Controversial MJ Documentary Leaving Neverland [GENERAL DISCUSSION THREAD]

8701girl · May 27, 2020

Mj estate won against HBO!

NatureCriminal7896 · May 27, 2020

8701girl said:
Mj estate won against HBO!

They did?

ScreenOrigami · May 27, 2020

8701girl said:
Mj estate won against HBO!

Hello, visitor from the future. :hellooo:
Thanks for confirming what we already knew in 2020. Will it take long? :timer:

Doggone · May 27, 2020

8701girl;4291439 said:
Mj estate won against HBO!

I hope it’s true. Source? Can’t find anything on the internet nor twitter

ScreenOrigami · May 27, 2020

Doggone;4291464 said:
I hope it’s true. Source? Can’t find anything on the internet nor twitter

It’s not.

myosotis · May 27, 2020

8701girl said:
Mj estate won against HBO!

fftopic:

This appears to be both untrue and in the wrong thread - also without any reference as to where the story might have come from. It's a bit upsetting to come here and find news that everyone is hoping for, but that has no source or evidence

As far as we know, the Estate vs HBO case will be going on for years. It's not even in 'main session' at the moment, as it's taken a side-turn on other legal principles.

In any case, any 'happenings' in the HBO case belong in this thread:

https://www.mjjcommunity.com/forum/threads/142738-The-Estate-vs-HBO/page19

PoP · May 27, 2020

8701girl;4291439 said:
Mj estate won against HBO!

Do you have proof? If there isn’t, then it’s not true, because it’s fabricated to fool us or you just don’t have proof.

myosotis · May 29, 2020

UK 'Guardian' hack and MJ hater 'HF' (I won't give her the satisfaction of her name in print here), once again uses an article about a third party to attack Michael. Sadly she seems to have missed all the teaching about journalism, research and ethics when she learned her trade. Almost everything she says about the injustice of the Allen case can be applied to MJ. It's a really long article, so just the essential 'lowlights' here. :

'Do I really care?' Woody Allen comes out fighting.

The 1992 accusation that the film-maker sexually assaulted his young daughter has made him a pariah, yet he was never charged. In this exclusive interview, he explains why he is done with treading carefully.... So, even though our interview is supposed to be about his latest film, A Rainy Day in New York, we spend the hour talking about the scandal that has overshadowed his career for the past 25 years and, for many, obscured it.

...There is a much greater awareness today of the prevalence of sexual abuse than there was in 1992 and the public is increasingly fearful of being on the wrong side of history; to question any woman’s story is, in the eyes of many, to be a rape apologist.

So the old allegation against Allen has been accorded more power than it ever had, especially among a generation that was barely born in the 90s. He is now routinely named – by journalists, the Farrows and the public – alongside Harvey Weinstein and Bill Cosby, both of whom are convicted of multiple offences, their crimes going back decades. I covered the Weinstein and Cosby cases, as well as many other stories about high-profile men either convicted or accused of sexual offences: Michael Jackson, R Kelly, Jimmy Savile, Jeffrey Epstein, Larry Nassar. All of them were accused of attacking multiple victims; their pattern of predatory behaviour spanned their lifetime. Allen was accused of one instance of molestation and not only was he not convicted, but he was never even charged; photos of him in court with Farrow are from their custody battle over their children, not from a criminal trial. Why doesn’t he sue when the New York Times calls him a “monster” alongside Epstein and Weinstein?

''It doesn’t pay to sue. Do I really want to be tabloid fodder for two years and go to court? And do I really care?” he says.

.. when he describes the allegation’s recent resurgence, his frustration burns off the page. He writes about “well-meaning citizens, brimming with moral indignation, only too happy to nobly take a stand on an issue they had absolutely no knowledge of” while other outsiders “rushed to outdo one another in profiles of courage. By God, they were against child molestation and were not afraid to say it.”

Actors who worked with Allen after the original scandal but before the change in public mood ...expressed their deepest remorse. Those who refuse to do so ....are publicly shamed.

.....I ask how he feels about the actors who denounce him. “It’s silly. The actors have no idea of the facts and they latch on to some self-serving, public, safe position. Who in the world is not against child molestation?” he says. “That’s how actors and actresses are, and [denouncing me] became the fashionable thing to do, like everybody suddenly eating kale.” External opinion is meaningless.

That said, Allen makes sure to include in his book an amusingly pointed story about Timothée Chalamet, who stars in Rainy Day: “Timothée afterward publicly stated he regretted working with me and was giving the money to charity. But he swore to my sister he needed to do that as he was up for an Oscar for Call Me By Your Name, and he and his agent felt he had a better chance of winning if he denounced me, so he did.”

........Many will argue that, as a wealthy white man, Allen was protected by authorities (although Allen writes in his memoir that one doctor involved in the case believed the Connecticut police were antisemitic). But assuming guilt in a person who was never charged is a morally precarious position – and to do so about a case that has long been mired in misinformation and misunderstanding bulldozes through any concept of due process.

It is almost 30 years since Allen was first accused of molestation; by this point, almost everything people think they know about the case is wrong.

