Hey Mediots? What is it with the MJ hate guys?

So two weeks have gone by since the theatre of the absurd known as "Michael Jackson died coverage" has kicked off and truthfully there is no end in sight. Not sure what to think about that but in truth it doesn't really bother me all that much because I never watched much CNN/Fox News/MSNBC/Entertainment Tonight/{You name the tabloid show} in the first place. I have read the various laments about how overblown the coverage is and find it very easy to agree. What I do not agree with is the tone of some of the laments. "He was a pedophile and a child molester!" asserts one pundit. "He was no Beethoven!" writes another. "He simply was not that significant a person...." is the refrain coming from many corners.

As we live in America, I fully support the right of these people to their opinions about Michael Jackson, his legacy, his alleged crimes, the stupid media coverage, the fans who travel thousands of miles just to stand around hoping for a glimpse of his casket. I get that. But why be in attack mode? Why attack a dead man? Why attack people who adored him whatever their reasoning for doing so? His humanitarian efforts on behalf of children alone render him worthy of high praise and reverence in my opinion. That much of his music was simply formulaic pop is of no consequence. Most music of the rock era can be described thusly. Who cares? It is no less pleasant to listen to just because it isn't filled with full orchestra arrangements and full choir backing vocals. Some people like mystery novels, some people like comic books. Both are legitimate preferences. This whole business of looking down upon those who do not share in our "intelligent" view of the world is extremely distasteful to me. Live and let live. What harm are these "people who mourn a stranger" doing to me, you or the uppity pundits looking down their noses at them? If teenage girls faint at the sight of the Beatles getting off the plane or out of a limo, why would we expect they would have a measured response to the passing of a pop icon like Michael Jackson. The tone of those sitting in judgement of them speaks to the ongoing undercurrent of hate in our society. It has colored our politics for at least the past 2 decades and it has gradually infiltrated all corners of our society. One simply cannot be "somebody" unless one is asserting one's superiority over others by putting them down.

Those who know me know that I am as cynical and sarcastic as anyone, but I do it with tongue planted in cheek. I don't take myself or my rants all that seriously and encourage others to follow suit. I'm just a guy, trying to live life the best I can. I am not trying to tell others how they should live, what they should think, who they should vote for, whatever.. So called journalists shouldn't either. Reporters should go back to "reporting." These commentary shows that vie to brainwash people to the hosts way of thinking should be taken off the air. People should think for themselves. If they want to know about something they should gather facts and formulate their own opinion, not wait for some talking head to tell them what to think. If they don't understand something, they should turn to someone they know and trust and engage in discussion. Maybe a neighbor, maybe a coworker. Someone known to be intelligent. Not even necessarily someone whose opinion they share. In fact it is often more productive to engage in discussion with someone with the opposite viewpoint than someone who agrees with you. This Michael Jackson thing is not such an issue by the way. Death is not complicated. Nor is a family's loss of a brother and son or children's loss of their father. No one should need to have that explained to them. Speculation about whether he is the kids' father, who gets his money, who does he own money, who gets his children, how much plastic surgery did he have, how many kids did he molest and a long laundry list of trivialities have no place in this. And shame on us for legitimizing this behavior by continuing to tune into it. Maybe its time we should those "smarter and holier than thou" talking heads what "class" is.. by turning them off.