ADL demands Michael Jackson apologize for anti-Semitic lyrics

[Thom Little]

The Anti-Defamation League on Wednesday demanded that Michael Jackson apologize for allegedly calling Jews "leeches" in a private telephone message that was recorded two years ago and has now surfaced in connection with a lawsuit against the pop star.

"Michael Jackson has an anti-Semitic streak, and hasn't learned from his past mistakes," said a statement issued by Abraham H. Foxman, the league's director. "It seems every time he has a problem in his life, he blames it on Jews."

Jackson infuriated Jewish groups in 1995 when his song "They Don't Care About Us" included the lyrics "Jew me, sue me, everybody do me, kick me, kike me."

.......

On Tuesday, ABC's "Good Morning America" aired portions of a 2003 voice message that Jackson allegedly left for a former adviser, Dieter Wiesner, in which he allegedly accused Jews of leaving performers penniless.


http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/649270.html

[Behind the Aegis]

1. What a sad, sick, twisted little man.

Of course, his message resonates with many, even today.

[hfojvt]

9. this message?

"There's A Place In
Your Heart
And I Know That It Is Love
And This Place Could
Be Much
Brighter Than Tomorrow
And If You Really Try
You'll Find There's No Need
To Cry
In This Place You'll Feel
That There's No Hurt Or Sorrow

There Are Ways
To Get There
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Little Space
Make A Better Place...

Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me"

[Behind the Aegis]

14. NO...THESE MESSAGES!!!

They Don't Care About Us" included the lyrics "Jew me, sue me, everybody do me, kick me, kike me."

Good Morning America" aired portions of a 2003 voice message that Jackson allegedly left for a former adviser, Dieter Wiesner, in which he allegedly accused Jews of leaving performers penniless.

A transcript of the message provided Wednesday by King's office quotes Jackson as saying: "They suck them like leeches ... I'm so tired of it. I'm so tired of it.

"They start out the most popular person in the world, make a lot of money, big house, cars and everything and end up penniless. It's a conspiracy. The Jews do it on purpose."

Or do not find THOSE messages objectionable?!

[hfojvt]

15. is that his main message?

the line following that in "they don't really care about us" says "don't you black or white me!" Which you have apparently done. That one line makes him a Nazi? I wasn't even aware of that line until I read this thread and had thought the song was a pretty cool "truth to power" message. In fact, the second objectioble word is kinda censored out with a cymbal crash (or some electronic noise).

As far as his telephone conversation, it was, presumably a private telephone conversation. Not something he put out as a press release, not a consistent message in all of his songs or statements. Not, necessarily something he fervently believes in, much less preaches, but something he said once when he was ticked off about some lawsuit, and probably specifically at the person doing the suing.

[Behind the Aegis]

18. main message or not

The fact is he said it. If a white person had said "niggers" in a private statement, the press would be all over it and people would be outraged. Why? Because it makes some think what the person says in public is not what they really think. BTW, I said nothing about him being a Nazi, but isn't interesting that you jumped to that comparison.

I have found some the comments here a little disturbing. I remember when Bennett made the comment about aborting black babies as a method to reduce crime and people went bat-shit crazy, but let some say something about Jews...ain't nothing but a thing. Very telling attitudes indeed.

As for private conversations, we have all made comments we wouldn't want thrown all over the media, but as someone who is a celebrity, when something like this comes out, most people would deny or at least try to explain away the offending comment. However, I guess because it is about Jews, it doesn't much matter. Also, it doesn't matter what his motivations were. If a white person had said "it is just like those blacks wanting handouts (talking about Katrina)" because said white person passes African-American homeless begging for money every day, it wouldn't excuse his gross over-generalization and bigoted remark!

[hfojvt]

21. I was not trying to excuse his bigoted remark

What I was pointing out is the "gross over-generalization" in what you said "his message resonates with many still today" as if that one phone conversation was "his message". Since the message was a Nazi message, to suggest that it is "his message" is a very short step from the suggestion that he is a Nazi-symp. Replace "his" with "that" and I have no argument.

Bennett's remarks were made on the radio, not in a private phone conversation, and I was not a person who was going bat-excrement crazy. I would have urged a little bit more reason then too, but given the level of sentiment, that hardly seemed prudent. Bennett is also not an artist who has any following here, whereas MJ has produced many albums and songs, such as, for example, the one I partially quoted, with what I consider to be a positive message, and he is pretty consistent about that message. He is not a member of the RW noise machine.

[Behind the Aegis]

23. I see the problem now...

You misunderstood what I wrote. Perhaps I wasn't clear, so I will try to be more clear this time. When I said his "message still resonates with many today," I didn't mean this particular statement or even past statements. I meant his "message" of anti-Semitism still resonates with some, meaning that some also say the same things as him, not that they were emulating him. Anti-Semitism is still very acceptable to many, too many, people. So, you are correct. I should have said "that" and not "his," because it did make it appear I was saying that Jackson was a "cause" of sorts, and he is not.