....So I ask, given that he knows what people think about him, did he not consider ditching the plotline about the middle-aged director lusting after a college student, or declining to make a joke in his memoir about Johansson’s pheromones? ...“No, I never think about that for a second,” he says. “ It’s hard enough to get a good joke for the situation. That’s what you concern yourself with. The rest is of absolutely no importance.” In other words: Allen does not think he needs to tread carefully, because he has done nothing wrong.

...“This plays into my poetic fantasies to be an artist whose work isn’t seen in his own country and is forced, because of injustice, to have his public abroad. Henry Miller comes to mind. DH Lawrence. James Joyce. I see myself standing amongst them defiantly.

Allen is innocent: this is according to the law and the agencies that investigated him. Dylan and Ronan believe he is guilty. It is the latter view that has led some to lobby universities to drop him from film courses, exclude his movies from film festivals and talk about him as if he were a criminal. But this attitude is immoral unless it is proved he committed a crime – and, 28 years later, no one has been able to pin so much as a parking fine on him.''

I'll end this extract with the line that HF began her article with, as it sums up her article very well:
When Woody Allen was 20, the writer Danny Simon taught him a few rules about comedy, the most important of which was this: always trust your own judgment, because external opinion is meaningless.

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/may/29/do-i-really-care-woody-allen-comes-out-fighting

ScreenOrigami · May 29, 2020

myosotis;4291726 said:
All of them were accused of attacking multiple victims; their pattern of predatory behaviour spanned their lifetime.

How she jumps from accusations to actual behaviour within one sentence is just – wow.

ozemouze · May 29, 2020

myosotis said:
UK 'Guardian' hack and MJ hater 'HF' (I won't give her the satisfaction of her name in print here)

That woman is obsessed on an unhealthy level.

Michael Jackson, R Kelly, Jimmy Savile, Jeffrey Epstein, Larry Nassar

Balance and proportion are important. :/ She had to put MJ first on that list, ahead of convicted ones and/or those who were accused by hundreds. Plus guess what the first two have in common...

The funniest thing is this woman isn't very bright, so I have a feeling this isn't even her conviction. That's what she saw around her (Allen is cool, intellectuals' favorite, while MJ is just a weird song and dance man), and that's what she copies stubbornly, without any independent thought.

terrell · May 29, 2020

She makes herself looks stupid
Out of all these men, mj is the only one who has people debunking the claims and accusers are proven liars. She is only exposing herself.and to judge mj but to defend woody allen is a joke and makes her look foolish. Her stupidity comes through until it is almost laughable

PoP · May 29, 2020

Talk about a Grade A stupid level on her part. How utterly pathetic of her.

elusive moonwalker · May 29, 2020

Of course shes gonna defend allen.shes a no name trying to please her bosses and garner attention for herself by going along with the agenda.

terrell · May 30, 2020

elusive moonwalker said:
Of course shes gonna defend allen.shes a no name trying to please her bosses and garner attention for herself by going along with the agenda.

Well she is failing badly

myosotis · May 30, 2020

I've moved this article from the thread 'Articles discussing MJ's art.'

The main content (a discussion of Billie Jean) isn't relevant in this LN thread, but as it was written by Dorian Lynskey - a music writer for the Guardian and Observer as well as magazines including Q, GQ and Mojo, and the author of '33 Revolutions Per Minute: A History of Protest Songs' (Faber)- maybe this sentence gives some encouragement amid 'cancel culture', printed as it is in 'The Guardian'. (on the same day as the article written above).

The 100 greatest UK No 1s: No 6, Michael Jackson – Billie Jean

Despite his downfall, certain of his songs have been deemed too good to lose, and Billie Jean tops the list. Billie Jean is not cancelled. Whatever personal arrangement you may have come to regarding the life and music of Michael Jackson, the culture at large has made its decision. In radio stations, gyms, cafes and wedding dancefloors (at least when they were open) certain of his songs have been deemed too good to lose, and Billie Jean tops the list.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2...est-uk-no-1s-no-6-michael-jackson-billie-jean

(Link given not to encourage clicks, but because they are required here when mentioning a press article, I understand)

myosotis · May 30, 2020

Always good to hear from an unhappy HBO/ AT&T shareholder (extracts only) 'One of the worst product roll-outs ever':

AT&T: The HBO Max Launch Was A Disaster

As a long-term AT&T (T) shareholder I have been through ups and downs with AT&T stock and have been patiently waiting almost 4 years since the announcement of the Time Warner acquisition for the day AT&T finally launches its own streaming service that leverages Time Warner's rich assets.

That day finally arrived on May 27, 2020 but while I have not been expecting a lot, the launch even managed to miss my very conservative expectations.

In my view, and I am not happy to say this, the HBO Max launch was a true disaster, not generating any meaningful buzz and showcasing significant management mistakes. Now that does not mean that the overall HBO Max streaming service is bad and cannot become a success but the very important initial buzz Disney+ (DIS) managed to generate is definitely missing for HBO Max.

I have chosen a drastic title but I feel it is necessary to convey a strong message. Here are three key takeaways from that HBO Max launch for investors.

Takeaway#1: HBO Max is available on many services but not on the most important ones
For a successful streaming service there are generally four key ingredients: an attractive and easy to understand offering (price and content) and a sophisticated distribution strategy which allows customers to access the service anywhere and anytime on any device they desire. In my view AT&T's HBO Max Launch actually failed on both dimensions but the more visible one right now relates to flaws in the distribution strategy.

