I found Rev.Sharpton and Jesse Jackson's coddling of Micheal Jackson at James Brown's funeral

[saracat]

a bit disconcerting. I understand Brown would have wanted him there and that is fine but I am tired of our politicians being pictured with this disgusting pedophile.I was sickened when Clinton was allowed to introduce Jackson at the Apollo several years ago and gave tribute to him at the height of the scandal. This denigrates our people in the eyes of the public.JMHO.And I "know' Jackson wasn't convicted of anything but as far as I am concerned the only word for someone who admits he sleeps with boys and thinks it is normal is pedophile.I would also add, his treatment of his own children is abuse and it seems all these people are condoning it.

[Solo_in_MD]

1. Shows thier priorities clearly in my mind...

[partylessinOhio]

2. I feel they were extending a hand to Michael as James Brown wanted them to do.

The message was that he does not have to stay out of the country anymore, that he is welcome to come home again. That is the power of love and forgiveness for whatever Michael may or may not have done.

[saracat]

3. As he has not changed anything in his method of raising his children, let alone

his attituder, I don't see where he is entiltled to any "love and forgiveness'. Do you treat other child abusers and pedophiles this way? We "demand " that children be taken away from such people and they usually go to jail! Sorry.This is inappropriate. Unless of course one thinks telling children their mother is dead and draping them in masks to go outside, and bleaching the hair of one to make them more "white" as well as keeping the children away from the "contamination" of school and other children is okay with them.

[rsmith6621]

4. Oh WackoJacko Is At The Love Fest....

Keep his ASS away from the children that might be there.....I thought he hated America I wish he would stay away.....Good Lawyers can get anyone guilty off Scott free.......

Go Back to Bahrain Micheal.....your not welcomed here.

[liberalhistorian]

5. I agree, I thought it was

really disgusting and turned off the service at that point. James Brown was misguided when it came to Jackson.

[Imagevision]

6. Huge, humomgus disappointment Bill Clinton didn't pay his respects

to James Brown, Bill baby tsk,tsk,tsk!! - you got music, you got soul, you Bill are a phoney!

[snowbear]

7. Imagevision, face it... you're just a Big Dawg BASHER !!

Phoney my ass!!

You have absolutely NO IDEA what President Clinton's agenda looks like, or whether he's reached out to James Brown's family in his own way.

You have NO clue.

[beaconess]

11. Are you serious?

[snowbear]

8. Well.. it was tacky when George Bush invited XXX PORN star Mary Carey to dine with him too..

First event was a GOP fundraiser that made huge national news, then she was invited back later..

The Evangelicals were supposedly sickened by Bush's decision to invite her to the GOP events... but like usual, they spaced it out that it ever happened 3 days later.




Reverend Sharpton has more class in his little finger than Mr. Bush has in his whole pathetic body..

[BluegrassDem]

9. Your hatred of Michael has nothing to do with James Brown

Brown and Jackson were friends. Jackson peformed with Brown at his tribute show on BET a couple of years ago. Jackson gives Brown credit for making him the performer that he is (was). Brown wanted Jackson to be at his funeral and that should be respected. I commend Jackson for traveling to America just to attend the funeral. That shows enormous respect, and James Brown wouldn't have wanted any other way. If you hate Michael Jackson, then that's your problem, not James Brown or his family and friends.

[beaconess]

10. THANK you!

Michael Jackson was like a son to James Brown and it was only fitting that he return to the States to attend his funeral. And given his closeness to Brown, it would have been boorish at best for Rev. Jackson or Sharpton - or anyone else, for that matter - to treat him rudely at the service.

And I'm sure no one here has any idea what these men say to Michael privately. For all any of us knows, they may cuss him out in private. So it's WAY out of line for people to be so judgmental about a situation they know absolutely nothing about based upon what they see on television.

[saracat]

12. I do not hate James Brown.I was merely stating that it seems unseemly for men such as

Rev.Jackson and Rev Sharpton to be seen publicly appearing to accept Micheal Jackson. It reflects poorly on our party. I do believe that if Mr.Brown thought that Micheal Jackson was reputable, he must not have been a great judge of character. I initially stated I understood that James Brown had requested Michaels attendance and that was his perogative.I stand by my statement that the coddling of Micheal Jackson was revolting.

