What is the Political Gain for Coming Out For or Against Michael Jackson?

Diana Ross, once Michael Jackson’s closest friend and confidante, said back in the day that “Michael has a lot of people around him, but he’s very afraid.” She spoke about her fear that people would attach themselves like leeches and feed off of Jackson’s fame. And as we have seen in MJ’s passing at age 50, a collection of personalities such as; the Rev. Al Sharpton, Rev. Jesse Jackson and Congressman Peter King clustered themselves around the worldwide media phenomenon that is the death of Michael Jackson. They and others have gained political and cultural capital for coming out in support of and against the pop music icon.

King, a little-known and little-respected New York Republican congressman, rocketed out of deserved obscurity and onto the front pages on the eve of Jackson’s memorial. King called Jackson a “lowlife,” a “child molester” and a “pervert” who didn’t deserve the hero’s sendoff that should instead be appropriated to military soldiers.

“This guy was a pervert. He was a child molester. He was a pedophile,” King spat out bitterly in a camera interview that can be viewed on YouTube. “And to be giving this much coverage to him, day in and day out — what does that say about our country.”

King’s senseless and irrational vitriol against Jackson was quickly met by a storm of criticism. Most notably dissenting was the Daily Voice columnist Joni Reynolds, who described King’s remarks as a “hateful tirade” and called into question his motivation and timing. “He, like so many others, want to attach themselves to Michael Jackson,” Reynolds wrote. “This guy, while known as a conservative Republican in New York, was not a household name, but now he is. King achieved his goal. We are all talking about him and he is now another pathetic person just trying to get a little of the Jackson spotlight.”

Conversely, Sharpton has also come under a thunderstorm of criticism for his frequent public appearances with the Jackson family since the King of Pop’s death. Particularly, Shartpon was denounced bitterly in the media and on blog sites when on the day of Jackson’s memorial, he called for a national day of mourning in observance of Jackson’s death. Sharpton also demanded that Jackson’s image be placed on a U.S. stamp, ala Elvis. The longtime civil rights leader’s community advocacy has often been overshadowed by his mainstream reputation as a spotlight-craving ambulance chaser who shamelessly peddles racial politics for personal, political and financial gain.

While Sharpton enjoys a wide support and fan base, there is an equally vocal opposition base. One blogger may have summed up the sentiments of many when he wrote: “I’m black and I know for a fact that Sharpton is the kind of Negro that rides the coattails of fellow blacks just to get a piece of the action.” Another blogger couldn’t contain his disdain for the longtime Jackson family friend when he wrote that “Sharpton just wants to stay in the limelight since he can’t make history doing anything else.” –terry shropshire