HBO Max was even striking these distribution platform deals after launch with the latest being one with Comcast which allows all of Comcast's Xfinity customers to sign up for HBO Max. While that is good news it pales sharply in comparison to the platforms where HBO Max is not available, most notably on Roku (ROKU) and Amazon Fire TV (AMZN).

According to the latest figures available this locks out at least 80M potential customers thereof 39.8M on Roku and over 40M users with Amazon's Fire TV platform. To put that into perspective both of these platforms account for almost 70% of the installed base of streaming devices in the US according to latest data as of Q1/2019.

The thing is that HBO Max is not only not available on these platforms but it also prevents existing HBO customers who use these services from upgrading to HBO Max and this is what Amazon implicitly describes as bad customer service.

...It is quite shocking to see just how non-existent any sort of interest in HBO Max really is. Disney+ already generated significant interest months before its launch whereas for HBO Max the line is flat in comparison to these two streaming giants. Only on launch day itself we can actually see something different than a flat yellow line for HBO Max but it is totally meaningless compared to the other two.

Investors have waited almost 4 yours to finally see how AT&T will leverage its $85B Time Warner acquisition and based on launch day and the insights we can derive from the current offering it is in my view one of the worst product roll-outs ever, certainly the worst of the big streaming platforms..................

https://seekingalpha.com/article/4350913-t-hbo-max-launch-was-disaster

Also, some existing customers are unhappy:
With the launch of HBO Max, current HBO subscribers were told they would automatically have instant access to HBO Max. Now, those with the grandfathered plans are finding that they’re being charged $15 for HBO Max, rather than the $5 they’ve been paying.

According to customers, AT&T made the change without any prior notice via email.
https://www.cordcuttersnews.com/att...-hbo-see-a-10-price-hike-with-hbo-max-launch/

ozemouze · May 30, 2020

myosotis said:
Despite his downfall, certain of his songs have been deemed too good to lose, and Billie Jean tops the list. Billie Jean is not cancelled. Whatever personal arrangement you may have come to regarding the life and music of Michael Jackson, the culture at large has made its decision.

How pathetic that the writer feels the need to almost apologize for including a song(!) into a list of songs. Just leave it out if you're too coward to express your opinion without immediate backtracking. Or would it be too obvious to leave out MJ from a list like this?!

Quoting this from the other thread:

myosotis said:
the allegation references (probably mandatory in The Guardian)

What a sad state of affairs. I don't care if it's "just" entertainment reporting, limiting the independence of journalists in one field will eventually influence every fields. And with MJ it's not even just bias, it's a clear agenda carried out on the most extreme level (hopefully the result is counterproductive overall).

ScreenOrigami · May 30, 2020

ozemouze;4291855 said:
How pathetic that the writer feels the need to almost apologize for including a song(!) into a list of songs. Just leave it out if you're too coward to express your opinion without immediate backtracking. Or would it be too obvious to leave out MJ from a list like this?!

Quoting this from the other thread:

What a sad state of affairs. I don't care if it's "just" entertainment reporting, limiting the independence of journalists in one field will eventually influence every fields. And with MJ it's not even just bias, it's a clear agenda carried out on the most extreme level (hopefully the result is counterproductive overall).

We have to be extremely careful with the “separate the art from the artist” crowd. Because if they gain momentum, that’s an actual threat to MJ’s legacy. If people find it acceptable to excuse abuse that they are made to believe has happened, only to be able to enjoy a good song, then we are in deep trouble. Any article that suggests we can find a way to keep listening to MJ while presuming him guilty is an article that should never have been written. And coming from someone who seemingly has some understanding of music, it’s even more dangerous, because unlike obvious haters, people will listen to what they have to say.

There will be more attempts like this in the future, now that they realized that cancellation doesn’t work. Be cautious of this sneaky attempt to erase MJ as a person by literally taking his music away from him.

@myosotis I should have explained it that way in the other thread. I didn’t and I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to attack you.

ozemouze · May 30, 2020

ScreenOrigami;4291862 said:
There will be more attempts like this in the future, now that they realized that cancellation doesn’t work. Be cautious of this sneaky attempt to erase MJ as a person by literally taking his music away from him.

I haven't even thought about this, but you might be right. :/

I just don't get this bloodlust, really, why is it so important to erase MJ for some? Why don't they just let it go, and at least ignore him like they basically did in the past, even though his accomplishments were unavoidable, and a threat to the old pop/rock canon, established by the same music critics. They still desperately try to make MJ pay the price for disturbing the status quo, and must be fuming the majority of the public still chosen otherwise, so more "revenge" is about to come, I guess. Hopefully less and less people will fall for it, and with the likes of youtube there's no need for gatekeepers anymore.

ScreenOrigami · May 30, 2020

ozemouze;4291866 said:
I haven't even thought about this, but you might be right. :/

Yep, I’m expecting a lot more articles, films, and books going down that route. A new storm is coming. And this time around it will disguise itself as a whispering breeze. Brace yourself.

ozemouze · May 30, 2020

Just found this in the Michael in the Media thread, thanks to Paris78:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">'He had an aura about him': the day Michael Jackson visited Fulham <a href="https://t.co/po7O2yGtkG">https://t.co/po7O2yGtkG</a></p>— The Guardian (@guardian) <a href="https://twitter.com/guardian/status/1248664838567538691?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

There's still hope for the Guardian (or they forgot to censor it, or every MJ hater is accumulated in the entertainment news segment).

