Wednesday, July 08, 2009

Michael Jackson and Racism

I was not going to write anymore on Michael Jackson until I saw Pete King, Congressman from New York, make a statement on him and watched the above video. This guy is a Reaganite Republican and a racist. He is one of those who moved out of the City of New York and into the suburbs as "blacks were taking over neighbourhoods after neighbourhoods in the city."

I have been involved in human rights issues long enough that I can tell a racist when I see one. There is no question that Michael Jackson had a troublesome and rocky life. He is alleged to have sexually molested children but he was convicted of none. It is also troublesome that he settled with one of the alleged victims early on for $20 million. However it could have been blackmail money. Many blackmailers do succeed and probably Michael Jackson thought at the time that he could avoid a media circus, avoid bad publicity, and get over with it. He was wrong. Do not forget Somali pirates who extorted tens of millions of dollars by hijacking ships and then blackmailing. It happens. Money makes people do strange things. Is it possible that parents of these kids were into that blackmail business? Especially when one alleged victim managed to get $20 million 'compensation'.

I have heard fellow workers and colleagues make horrible racist statements. There were some sociologists who came up with racist theories that intelligence is unevenly distributed among different races which has been squarely denied now. Let us not forget Hitler who used racism or purity of the Aryan Nation to justify his mass murder and holocaust.

Racism is one of the worst plagues known to humankind. The only known cure for this disease is isolation of the infected and extensive and intensive education. Some do die with this affliction causing a lot of harm to society. Good examples are members of the KKK and James W. von Brunn, 88 years old, who carried out an attack at the Holocaust Memorial Musem and killed a guard there who was black. If only James W. von Brunn was diagnosed early on and treated.

I had my doubts about Michael Jackson and still do as there are many unanswered questions, but the way racists have lashed out is sickening. Michael Jackson associated with people like Nelson Mandela who sent an extraordinary testimonial for Michael Jackson's memorial and many others who knew him personally spoke very highly of him including Jesse Jackson, and Martin Luther King Jr.'s son and daughter. We should give some credibility to these people.

I was lucky to meet people of almost every ethnic background during my university years and learned about other cultures and people. We once went to a bar with students of different ethnic background including a very nice black student from the US south. He was afraid to enter the bar as he thought he would be thrown out. We convinced him that he did not have to worry in Canada, as it does not happen here.

Racism is a deadly disease and a mental disorder. This disorder has caused many disasters such as the holocaust and apartheid and many wars fought for that. If we can go to the moon then we must also be able to take care of this mental disorder.

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4 comments:

  1. Rep. King's comment isn't racism. He only called Michael Jackson a "pervert" and "pedophile." I don't know how that is similar to racism. People are getting tired of hearing the news only talking about MJ. Yes, we get it, he was a great musician, but a President dying doesn't even get that much coverage for so long. I feel the same way as Rep. King and I agree with him 100%. I guess that means I'm racist, too

    http://yovia.com/blogs/vargoza/2009/07/08/racist-republicans-are-at-it-again/

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  2. vargoz1,
    What is the alternative subject? Sarah Palin? Why does King not object to that hyperbole? Palin is a dead loss. Why it bothers folks when media talks about Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson at least was gifted entertainer. What Sarah Palin has to offer? Yes it is racism.

    You’re innocent until proven guilty. Why not offer the same courtesy to Michael Jackson?

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  3. I can't really say that I see any sign of racism on King's part, but to call a dead man, who was acquitted of all charges against him a pervert and a pedophile, is pretty low.

    Still, I cannot help but wonder if O.J. Simpson will get as much sympathy when he dies.

    By the way, I hate to say it, but it looks like you were to quick to tell your friend that it is safe in Canada. Check this out:

    http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/index.php?rn=222561&cl=14380075&ch=222562

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  4. Fish, you’re right about British Columbia story. It is sad. It is happening in Toronto and Halifax and many other places in Canada. Although the statement about the particular bar was true but I should have not generalized it to whole Canada. Compared to the Southern U.S we do fair better.

    O.J. Simpson is a different story.

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