Does that clear it up? If not, let me know. :)

[belle]

24. Oh,

:puke:

[RagingInMiami]

2. I'm still waiting for him to apologize

for sleeping with children

[Behind the Aegis]

3. We are both in for a LOOOOONG wait! n/t

[unsavedtrash]

4. I was already sick of this asshole. Apologize ya dick and move far away.

[ck4829]

5. Anti-Semitic AND a Pedophile. I wonder if there is a connection.

[Deja Q]

31. Maybe he's gaaaaaaaay...

:crazy:

x(

He's obviously mentally deranged, but he's not been proven an actual molester - one who fondles childrens' goolies or uses his sausage on children.

And he could sleep with women...

Pedophilia does not mean gay in the slightest.

Just as how all Jews are not wealthy and out to bankrupt everybody.

Of course, I have yet to see a religion that contains no blasphemers...

[Kailassa]

6. He's a pedophile, an idiot, and he makes me want to puke.

But I still support his right to freedom of speech.

[Rich Hunt]

7. wait a minute

How do they know it's him?

With these things, it could be an impersonator.

I wish people would be more aware of potential scams and frauds. This just sounds like your typical sleazy attempt at defamation of character.

[Behind the Aegis]

8. And...

...what if it IS him!?

[High Plains]

10. Who gives a rat's ass?

[Behind the Aegis]

13. I do!

It is inappropriate. Did you give a rat's ass about Bennett's comments about aborting black babies to keep down crime?

[belle]

25. Defamation of character??

This is Michael Jackson; what character does he have left to defame?

"The megalomaniac pedophile what's carved his own face off and keeps his own kids in some weird-ass Taliban Flowers in the Attic lock-up is apparently also an anti-Semite."

I mean.

It's not like it's the first time, either. "kick me, kike me," indeed.

All I really want to know is: as an erstwhile member of the International Zionist Conspiracy (tm), where's *my* seven million dollars advance? I need seven million dollars, too! Right away! I'm writing to HQ, dammit.

[Behind the Aegis]

26. as an erstwhile member of the International Zionist Conspiracy (tm)

I want my check too!!!

(Great post! :thumbsup:)

[pitohui]

11. way to give his message more publicity

i'd say ignoring him is the way to go rather than helping his new publicity effort

[951-Riverside]

12. I used to enjoy listening to his music...

Now I don't, the other day they were playing billie jean and it just annoyed the crap out of me!

[Tomee450]

16. Well if you

don't like his music, don't listen to it. There are still plenty of people who do like his music. Furthermore, what makes me sick is this idea that a black person can be acquitted of a crime but the acquittal doesn't count. We don't even know if what has been reported is true. Plenty of accusations were made against President Clinton which were not true but repeated constantly. I don't think Jackson is stupid. He would be crazy to make such comments knowing how easy it is to be recorded these days. But all he has to do is be accused and for some he is guilty. If the remarks turned out to be true I would be disappointed in Jackson but knowing how blacks are often treated, I'll wait for more proof.

[LostinVA]

29. FYI: it has nothing to do with Jackson being African-American

Not to me. Celebrities don't go to prison. I am as disgusted about the Robert Blake verdict as I am with Michael Jackson's, even more so, as there is much more "Layman" proof that Blake did it.

I am not ana apologists for every women, nor every gay person. As much that has been done to women and gays by the powers that Be, I still deem them responsible for their own actions.

[Tomee450]

17. It would be nice if the ADL

would demand that David Horowitz stop saying that blacks should be glad that their ancestors were enslaved because now their descendants enjoy such a good living in the USA. I wish they would demand that he stop going around giving support to the racists with his books and speeches that appear to be anti black.

[Behind the Aegis]

19. I hope the NAACP issues a statement.

I would be nice if they demand that MJ apologize for is gross over-generalizations and anti-Semitic remarks and they tell him how this does nothing to help foster positive relationships with the Black and Jewish communities.

[Behind the Aegis]

20. Do you mean like the...

...March 23, 2001 NYT editorial where Foxman "compared the newspaper ads by conservative activist David Horowitz -- who opposes monetary reparations to American blacks for being the descendants of slaves-- with Holocaust deniers." source

You mean like that?!

[Guy Fawkes]

22. *cough* F*ck up *cough*

Michael Jackson is just one WEIRD son of a... I don't think he knows what he's doing, so I'll let it slide. Besides, I bet the neonazi's hate him just as much as the Jews.

[fujiyama]

27. So he's a sick, fucked up

Antisemitic pedophile...

I can't believe he got off on ALL counts...

[Behind the Aegis]

28. Sad, isn't it? n/t

[Deja Q]

30. Yipes... What next? He'll become a Muslim?

:yoiks:

Mind you, the majority of the public wouldn't have gotten the "kyke me" line and how it was zapped in the re-release only makes it more questionable.