PoP · May 30, 2020

myosotis;4291851 said:
Always good to hear from an unhappy HBO/ AT&T shareholder (extracts only) 'One of the worst product roll-outs ever':

AT&T: The HBO Max Launch Was A Disaster

As a long-term AT&T (T) shareholder I have been through ups and downs with AT&T stock and have been patiently waiting almost 4 years since the announcement of the Time Warner acquisition for the day AT&T finally launches its own streaming service that leverages Time Warner's rich assets.

That day finally arrived on May 27, 2020 but while I have not been expecting a lot, the launch even managed to miss my very conservative expectations.

In my view, and I am not happy to say this, the HBO Max launch was a true disaster, not generating any meaningful buzz and showcasing significant management mistakes. Now that does not mean that the overall HBO Max streaming service is bad and cannot become a success but the very important initial buzz Disney+ (DIS) managed to generate is definitely missing for HBO Max.

I have chosen a drastic title but I feel it is necessary to convey a strong message. Here are three key takeaways from that HBO Max launch for investors.

Takeaway#1: HBO Max is available on many services but not on the most important ones
For a successful streaming service there are generally four key ingredients: an attractive and easy to understand offering (price and content) and a sophisticated distribution strategy which allows customers to access the service anywhere and anytime on any device they desire. In my view AT&T's HBO Max Launch actually failed on both dimensions but the more visible one right now relates to flaws in the distribution strategy.

HBO Max was even striking these distribution platform deals after launch with the latest being one with Comcast which allows all of Comcast's Xfinity customers to sign up for HBO Max. While that is good news it pales sharply in comparison to the platforms where HBO Max is not available, most notably on Roku (ROKU) and Amazon Fire TV (AMZN).

According to the latest figures available this locks out at least 80M potential customers thereof 39.8M on Roku and over 40M users with Amazon's Fire TV platform. To put that into perspective both of these platforms account for almost 70% of the installed base of streaming devices in the US according to latest data as of Q1/2019.

The thing is that HBO Max is not only not available on these platforms but it also prevents existing HBO customers who use these services from upgrading to HBO Max and this is what Amazon implicitly describes as bad customer service.

...It is quite shocking to see just how non-existent any sort of interest in HBO Max really is. Disney+ already generated significant interest months before its launch whereas for HBO Max the line is flat in comparison to these two streaming giants. Only on launch day itself we can actually see something different than a flat yellow line for HBO Max but it is totally meaningless compared to the other two.

Investors have waited almost 4 yours to finally see how AT&T will leverage its $85B Time Warner acquisition and based on launch day and the insights we can derive from the current offering it is in my view one of the worst product roll-outs ever, certainly the worst of the big streaming platforms..................

https://seekingalpha.com/article/4350913-t-hbo-max-launch-was-disaster

Also, some existing customers are unhappy:
With the launch of HBO Max, current HBO subscribers were told they would automatically have instant access to HBO Max. Now, those with the grandfathered plans are finding that they’re being charged $15 for HBO Max, rather than the $5 they’ve been paying.

According to customers, AT&T made the change without any prior notice via email.
https://www.cordcuttersnews.com/att...-hbo-see-a-10-price-hike-with-hbo-max-launch/

Somehow I knew they would fail, they’re desperate by adding those I already kicked out of my life like Looney Tunes, DC animations, Hanna Barbara animations and even Cartoon Network animations into HBO Max, but they knew they’re in trouble with competition of Disney+ and Netflix as well as the lawsuit by the MJ Estate.

terrell · May 31, 2020

ozemouze said:
How pathetic that the writer feels the need to almost apologize for including a song(!) into a list of songs. Just leave it out if you're too coward to express your opinion without immediate backtracking. Or would it be too obvious to leave out MJ from a list like this?!

Quoting this from the other thread:

What a sad state of affairs. I don't care if it's "just" entertainment reporting, limiting the independence of journalists in one field will eventually influence every fields. And with MJ it's not even just bias, it's a clear agenda carried out on the most extreme level (hopefully the result is counterproductive overall).

The Guardian is just a trash site. That sound stupid. Their bias is now a joke and MJ is great because he is great and those songs and he was an innocent man. End of story for that low life site/paper.

terrell · May 31, 2020

ozemouze said:
I haven't even thought about this, but you might be right. :/

I just don't get this bloodlust, really, why is it so important to erase MJ for some? Why don't they just let it go, and at least ignore him like they basically did in the past, even though his accomplishments were unavoidable, and a threat to the old pop/rock canon, established by the same music critics. They still desperately try to make MJ pay the price for disturbing the status quo, and must be fuming the majority of the public still chosen otherwise, so more "revenge" is about to come, I guess. Hopefully less and less people will fall for it, and with the likes of youtube there's no need for gatekeepers anymore.

