Michael Jackson memorial service - Greatly missed or Good riddance? Vote!

I object to your poll. I think the truth, as is so often the case, lies somewhere in the middle. Jackson was an amazingly gifted songwriter, singer, dancer, and entertainer. He was also a creepy freak. You can argue all the factors that may have led to his creepy-freakedness - he was abused, he never got to have a childhood, he's actually either an alien or a very strangely-programmed cyborg - but it doesn't make it any less true.

Nope. I'm was going to include a third category saying "both". But I'm going to make it harder on all of you to choose. ; )

I am glad that we are having this Memorial Service for the King of Pop.  He's been a favorite of mine since 1970 with the J5.  I've seen them perform live in concert about 5 times, including the Pocono Mountains and Madison Square Garden.  He was quite possibly the greatest entertainer the world has ever seen.  His music will live on forever.  This is an appropriate tribute/service for Michael because of all the enjoyment he brought to us over the decades.

Well, its hard to argue that he was one of the best entertainers who ever lived, but that doesn't mean he wasn't also a major curiosity.  If someone would take a MJ Salute on the road, they would get amazing ticket sales.  Today's event, called a "Memorial Service" is getting creepy because it is part celebrity salute, part fan-crushing gawking event, and part wake, given that they are bringing Michael's body to the event.  Frankly, I will be happiest when all this settles down.

I object to the poll too. There's no need to ask whether people feel as though 'good riddance' describes their feelings. The memorial service is fitting for one of the worlds greatest musical geniuses, if not the greatest musical genius of modern history.

I listened to the mother of his children defend him against claims of pedophilia and he was no more strange than Alice Cooper, Elvis Presley, Salvatore Dali and any number of other people who are incredibly wealthy as a result of their place in the spotlight.

Agree

I agree too!

I think this is a ridiculous q. here. I resent this post. A man has died here Liz, geez. First and foremost he was a man. He had a good heart better then you or I.  We all can take a lesson from the man. He was a great humanatarian. How many sick kids have you helped Liz? how many burn units did you have built? or songs did you write for people with aids? How many charaties have you given to? Not as many as MJ I can tell you that. This service was about his life. He gave more then he ever got in return from this world. He was miserable. All you had to do was really watch the service and see they honored him as a caring, beautiful man. He trusted and believed in God and was not afraid to say so. Michael Jackson was a better human being trying to live as the Lord says to then most people here on earth. God Bless you Michael. Love and Miss you. Thank you for showing those who will accept it how to truly care for people of all races and colors. Thank you that you did not just see things as Black or White.

Actually Lora I'm a huge MJ fan, thank you very much. I put this poll together because I saw a contrast in views here on Gather and on other websites. There were those who loved him and those who despised him. I put this together to see what the majority's initial impression was. Does that mean that I don't see the good things he did? NO.

As for Michael giving to other people, I think that's great. Does it make him a better person than me because he gave more money to charity? Absolutely not. He has the financial means to do it. But did he have a good heart? I think so.

He gave with a pure heart and the right attitude. That is what counts in Gods eyes. When all is said and done we will all be judged for the works here on earth. I am just saying Michael took a bad rap in life let us leave him alone in his death.

what does it matter what the majority of impressions were about him? He was a man. A good man. This is the world. Of course you are going to get those who will hate him. Because they cannot see the heart of people. That is a God given gift to be able to see the heart of someone. What did you think? This is the world, not a nice place. you knew people would be split on opinions.

Liz, what bothers me and what EVERYONE fails to realize, especially those that despise him, is that their opinions are shaped 100% by the media.

Now, the media shaped 100% our opinion to invade Iraq. Most of the US was gung ho. It wasn't until several years later that we realized we were lied to and even now we still discuss Iraq with not a care that we, NOT Saddam Hussein, killed 1.2 million human beings.

We discuss a subject in which 1.2 million humans are dead as though they never lived.

The USS Liberty is a subject few people are familiar with.

Project Northwoods is a subject few people are familiar with.

Executive order 11110 is something few people are familiar with.

The media not only shapes our opinions 100% but they shape history too.

Agreed. And the media is going to focus more on scandal because that is what sells more magazines, etc. None of us personally knew Michael Jackson, and a lot of the public will hang onto that "Wacko Jacko" character. All the celebrities at his memorial service had really nice things to say. And he just seemed like a normal, sweet person.

There was one quote they kept playing over and over at the Michael Jackson memorial service from him that was something like, "I want to be seen as a person, not a personality."

Thanks Liz, you're kind.

I so agree with John. People's attitudes are convinced by the media. They took whole heartedly the rumor that he as a child molestor but wouldn't take it whole hearteldy that he was found innocent. When it comes to innocent until proven guilty people forgot about that with Michael Jackson. It is sad. They forget how they would feel if the shoe was on the other foot and it was them being accused of such foul behavior, not because they did it but because the media said they did.

Someone on CNN pointed this out and it's something that I noticed myself. There are some racial lines when it comes to support of Michael Jackson. Black people are much more supportive as a whole of Michael Jackson despite his perception in the media than other races are.

I think hes absolutely Amazing. With a big heart and a true artist. The media ran him into the ground repeatedly. I do not agree with all the acusations. He did have alot of issues but he was not a child molester. I will miss him dearly. Many memorys were made while his music played in the background. He is the true king of pop and nothing wil ever change that Rip Michael.

Exactly.

I for one am sad to see Michael Jackson go. I am glad that he can rest in peace and like his brother said today-"Maybe now they'll leave you alone." He is no longer in physical pain, mental pain or emotional pain and for that I'm happy. I feel bad for his children as it is another set of children without their father in the world.  He was a great humanitarian and not just because he had the money to do it.  Plenty of rich people have the money to do it but they don't.  I don't believe that he was a child molester and even people like Donald Trump who kept their kids around him all the time even said it.  He will be missed dearly.

Rest in peace Michael Jackson!

More people than I was expecting have said "Good riddance". Interesting.

One mans, any man’s death, is not something to cause an argument with another human being. Does anybody here understand the pointlessness of this? Can the writings of anybody here, enhance the understanding of the complexity of a man’s life that so much as one of you is going to say, “ah, now I see things more clearly, I was wrong and my mistake has been clarified”. These destructive words only diminish those who recite them.