Editorial: Parents of boy should share Jacko's blame

Published: Friday, November 21, 2003

The King of Pop apparently has trouble controlling his impulses.

Michael Jackson, the singer with an alleged tendency to fondle youngsters, is being accused of molestation by a 12-year-old boy who participated in one of Jackson's sleepovers at his Neverland Ranch in California. Law enforcement officers issued an arrest warrant for Jackson on Wednesday. Jacko voluntarily entered police custody Thursday afternoon.

A decade ago Jackson was accused of sexual misconduct by another boy, but the charges were later dropped because the boy, under an agreement imposed through a multi-million dollar settlement, refused to testify against Jackson.

The scenario is not unfamiliar to most Americans. However, the subtle implications of the imbroglio go against pure forms of ethical standards and democratic justice.

Three major issues stand out in Jackson's case:

Firstly, it goes against the legal system that alleged felonious acts can be kept from the court systems through punitive damages. Cash settlements are little more than bribery with a paper trail that amplify legal loopholes. Why is it that murderers are not allowed to allot gold bouillon to witnesses and request gag orders of them but child molesters are? Any criminal act should go to court; no one should be able to buy liberty. A crime is a crime.

Secondly, for the last two decades Jackson's character has been suspiciously outrageous. From facial mutilations to earlier allegations of groping children, Jackson has proven himself to be of unsound mind. Jackson is unquestionably mentally ill and needs to be institutionalized to see if he can be rendered into a productive and safe individual.

Thirdly, and most importantly, is an issue that has the most likelihood of being skirted. Because of Jackson's conspicuous behavior and comments made in a 2003 interview, i.e. it's "beautiful" for non-related adults and children to share a bed, all persons fit to be parents should logically deduce that Jackson is a lecherous threat to children of all ages.

The culpability of the parents should be addressed by a governmental body.

Just as Jackson was chastised for dangling his child over a balcony in Germany, so should the parents of every kid allowed to spend the night with a 45-year-old man with a history of suspicious behavior.

Only an idiot will dangle a steak in front of a tiger and expect the tiger to have enough self-control not to take it. Both Jackson and the parents of the victim are at fault.