Again, it gets to a point where they expose themselves. Right now, the UK press look like trash in how they treated Megan compare to Katie. Most people know BS and the few are upset their plan did not work.

terrell · May 31, 2020

I love this article from the Baltimore paper: https://www.baltimoresun.com/opinion/op-ed/bs-ed-messenger-king-20141209-story.html

ScreenOrigami · May 31, 2020

terrell;4291936 said:
This is from the BALIMORE SUN- a REAL paper about MJ during this sad time in America. So The Guardian can go to h**l. They do not represent no one but haters/bigots.

https://www.baltimoresun.com/opinion/op-ed/bs-ed-messenger-king-20141209-story.html

Could you please copy the article here? It can’t be viewed in Europe.

terrell · May 31, 2020

<header id="top" class="top artcl--h full-columns" style="box-sizing: border-box; grid-area: 1 / 1 / span 1 / span 6; width: 1200px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Messenger King: Michael Jackson and the politics of #BlackLivesMatter

[FONT=&amp]By BY D.B. ANDERSON[/FONT]
[FONT=&amp]DEC 09, 2014 [/FONT][FONT=&amp]|[/FONT] [FONT=&amp]11:44 AM[/FONT]

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"Where are all the celebrities?"

That's a question many supporters of #BlackLivesMatter protests are asking. At this moment of great unrest, some are feeling a lack of leadership from those who have worldwide media platforms.

</cnx></cnx>
Many black actors and musicians have made public statements to express their sorrow and frustration over the Michael Brown and Eric Garner grand jury decisions. John Legend hired food trucks to feed protesters in New York. Hip-hop celebrity J. Cole joined the marchers. Philadelphia rapper Chill Moody wrote a song, "We're Worth More."

But there's a feeling that the super-famous haven't really stepped up to the plate. Pharrell's statement was less than satisfactory to some. Where is Oprah? Where is Tyler Perry? Where is Beyonce? These are the questions I've seen on my Twitter timeline these last few weeks.

I think something other than apathy is really at work here: fear and trepidation. Artists fear that taking a political stand may jeopardize their reputations and careers. Any political statement is going to have a backlash — and a price will be paid. Careers are dependent on the goodwill of corporations, from the record companies to the sponsors to the radio stations.

[Most read] Hundreds take to Baltimore streets Saturday in hours-long protest of George Floyd’s death »

Questlove put it like this on his Instagram: "I urge and challenge musicians and artists alike to push themselves to be a voice of the times that we live in. I know that many see what happened to Dixie Chicks' #NatalieMaines @mainesmusic (she bravely expressed her opinion/dismay on the Bush administration declaring war & was unjustly targeted....while in hindsight being CORRECT) suddenly there was an onslaught of radio silence from artists across the board…"

