I find myself mourning Michael Jackson, more than I would have thought. I don't know if he really was guilty of the things he was accused of. One could certainly argue that his accusers were motivated by more than the welfare of their children when they brought their charges against him. Was he a freak? Certainly. Was he a pedophile? I don't know. Did he make decisions that were unwise? Without a doubt. But whatever else he became in the end, he was once the greatest musician alive. This guy WAS the 80's, and almost every act that followed was a pale imitation of the original. He was the Elvis Presley of my generation, and I will miss him. You can think what you want of me, but that's my take on the whole awful mess and I will stand by it. I am the last person on Earth who would defend someone who would harm a child, but I just find it impossible to take the media's word for it in this case.
PS And for those of you griping about Michael sharing his name with a respected beer advocate: Get over it. It's not like "Michael Jackson" is an uncommon name. My high school football team had a running back by that name. Both Michael Jacksons were legends in their respective fields, and may they both rest in peace.