviors.

[seventythree]

15. wow -- that is strange!

I would find it hard to believe, however, that no one would have brought it out by now. I think he is in need of mental health treatment. The film of him last year -- with the accuser cuddling up -- showed someone who was very agitated (when feeding the infant). His manic buying in the Vegas antique shop, along with the agitation, and the appearance of being drugged much of the time (depression)makes me think he is probably bi-polar. I am with the person who posted up-thread -- you can't turn and wave at fans if you are having painful back problems. He could, however, be having kidney trouble which will give lower back pain but not impede mobility. I would think the docs he saw this am would figure that one out asap via a urinalysis. I tend to believe this is just one more day in a freak show and he probably needs to be in jail for the remainder of the trial. Breaking up the molestation testimony with a ploy for sympathy is a ruse -- and I am glad that the trial, I understand, is proceeding.
I generally don't pay much attention -- but theatrics always interest me. Anyone who would do what he has done to his skin color and face is deeply disturbed, having a high degree of hate for himself.

[Daisey Mae]

14. MJ IS A DIVERSION TO KEEP US FROM IMPORTANT STORIES.

Such as the fact that Bush and Blair have just been convicted by the International War crimes Tribunal of Guilty of War crimes and sentenced to life in prison....You will not see too much travel out of their home country from either of them....Every other country is aware of these facts because their media reports it to their people....This country's government is propaganda 24/7 and has a cover-up going on. NOW....They have plenty of news THEY COULD BE REPORTING such as Tom Delay"s eminent demise, Tony Blair has lost his power in England because of his actions assisting Bush in "Bush's Big 100 million dollar a day rip-off in Iraq" advertised as WMD followed by Freeing the tyranny and when the two previous excuses were beginning to be questioned - We get the new chestnut"Democracy Ha Ha Ha To get us to forget that their Iraq adventure is straight BS and the whole country is going to Crap......But we get MICHAEL JACKSON, MARTHA STEWART, ROBERT BLAKE and on and on.. 24/7......It is called COVER UP..... wake up people........

[saracat]

22. I agree 100%!

It also completeley removed the Clinton story (surgery) from the news. We can't let people remember how things were under Clinton even by inference! And we haven't gotten international news for years! The situation in Iraq is being blacked out. The election solved everything, and our soldiers aren't dying. Yeah .Right.

[Blue_In_AK]

Maybe somebody will invade and liberate US.

[signmike]

56. Maybe . . . France? Again ?

Accueillir à l'Amérique, mes amis. Que vous a-t-il pris si longtemps ?

:party: :toast:

[Blue_In_AK]

75. Oh, where's my daughter, the French student, when I need her??

Something by America, my friend. Something you something something something???? Sorry, I took old, dead Latin in school.

[signmike]

116. Welcome to America, my friends. What took you so long?

*Ahem* at least that's how it translated at the Free Translation site -- ;-)

[Kazak]

47. Whoa! Gotta link?

Hadn't heard that war crimes bit. Must be all the Jackson coverage. :crazy:

[DenverDem]

17. Obsessed much?

Check yourself before you wreck yourself.

If you want to obsess about something, try obsessing about how busholini inc has gotten away with treason, massive theft, and has destroyed the country and soon the world.

[saracat]

19. This is the only time I have ever watched this. I was checking for news

on Clinton. I am only venting. Having not seem prior coverage, I was shocked at the tone , and amount. I don't follow the trial. And I am obsessed by the Bushbot damage to this nation!:)

[Blue_In_AK]

18. Saracat, yet again I'm with you 100 percent. n/t

[saracat]

20. Thank You!

:pals:

[KharmaTrain]

24. Time To Put A Gag Order On EVERYONE

Jackson's antics are only amplified by a corporate media that has turned this trial, and many others, into entertainment and not what it's intended to be. Everyone's grandstanding, grabbing the spotlight, playing the dramatic and trying to make a buck out of the whole deal...Jackson, the "assailant", Court TV, CNNServative, the lawyers, prosecutors and on down the line.