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transition: all 300ms ease-out 200ms; opacity: 0;"></cnx><cnx class="cnx-up-next-box-text" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 16px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); position: absolute; height: 63px; width: 152px; color: white; margin: 3px 8px 8px; top: 20px; left: 0px; transform: translateX(184px); transition: all 100ms ease-out 100ms; opacity: 0; overflow: hidden;"></cnx><cnx class="cnx-up-next-box-button" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; width: 45px; height: 18px; background-color: white; opacity: 0; transform: translateX(184px); transition: opacity 200ms ease-out 0s, visibility 200ms ease-out 0s, transform 0ms ease 100ms;"><cnx class="cnx-up-next-box-button-text" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: flex; line-height: 12px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); height: 18px; color: rgb(0, 153, 255); justify-content: center; align-items: center;"></cnx></cnx></cnx></cnx><cnx class="cnx-captions" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: flex; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); position: absolute; left: 275px; transform: translateX(-50%); justify-content: center; align-items: flex-end; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 20px; bottom: 10px; width: 550px; z-index: 1;"><cnx class="cnx-captions-container" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><cnx-span class="cnx-captions-text-holder" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: inline; line-height: 26px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"></cnx-span></cnx></cnx></cnx><cnx class="cnx-ui-progress cnx-ui-bar cnx-d-sm-none" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: flex; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); width: 550px; flex-direction: row; transition: inherit; height: 16px; margin-bottom: -14px;"><cnx class="cnx-ui-progress-label cnx-d-md-none" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; line-height: 14px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 12px; padding: 0px 10px; justify-content: center; min-width: 48px;"><cnx-span style="box-sizing: content-box; display: inline-block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); align-self: flex-end; white-space: nowrap; margin-bottom: 1px;"><cnx class="cnx-ui-progress-label" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; line-height: 14px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); padding: 0px 10px; justify-content: center; min-width: 48px;"><cnx-span style="box-sizing: content-box; display: inline-block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); align-self: flex-end; margin-bottom: 1px;">00:00</cnx-span></cnx></cnx-span></cnx><cnx class="cnx-ui-progress-bar" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); flex-grow: 1; align-self: stretch;"><cnx class="cnx-progress-bar cnx-video-progress" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: flex; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); width: 413.025px; height: 16px; align-items: flex-end; justify-content: center; pointer-events: all; position: relative; cursor: pointer;"><cnx class="cnx-progress-rail-container" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); pointer-events: none; width: 413.025px; height: 4px; position: relative; overflow: hidden; margin-bottom: 6px; transform: scale(1, 1); transition: transform 0.15s ease-in-out 0s;"><cnx class="cnx-progress-rail" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); width: 413.025px; height: 4px; border-radius: 8px 0px 0px 8px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.6); position: absolute; z-index: 10;"></cnx><cnx class="cnx-progress-fill cnx-color-accent" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); width: calc(100% + 1px); height: 4px; transition: none 0s ease 0s; background-color: rgb(114, 141, 178); position: absolute; left: -413.025px; z-index: 20; fill: rgb(114, 141, 178); color: rgb(114, 141, 178); stroke: rgb(114, 141, 178); transform: translateX(2.66924px);"></cnx><cnx class="cnx-progress-follow" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); width: calc(100% + 1px); height: 4px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.6); position: absolute; left: -413.025px; z-index: 11;"></cnx></cnx><cnx class="cnx-progress-handle cnx-color-accent" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); transition: opacity 0.15s ease-in-out 0s; width: 16px; height: 16px; top: 8px; margin-top: -8px; border-radius: 8px; background-color: rgb(114, 141, 178); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5) 0px 2px 4px 0px; position: absolute; z-index: 30; left: 0px; transform: translateX(-5.33076px); border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.36); opacity: 0; fill: rgb(114, 141, 178); color: rgb(114, 141, 178); stroke: rgb(114, 141, 178);"></cnx><cnx class="cnx-progress-hitarea" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); width: 413.025px; height: 16px; z-index: 1; position: absolute; bottom: 0px; left: 0px; padding-top: 18px;"></cnx></cnx></cnx><cnx class="cnx-ui-progress-label cnx-d-md-none" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; line-height: 14px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 12px; padding: 0px 10px; justify-content: center; min-width: 48px;"><cnx-span style="box-sizing: content-box; display: inline-block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); align-self: flex-end; white-space: nowrap; margin-bottom: 1px;"><cnx class="cnx-ui-progress-label" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; line-height: 14px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); padding: 0px 10px; justify-content: center; min-width: 48px;"><cnx-span style="box-sizing: content-box; display: inline-block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); align-self: flex-end; margin-bottom: 1px;">02:22</cnx-span></cnx></cnx-span></cnx></cnx><cnx class="cnx-ui-buttons cnx-ui-bar cnx-lock-bar-on-hover" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); width: 550px; flex-direction: row; transition: inherit; justify-content: space-between; align-items: center; padding: 4px 10px 8px; height: 50px; margin-bottom: -50px;"><cnx class="cnx-ui-btn cnx-hide-on-single-video" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); pointer-events: all; width: 40px; height: 40px; margin: 0px 4px; position: relative; flex-shrink: 0;"><cnx class="cnx-icon-button cnx-button-previousbutton cnx-ui-btn-hoverable" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: flex; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); width: 40px; height: 40px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; cursor: pointer; position: relative;"><cnx class="cnx-btn-container" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><svg class="cnx-color-icon" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 24 24"></svg>
</cnx><cnx class="cnx-boom-elem" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"></cnx></cnx></cnx><cnx class="cnx-ui-btn" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); pointer-events: all; width: 40px; height: 40px; margin: 0px 4px; position: relative; flex-shrink: 0;"><cnx class="cnx-icon-button cnx-ui-btn-hoverable " style="box-sizing: content-box; display: flex; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); width: 40px; height: 40px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; cursor: pointer; position: relative;"><cnx class="cnx-btn-container" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><cnx class="cnx-pause-icon" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><svg class="cnx-color-icon" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 24 24"></svg>
