[VhaalintheAssassin]

Although he was found innocent by legal standards, I think he is guilty to some degree, with all compiled perverted and questionable situations and settings going on with young boys. I understand fully and accept that people need to be innnocent until proven guilty without a shadow of a doubt, and I am OK that they stuck by that. However, it affected me personally, I suppose, because I've been a victim of you-know-what (I know this is personal but I am at a point in my life where I am not afraid to expose such), and the person who extensively abused me acts JUST like MJ, soft spoken, kind, etc., and is even very close in age to him. He never "got help" for the BS, and so he lives in a perpetual state of immaturity, like that of a boy--just like MJ. Even during the act of abuse, the perpetrator was tender, etc., with his demeanor, which is actually more confusing to a child, because children distinguish and connect violence and aggression with "bad" and "wrong." So, when a perpetrator acts out softly and tenderly, it confuses the kid, and, in fact, lures the kid in more effectively to be molested, because tenderness equals "OK," and "not bad." This is what lured me in. I suspect MJ is exactly like this--sorry, but I do. People whom never experienced or dealt with a molestor need to understand that they come in all shapes, sizes, attitudes, demeanors, etc. You can't just "know" what one looks like. In fact, a lot of them ARE softspoken, kind, caring, etc., because they have a manipulative process mastered. It is this kindness and tenderness that lures the kid in even more, and makes the kid trust the perpetrator.

I know this is a controversial, grey area for all, and a very touchy subject (no pun intended--Geez, I got my dad's tactless sense of humor--sigh),and esp. me as well, but with my experience (unfortunate as it is), I can just understand and detect things that others who've never been through it otherwise cannot. Although it is accepted that not enough evidence was there to prove him guilty, what he is doing is, in and of itself, just perverted and VERY much teeter-tottering on that ethical line, and any mother with two brain cells should not bother taking the risk of letting their kid go to his place. Lastly, I also don't like when people of the same "color," if you will (although we all know he has peeled his way to "white," but you know what I mean) side with him JUST because he is "one of them." It's biased and prejudiced TO side with someone just as much as it is to hate someone or think they're guilty JUST because of their color. My mother told me all the black people in her workplace "knew from the beginning he was innocent" and cheered for him, without little thought of his actions. It was simply because he was a fellow "black." I joked with my mom, saying, "So, I guess I should side with Scott Peterson just because he's white, right?" Ridiculous. That annoys me, too. Ok, enough thoughts! Had to vent--that's all...I hope I didn't anger anybody with them. Thanks.

[ 06-14-2005, 07:15 AM: Message edited by: VhaalintheAssassin ]