How can justice truly work if the system is tampered with by so many fingers. My kudos to the judge, he appears to be no-nonsense, but there's only so much he can control with all the goofiness that surrounds.

The culture of "reality" and "live courtroom" TV has turned true life issues into surreal game shows which dumb down this system and promotes the further corruption of a judicial system that barely functions for most and is a legal black hole for many.

The judge should really clamp down...put gag orders preventing the release of court transcripts and limit the press pool to only one or two reporters in the courtroom. If Jackson showboats, lock his ass up. Let's just get to the bottom of this mess...present the evidence and witnesses and in the proper confines of within the court of law, not on the front pages and TV screen. The only way is to undercut all the profit the corporate media makes from these circuses they create.

[Tomee450]

29. What antics?

I'd really like to know exactly what antics other than being late and standing on the top of a car the first day of the trial. There are people here who dislike Jackson and couldn't care less whether he receives a fair trial. The news media which seems to hate Jackson is doing its best to turn the jury against him.

It's a terrible thing that now defendants are being tried in the media and not in court. Bill Clinton was suspected committing murder, as was Gary Condit and Richard Jewell. None were guilty. Just because a person is accused does not mean he has to be guilty.

[Walt Starr]

35. What you have described is a crime

He has committed the crime of contempt of court. He failed to follow the order from the first time he was an hour late, that's the contempt. A bench warrant was issued. He was required to appear within 60 minutes of the issuance of that bench warrant. He did not appear for 100 minutes after the issuance of that bench warrant.

Gultiy as charged. The consequences is he forfeits bail and is remanded to the custody of the court.

How more clear does it need to be than that?

[KharmaTrain]

81. It's Turning A Court Room Into A TV Show

I have no feelings either way about Jackson...and won't until evidence is presented. I'm in no hurry and can wait until a jury hears the case, deliberates and reaches its verdict...not a moment sooner. I don't need daily blow-by-blow recreations of who said what, or who wore who, blah, blah, blah. It's allowing the Justice system to be manipulated away from what's it's purpose it...interpreting the law and into being a TV set.

I want Jackson to get a fair trial, and everyone else. Making a courtroom into a media feeding frenzy serves no one. Think of the poor souls who have to attend court in that building during this carnival who certainly are inconvenienced and their cases possibly aletered by all the distractions.

Yes, it is a terrible thing that the media tries people before a shread of evidence is put before a jury or that testimony is leaked or sideshows develop around these cases that destroy the credibility of the judicial system and all involved.

I usually tune out this tripe and all the bloodsuckers who breed on it.

Cheers!

[enki23]

30. is there something going on regarding michael jackson?

.

[bigtree]

36. for a board that has such diversity and an appetite for fairness

as well as justice, I am amazed at the number of folks who would first, denigrate Jackson for his appearance (he has a skin disorder, he has had plastic surgery-no crime), and then proceed to pass judgment on his guilt without the benefit of any supporting measure of due process.

As for his late appearance, I think these judges have too much power as it is. I won't encourage some punitive slapdown of Jackson any more than I would for anyone else, regardless of whatever inequity of judgment he may have gotten because of his celebrity. Nor do I think that it is fair or correct to decide here, without some corroboration by the attending physician, of the actual severity or nature of his reported injury.

With all of the derision of the media here on this board and all of the complaints about their distortions and agenda, I am likewise surprised that so many here seem to take their reports about the events surrounding this case and their characterizations of Jackson's personal life at face value.

[Walt Starr]

38. You're entitled to your opinion.

I'm entitled to mine.

You might just find that the judge agrees with my opinion on this one and Jacksn may be sitting in jail tonight.

[bigtree]

40. Walt

I respect your opinion. I think that jail and a revoking of bail would be ridiculous for 3 errant minutes, especially if it can be established by Jackson that his visit to the hospital was legitimate. After all, if it was the judge who was hurt . . .