</cnx></cnx><cnx class="cnx-boom-elem" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"></cnx></cnx></cnx><cnx class="cnx-ui-btn cnx-hide-on-single-video" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); pointer-events: all; width: 40px; height: 40px; margin: 0px 4px; position: relative; flex-shrink: 0;"><cnx class="cnx-icon-button cnx-button-upnextbutton cnx-ui-btn-hoverable" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: flex; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); width: 40px; height: 40px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; cursor: pointer; position: relative;"><cnx class="cnx-btn-container" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><svg class="cnx-color-icon" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 24 24"></svg>
</cnx><cnx class="cnx-boom-elem" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"></cnx></cnx></cnx><cnx class="cnx-d-sm-none cnx-d-md-none" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><cnx class="cnx-volume-container" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: flex; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); flex-direction: row; pointer-events: all; height: 40px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border-radius: 16px; transition: background 0.25s ease-in-out 0s;"><cnx class="cnx-ui-btn cnx-volume-btn" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); pointer-events: all; width: 40px; height: 40px; margin: 0px 4px; position: relative; flex-shrink: 0;"><cnx class="cnx-icon-button cnx-sound-on" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: flex; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); width: 40px; height: 40px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; cursor: pointer;"><cnx class="cnx-btn-container" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><cnx class="cnx-mute-icon" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><svg markup-inline="" class="cnx-color-icon" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 24 24"></svg>
</cnx></cnx><cnx class="cnx-boom-elem" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"></cnx></cnx></cnx><cnx class="cnx-volume-bar" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: flex; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); align-items: center; justify-content: center; width: 0px; margin: 0px; height: 40px; opacity: 0; visibility: hidden; transition: all 0.25s ease-in-out 0s;"><cnx class="cnx-progress-bar" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: flex; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); width: 0px; height: 40px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; pointer-events: all; position: relative; cursor: pointer;"><cnx class="cnx-progress-rail-container" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); pointer-events: none; width: 0px; height: 4px; position: relative; overflow: hidden;"><cnx class="cnx-progress-rail" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); width: 0px; height: 4px; border-radius: 8px 0px 0px 8px; background-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); position: absolute; z-index: 10;"></cnx><cnx class="cnx-progress-fill cnx-color-icon" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); width: 0px; height: 4px; transition: all 0.15s ease-in-out 0s; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); position: absolute; left: 0px; z-index: 20; transform: translateX(0px); fill: rgb(255, 255, 255);"></cnx></cnx><cnx class="cnx-progress-handle cnx-color-icon" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); transition: all 0.15s ease-in-out 0s; width: 16px; height: 16px; top: 20px; margin-top: -8px; border-radius: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5) 0px 2px 4px 0px; position: absolute; z-index: 30; left: 0px; transform: translateX(-8px); fill: rgb(255, 255, 255);"></cnx></cnx></cnx></cnx></cnx><cnx class="cnx-ui-spacer cnx-d-sm-none" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); flex-grow: 1; align-self: stretch;"></cnx><cnx class="cnx-ui-btn cnx-d-sm-none cnx-d-md-none cnx-hide-on-volume-hover" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); pointer-events: all; width: 40px; height: 40px; margin: 0px 4px; position: relative; flex-shrink: 0; transition: opacity 150ms ease-in-out 0s;"><cnx class="cnx-icon-button cnx-button-settings cnx-ui-btn-hoverable" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: flex; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); width: 40px; height: 40px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; cursor: pointer; position: relative;"><cnx class="cnx-btn-container" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><cnx class="cnx-settings-icon" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><svg markup-inline="" class="cnx-color-icon" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" viewBox="0 0 22 22"></svg>
</cnx></cnx><cnx class="cnx-boom-elem" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"></cnx></cnx></cnx><cnx class="cnx-ui-btn cnx-d-sm-none cnx-hide-on-volume-hover" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); pointer-events: all; width: 40px; height: 40px; margin: 0px 4px; position: relative; flex-shrink: 0; transition: opacity 150ms ease-in-out 0s;"><cnx class="cnx-icon-button cnx-ui-btn-hoverable" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: flex; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); width: 40px; height: 40px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; cursor: pointer; position: relative;"><cnx class="cnx-btn-container" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><cnx class="cnx-expand-icon" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><svg markup-inline="" class="cnx-color-icon" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 24 24"></svg>
</cnx></cnx><cnx class="cnx-boom-elem" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"></cnx></cnx></cnx></cnx><cnx class="cnx-ui-gradient-bottom" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); position: absolute; background: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.36) 0%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25) 26.1%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14) 67.59%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 100%); width: 550px; z-index: -1; transition: inherit; height: 180px; bottom: 0px; transform: scaleY(-1); opacity: 0;"></cnx><cnx class="cnx-ui-cm cnx-ui-cm-quality cnx-mod-invisible" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: flex; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); position: absolute; flex-direction: column; background-color: rgba(13, 25, 45, 0.98); top: 0px; left: 82.5px; z-index: 100; padding: 7px 0px; transition: opacity 200ms ease-in-out 0s; overflow: hidden; pointer-events: all; width: 130px; opacity: 0 !important; visibility: hidden !important;"><cnx class="cnx-cm-container cnx-context-controller" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: flex; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); width: 130px; height: auto; flex-direction: row;"><cnx class="cnx-cm-items" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); width: 130px; height: 128px; position: relative; left: 0px; transition: left 200ms ease-in-out 0s;"><cnx class="cnx-cm-item--click" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: flex; line-height: 14px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); cursor: pointer; width: 130px; height: 32px; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 13px; justify-content: space-between; align-items: center; background-color: transparent !important; fill: transparent !important; stroke: unset !important;"><cnx class="cnx-cm-item__title" style="box-sizing: content-box; display: block; line-height: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); 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The Dixie Chicks lost their corporate sponsor following that 2003 incident and saw their songs pulled off the air and sales of their music nosedive. Imagine then, what fate could befall artists who made political statements a centerpiece of their work?