[BluegrassDem]

13. It may be 'revolting' to you, but not to most black people

Jackson and Sharpton aren't politicians holding office. They are not beholding to anyone, including the Democratic Party. They can be seen with anyone they want. Many conservatives don't like that Jesse Jackson went over and met with Saddam Hussein and other anti-American leaders. They can do that because they can. Just cause you detest Michael doesn't mean we all feel that way. Jackson and Sharpton are friends with Michael and they are right to stand by them.

[sandnsea]

14. It shows character

And honestly Saracat, I like you, but I don't think there's enough space to explain it. Only people who have been unfairly kicked around by people with power would ever understand what real loyalty means. I appreciate people who put everything on the line out of loyalty to a friend. Jesse Jackson & Sharpton grew in my eyes today.

[saracat]

15. Believe me sandsea, no one has experienced more betrayal and

being kicked around than me. I, too, place a high premium on loyalty and friendship as a result of that. I applaud Rev.Jackson and Rev.Sharptons capacity to stand by a friend who is unfairly accused or kicked around, but based on what Micheal Jackson himself has stated, I have no reason to believe he was "unfairly" treated by anyone. MJ was a multi millionaire celebrity who took advantage of poor children in desperate circumstances. Even if all the many stories of molestation are not true, he obviously behaved inappropriately with these children.The children, including his own, who are powerless, are the ones that the two good Reverends ought to be defending.JMHO.

[sandnsea]

17. It was James Browns' wish

Their loyalty was to James Brown and they stood by that, even putting their own reputations on the line to honor his wishes. Whatever loyalty they may or may not have to Michael Jackson, I don't know. What they may or may not know about his personal life and his personal efforts to deal with his life, I also don't know. James Brown was no saint either. But Revs Jackson and Sharpton both proved they are not fair-weather friends. When someone loves them, they love them back, all the way, to the end. I have friends that I have stood by, under some pretty ugly circumstances where I didn't know whether they were guilty or innocent. No human should ever be completely abandoned, no matter what he's done, even the Ted Bundy's of the world. If you happen to be the thread in that person's life, well then there you are. Are you going to be the one to stick by Richard Pryor as he plummets into the drug abyss, so that you can be there when he's ready to climb out? Or are you going to walk away at the first sign of trouble? When I choose a friend and a friend chooses me, I stick. That's just the way I am. Obviously, Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are too, as is Michael Jackson.

[saracat]

18. What a beautiful post sandsea! From this perpective I totally agree with you!

But I must admit I have difficulty with supporting Micheal after listening to some of the statements he himself has made.And I definately believe that someone should be considered innocent until proven guilty.My problem is what Micheal himself admits to.I may not be as good a friend as the Reverend as I could not stand by someone who abuses children no matter how close we were.But as you say, we do not know what he has told them.He is avery lucky to have such friends.And yopur friends are very lucky to have you!

[alcibiades_mystery]

16. Mos Def

You can laugh and criticize Michael Jackson if you wanna
Woody Allen molested and married his step-daughter
Same press kicking dirt on Michael's name
Show Woody and Soon-Ye at the playoff game, holding hands
Sit back and just bug, think about that
Would he get that type of dap if his name was Woody Black?
OJ found innocent by a jury of his peers
They been fucking with that Nigga for last five years
Is it fair, is it equal, is it just, is it right?
Do they do the same shit when the defendent face is white?
If white boys doing it, well, it's success
When I start doing, well, it's suspect
Don't hate me, my folks is poor, I just got money
America's five centuries deep in cotton money
You see a lot of brothers caked up, yo straight up
It's new,
Y'all living off of slave traders paper
But I'ma live though, yo I'ma live though
Putting up the big swing for my kids yo
Got my mom the fat water-front crib yo
I'ma get her them pretty bay windows
I'ma cop a nice home to provide in
A safe environment for seeds to reside in
A fresh whip for my whole family to ride in
And if I'm still Mr Nigga
I won't find it suprising...

[beaconess]

19. Great comment about Woody Allen

Michael Jackson is accused and acquitted of molestation and he's treated as a pariah and run out of the country.

Woody Allen molests his stepdaughter and his films still get greenlighted without a blink, Hollywood's A-list still stands in line to appear in his pictures and millions still flock to see his movies (I don't since I refuse to support a filmmaker whose vision of New York City never includes any black people).

We definitely have a double standard.