Police armed with a search warrant for a criminal investigation invaded Michael Jackson's 'Neverland Ranch' in central California yesterday.The pop superstar was not at home and said he knew nothing about their investigation. Some reports claim that police brought portable toilets with them - a sign that this searchwould take a while. Today Jackson was charged with multiple counts of child molestation. Authorities reported that his bail will be set at $3 million, and he willbe forced to surrender his passport.
ABC's packaging of Martin Bashir's documentary earlier this year on Michael Jackson began with the quote "If there were no children on this earth, if somebody announced that all kids were dead, I would jump off the balcony immediately. I'm done. I'm done."
At age 44 Michael Jackson invites children into his bed to sleep with him. How can we believe his assertion that there is no sexual activity? He also asserts that he has only had two cosmetic surgeries - both on his nose - and both to help him improve his singing. Photographs clearly show a much more extensive series of changes to his appearance. In the documentary he almost admits intentionally lightening his skin, comparing it to white people who get suntans. Then he appears to remember that he attributes his whiteness to the skin condition vitiligo and backs away from the remarks.
Forced into adulthood and fame at an early age, beaten by his father, not allowed to play with other children, Michael Jackson appears to be trapped in a perpetual childhood. Teased by his father and cousins about how he looked as an adolescent - having a big nose and having pimples - he stated "I would have been happier wearing a mask." He now forces his own children to wear masks or veils in public.
Jackson's discomfort with adult sexuality also concerns me. As adults, we are all sexual beings. When we deny our sexuality it will find expression in some manner. "Wet dreams" are examples of this. Hopefully Jackson's sexuality finds its expression in this manner, rather than with the children that he loves.
Jackson asserts that his ex-wife had children as gifts for him. He notes that "I used to walk around holding baby dolls" before he had actual children to hold. In the documentary he appears to have very little empathy for his own children, stuffing a bottle roughly into the mouth of a distressed infant - oblivious to the child's distress. His next goal is to adopt two children - a boy and a girl - from each continent around the world. To add to his collection?
Jackson's inability to parent certainly appears to have roots in his own peculiar childhood. While that helps explain his behavior - it doesn't excuse it. Being beaten with a belt was damaging to Jackson. Who knows what scars his children will have from being forced to wear masks and veils in public. Michael Jackson will probably never beat his children with a belt. His peculiar self-centered immature form of love may be just as damaging to them. Authorities are now investigating.
