Jackson Dreaming at Neverland Ranch

Copyright Rabbi Eli Hecht
No part of these arcticles may be used or reproduced in any form without written permission from the copyright holder, except for brief quotations in reviews

Children come and fly to Neverland, never become old, retain your childhood friends and live within the innocence of childhood. It may sounds like Peter Pan, but it's really Michael Jackson’s dream: Neverland Ranch.

Somehow, he doesn't look like the Captain EO anymore. Once again the Singer Star is in the news. A 12 or 13 year old has led the police by the way of a therapist to press charges of alleged abuse. In the past, Jackson was accused of child molestation but freed on a rumored payment falling between ten and thirty million dollars? At that time Jackson had said, "I ask all of you to wait to hear the truth before you label or condemn me." After the payment the boy dropped child molestation charges.  Remember, in California, child victims of sexual abuse can't be forced to testify. 

There's an old story told about the Chicago judicial system where Al Capone was overheard saying, "I'll get the best justice I can afford." It seems that attorneys for Jackson have delivered justice and made a lot of money.

Examples of children, parents or spouses all caught up in the vicious cycle of corruption have become the norm rather than the exception. With good attorneys they can be exonerated.  Affordable justice today is the "in" thing. 

Once a Los Angeles Child psychologist team visited my school to discuss children. I asked why there hasn't been any public outcry over the Jackson Ranch? Child psychologists are advocates for the safety of children. They responded with a tirade against parents who allow their children to go to sleep-away parties at Michael Jackson's ranch. "Any parent who allows their child to be in close proximity of a crotch-grabbing performing rock singer is asking for trouble."

Instead of dealing with the problem of child molestation, we're back to child abuse by parents. Such confusion of values has become commonplace. When Santa Barbara Country Sheriff Jim Anderson was asked about the children going to the ranch he said “My advice is don’t do it” it was a pretty straight answer. Come to think of it why do the parents allow such behavior?

In the tale of the Pied Piper we're told how a town got rid of its rats. The rats simply followed the Pied Piper out of town. It’s children, teenagers and adults that have hooked onto the Pied Piper of today and are following him into Neverland. Parents have allowed their children to be exposed to perverse behavior by rock singers - modern day idols who lure their children into the enchantment of their music. As in the Pied Piper, they march to the music of a special man but to a deadly end. Jackson's super album has come to mean exactly what it says - Dangerous! It’s possible that many of us have fallen under the spell of the Pied Piper.

I am outraged with Jackson's past settlements. We should stand up for what's right and rational. Let's pull the plug and stop the music.

Enough is enough.