Michael Jackson was never afraid to put himself out there for the truth as he saw it. We could always count on Jackson to be the global leader of the band, to give voice to everything we were feeling. His adult catalog is a trove of social activism. Starvation. AIDS. War. Gang violence. Race relations. The environment. It was Jackson who put on concerts for war-torn Sarajevo. It was Jackson who put together a group charity song and concert after 9/11. It was Jackson who used every ounce of his global celebrity to make a difference. He was there.

What happened to Jackson for his politics was so much worse than losing sales. For in speaking truth to power, Jackson made himself a target, and he took a pounding. The worst shots at him were taken by a white district attorney in California who pursued him relentlessly for 12 years and charged him with heinous crimes that were utterly disproved at trial.

No one ever seems to connect the dots: A very vocal, very influential, very wealthy black man was taken down by a white prosecutor on trumped-up charges.

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Indeed, for Jackson the silence was deafening. He lost sponsors and faced financial problems of exactly the type that Questlove refers to. Skepticism about his vitiligo (later verified by autopsy) and accusations of skin-bleaching had already cost him some supporters. His fellow artists bailed, his protests against the machinations of his record label were roundly mocked in the press. "Most of us had turned our backs on him," Madonna said after his death.

In 1996, Jackson enlisted Spike Lee to create the short film for his song, "They Don't Care About Us." You may have never seen it however, because it was banned from American television. And radio stations in the U.S. were reluctant to play the track because Jackson was accused of using "racist" language in it.

The song was, in large part, a response to the failure to convict police officers of the videotaped 1992 Rodney King beating, but also to his own terribly degrading experience of police brutality in 1993. To re-read the criticism of the song today is to shake your head in disbelief at its disingenuousness. It's obvious that for some in power at the time, this was a dangerous song, and the objections merely an attempt to deflect.

What we need, said Questlove the other day, are "songs with spirit in them. Songs with solutions. Songs with questions. Protest songs don't have to be boring or non-danceable….they just have to speak truth."

On Twitter, #TheyDontCareAboutUs is a hashtag. In Ferguson, they blasted the Michael Jackson song through car windows. In New York City and Berkeley last weekend, it was sung and performed by protesters. And In Baltimore, there was a magical moment when the Morgan State University choir answered protests with a rendition of Jackson's "Heal The World."

The price has already been paid, but the check was never cashed. Maybe we just need to finally listen to Michael Jackson.

D.B. Anderson is writer and content strategist based in the Washington DC metro area. His email is dbanderson.writes@gmail.com.

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ozemouze · May 31, 2020

Thanks for this article. Too bad it's still relevant in every sense.

myosotis · May 31, 2020

ScreenOrigami;4291862 said:
We have to be extremely careful with the “separate the art from the artist” crowd. Because if they gain momentum, that’s an actual threat to MJ’s legacy. If people find it acceptable to excuse abuse that they are made to believe has happened, only to be able to enjoy a good song, then we are in deep trouble. Any article that suggests we can find a way to keep listening to MJ while presuming him guilty is an article that should never have been written. And coming from someone who seemingly has some understanding of music, it’s even more dangerous, because unlike obvious haters, people will listen to what they have to say.

There will be more attempts like this in the future, now that they realized that cancellation doesn’t work. Be cautious of this sneaky attempt to erase MJ as a person by literally taking his music away from him.

@myosotis I should have explained it that way in the other thread. I didn’t and I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to attack you.

Thank you- I really appreciate that :flowers:

I think I'm just taking a slightly different view because after last year, I'm glad that a publication like the Guardian is saying *anything remotely positive* about MJ's music, even if the comments on the music are laced with 'allegation' references.

My different take on this is that anyone who likes MJ's music 'casually', will probably read the article and realise that (despite LN) this writer accepts that MJ's music is not 'media- / public opinion-cancelled'. And 'haters' will read that too, and maybe accept the fact - and hopefully stop complaining to radio stations/ DJ's etc when his music is played.

And very importantly on social media if anyone says 'yes, but *the allegations*', articles like these give fans a chance to respond and give more information to show that LN was indeed trash. And so by very small 'baby steps', fans can push back, minute by minute and day by day. Like a glacier, the sheer relentlessness and weight of fan's opinion (backed by evidence and by sharing important information hidden by the media) will (and is already) carrying the truth to a wider audience.

So while I can thoroughly disagree with the way an article like this (in the Guardian) is written, I'm content to use it as a platform from which to engage with people who may not be members of the fan community on social media, and who need to see the real truth. (Even if they don't like that truth).

(Edited to add...And as a general point, anyone who likes a particular song usually finds it hard to dislike the singer. A love of MJ's music is the surest route to a curiosity about and a love for the true MJ himself).

Mechaspiderman · May 31, 2020

ScreenOrigami;4291862 said:
We have to be extremely careful with the “separate the art from the artist” crowd. Because if they gain momentum, that’s an actual threat to MJ’s legacy. If people find it acceptable to excuse abuse that they are made to believe has happened, only to be able to enjoy a good song, then we are in deep trouble. Any article that suggests we can find a way to keep listening to MJ while presuming him guilty is an article that should never have been written. And coming from someone who seemingly has some understanding of music, it’s even more dangerous, because unlike obvious haters, people will listen to what they have to say.

There will be more attempts like this in the future, now that they realized that cancellation doesn’t work. Be cautious of this sneaky attempt to erase MJ as a person by literally taking his music away from him.

I agree 100%. So many times I saw it being brought up when discussing the allegations. "why can't you listen to his music and accept that hes guilty, just admit it and keep on playing Billie Jean". Ignoring for now how baseless accusers' claims are, that's a ridiculous statement. For some reason, it's acceptable to embrace art made by despicable people, be it out of convenience or some misguided notion that artists are above common folk. Our choices as consumers shouldn't be free of scrutiny, supporting criminals because we are attached to their work displays lack of either discipline or moral standards.
Getting back to MJ, those sentiments are aspecially jarring because his work is so personal it's literally impossible to draw the line between the man and his art. Maybe that's why you hear the same people echoing that "separate art from the artist" crap would say MJ peaked at Thriller and OTW since his later work speaks so much more about the man. While it would be ignorant and false, it's relatively easy to dismiss those two albums as dance music, brilliant, but not exactly deep or conveying meaningful message. Good luck with HIStory though, reviews from 1995 prove it's literally impossible. And that's another reason the whole idea of separation is hurtful to MJ as an artist. It strips his music of it's spirit, degrading it to just nice background noise you can dance to, without any purpose or meaning.

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