Readers' Blog: Michael Jackson’s fame outdoes his actions
Never listening to Michael Jackson’s music again is like the Germans refusing to drive on the Autobahn.
Recently the horrendous account of years of sexual abuse at the hands or arguably the greatest musician of all time was broadcast across the globe.
Leaving Neverland a gripping four-hour documentary, broadcast on Channel 4, examines the story of Wade Robson and James Safechuck.
In the aftermath of the documentary. The torrent of abuse they both faced online is a sign of the gripping paralysis of denial that consumes people when they don’t want to confront the reality that their hero may in fact be a monster.
In the wake of the documentary the debate raged on, will you ever listen to Michael Jackson’s music again?
Yes, sadly, we will.
His fame will out shadow his abuse. His legacy as the king of pop will live on, although shrouded in a cloud of misery for those whom he directly and indirectly affected.
There are a number of reasons for this injustice.
The blame lies not with the victims of abuse, but with those who continue to defend the indefensible.
Nonetheless MJ’s legacy will outlive the allegations, like most of history’s greatest villains. MJ was deeply flawed, affected by his own childhood, causing a set of inexcusable behaviours to be overlooked in order for him to achieve super stardom, irrespective to the human suffering or collateral damage.
History will show that MJ contributed to transforming the music industry the same way that Hitler transformed many aspects of modern day living. That fact, and a moment of appreciation, however, does not make his actions defensible it does not justify the abuse that took place and worse still for those that deny the truth out of convenience rather than dealing with a difficult reality, it does not make your victim shaming correct, it makes your ignorance blatantly apparent.
