It is hard to change your mind on a topic despite years of support. Recently I promised to stop listening to R. Kelly music, and it is been hard because I think Trapped in the Closet is amazing and quoted it regularly enough in regular conversation.
Michael Jackson though? That is a much bigger name, a much bigger icon and someone who impacted, psha, probably everyone born in the between 1970-1999 at least? Sure, we had the stories about his closeness to children. I remember that being a stigma that we all just accepted, but at the same time, the court cases did not prove he did anything, he walked away from it all. Some of the people who accused him of crime has been in get rich quick schemes and other fake lawsuits.
CLEARLY all of this was a smear campaign against him! Jealous of his talent, fame. Dude had a rough childhood, leave Michael Jackson and Brittney Spears alone!
But this documentary came out. Could I be wrong? You know, technically no one in the grand scheme of things who can only know info based on what media has reported to me about these events that mostly occurred when I was only a few years old?
Everything I know is a lie!
Now what evidence does Leaving Neverland actually offer? Good question.
Just stories, only stories. Mainly, two stories by two now men who have claimed to have been in a sexual relationship with Jackson when they were in their pre-teens to teenage years. But these aren’t simple claims. They are detailed, elaborate, and fresh. They have other people (siblings, parents, friends) talking about their relationship, and their stories matched with the victims. These relationships from even a regular point of view changed their families lives and broke one of them up.
And the hardest part of the story. Why now? Why waiting so long? Why, when asked in the 90’s, would they lie then and protect Jackson. And the answers given make sense. Age, a sense of love, and all of that.
I feel terrible that people went through this, the two boys and whoever knows how many more. And it sucks that we live in a climate that is so willing to protect those with influence versus regular members of societies.
In conclusion, Michael Jackson had a rough life, pretty famously, growing up. This led him to success, and a completely messed up life view. This also led to bad and illegal things, ruining many lives and affecting the world even long after his death. Shit’s fucked up.