[Walt Starr]

45. I would agree if it was about three minutes

It was about 100 minutes. He flouted the authority of the court. He is in contempt of court and he failed to follow the judge's order from the arraignment. ergo, he should spend the rest of the trial in jail.

[bigtree]

52. the contempt order was held for an hour

Are you suggessting this has never been done before? And what about the burden of his celebrity. Couldn't that have delayed his exit from the hospital, hindered his car in traffic because of looky loos? And what of the police escort? Did that slow his vehicle down?

Also, if he was legitimately injured then the issue would be failure to notify the court in a timely manner. I still think that there would be a different standard if the judge was the one delayed because of an injury. Could we throw him in jail.

I hate authority. Don't expect me to advocate jail time for being three minutes over the time that the judge himself mandated that Jackson appear.

[Walt Starr]

54. He was given one hour

he took one hour and forty minutes.

Go directly to jail. Forfeit bail. Pay hefty fine for contempt.

That's what would happen if it was you or I.

[bigtree]

58. and it would be just as outrageous and wrong

if there was a legitimate reason for the tardiness. No one was hurt, folks there had to wait awhile is all. I fail to see what harm was done to merit such an extreme response such as jail.

I also don't understand the venom towards an individual who has not been convicted of anything yet, except in the biased, lying media.

[Walt Starr]

60. It undermines the entire basis of our justice system

HE was warned! He was told, "Do this again and you will forfeit bail and be remanded to the custody of the court for the remainder of the trial" when he pulled the same shit on the FIRST DAY!!!!

I have venom for a rich man flaunting the authority of the court. I hope they throw his ass in jail until the trial is over!

[bigtree]

65. Whoo! Our 'justice' system!

Let me express my contempt for our 'justice' system at this point. As for rich men, they don't deserve undue wrath of these imperial judges any more than anyone else.

[Walt Starr]

66. Sorry, but flaunt the law, pay the price

OOPS, Michael's rich so he doesn't have to follow the law.

:eyes:

PULEEEZE!

[bigtree]

73. the law gives the judge discretion in his response to tardiness

It was the judge who set the bar. In my opinion, he overreacted.

[Walt Starr]

78. It's the same bar that would be set against you and I

No overreaction whatsoever.

[roguevalley]

46. amazing how he wasn't sick before but now is. He should have had

clothes in the car for court. he should suck it up LIKE A MAN because he's sabotaging his own case by his idiocy. He shouldn't be allowed to have freedom even with only three minutes late because you and I wouldn't have a break. We'd be in jail. There is NOTHING SPECIAL about this man that he should be above the law and his charges are deeply serious.

As for racism. Please. I don't care what color he is. Answer the charges and treat the court with respect LIKE A MAN.

Dick Gregory has an interesting comment about Jacko: "Only in America can a poor black child grow up and become a rich white man."

[Catherine Vincent]

55. Only in America can a poor black child grow up & become a rich white man.

Now that is priceless!

[saracat]

111. Correction white girl!

[Catherine Vincent]

44. Actually I thought all MJ threads were to be in the Lounge.

I guess the mods changed the rule.

[DearAbby]

76. Wasn't the witness yesterday afternoon the accuser? Possibly that is why

Michael's grandstanding today. trying to avoid? Seems to me that he is given special treatment, if this had been you or I. We would be attending that trial wearing a bright orange jumpsuit.

[Tomee450]

102. Some of these

posts just clearly show that we have a long way to go as far as race relations are concerned. People will hate the media but immediately accept their reports about African Americans as gospel. I saw the same kind of rage at Kobe Bryant.

[Lorien]

105. So glad I don't have cable

because I simply don't give a damn about that worthless circus.

[Bouncy Ball]

107. Why are you watching it?

I haven't watched a single second of coverage of his trial. Can't tell you much of anything about it (but I suspect there isn't much to tell, right?).

So stop watching it if you hate it so much.