Hardcore Greg said:

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So do we believe Michael Jackson really molested kids? Or is it possible he was basically a clinically insane child in a grown man's body, who liked sleep overs and play time because he missed out on all of that growing up and had a f'd up childhood?

Not excusing any of that behavior but did he just not lay a hand on kids like Macauley Culkin, Corey Feldman, Alfonso Riberio, Emmanuel Lewis etc? Or did he just practice self control around them and only molest unknown kids who didn't have the same media access child stars would have had?

Does anyone else want to believe he was just a man who lost his mind, but not a child molester? My 5 year old absolutely loves his music and I don't know how I'm ever going to break any of this to her

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What a weird thing to be worked up about. Music is music. You like it, listen to it.

Me personally, it's painfully obvious that Jackson was a predator. I'm not going to see the movie, not strictly because for that, mostly because it just doesn't interest me.

But if Billie Jean comes on, you now damn well I'm going to turn it up.

Hardcore Greg said:

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So do we believe Michael Jackson really molested kids? Or is it possible he was basically a clinically insane child in a grown man's body, who liked sleep overs and play time because he missed out on all of that growing up and had a f'd up childhood?

Not excusing any of that behavior but did he just not lay a hand on kids like Macauley Culkin, Corey Feldman, Alfonso Riberio, Emmanuel Lewis etc? Or did he just practice self control around them and only molest unknown kids who didn't have the same media access child stars would have had?

Does anyone else want to believe he was just a man who lost his mind, but not a child molester? My 5 year old absolutely loves his music and I don't know how I'm ever going to break any of this to her

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I have no idea if he is innocent or not, but I don't think the fact he didn't rape the famous kids is a sign of innocence. It's possible he took advantage of those that were less well of because he knew the public would be less likely to believe them, they could be paid off, etc. Its also possible he did mess around with them, too, but it is in the best interest for their careers to not say anything. Or maybe he just took advantage of the kids who were most vulnerable. I do think it's also possible he was just a strange dude trying to live out the childhood he never got. I really have no idea

As far as telling your kids, my daughter loved MJ music still does. We never talked about his personal life, though, just like we've never discussed Taylor Swift's, or Noah Kahan, or Axl Rose, etc. just listen to the music.

Agree. His music is still in my playlist and that will never change. But he was a freak and an abuser. I get that not everyone can separate the art and artist, and I don't blame them. And I don't do it 100% of the time either. But I'm a genX child of the 80s and this music was a part of my childhood, so I'll never ignore it.