Michael Jackson Resolution Faces GOP Opposition

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has joined the opposition in rejecting a resolution honoring Michael Jackson.

"It's not necessary," said Pelosi, who thinks bringing the measure to a vote would "open up contentious views" that the House doesn't need to deal with "at this time."

In sotto voce, she acknowledged Jackson as a "great entertainer" -- but scoffed when a reporter asked about the resolution.

"We're into the popular culture questions," she said.

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WASHINGTON — Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee may have trouble keeping the promise she made at Michael Jackson's public memorial for a House resolution that "forever" honors the late pop star.

Jackson Lee, a Texas Democrat, took the stage Tuesday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and hoisted a framed copy of the resolution, embossed with a gold seal. The measure will be debated on the House floor, she said.

For that framed, embossed resolution to be completely legit, it must first get past some opposition.

Rep. Peter King, a New York Republican who called Jackson a "pervert, child molester, pedophile" in a video he posted on YouTube this week, vowed Tuesday to do "whatever I have to do" to oppose honoring Jackson.

Without mentioning King by name, Jackson Lee noted at the memorial that Michael Jackson was acquitted of child molestation charges. She blasted critics who "don't understand the hearts of entertainers" and "don't know how they heal the world on behalf of America."

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"We understand the Constitution. We understand laws and we know people are innocent until proven otherwise. That is what the Constitution stands for," Jackson Lee said, clutching the framed resolution in front of her shiny white suit.

Her legislation, House Resolution 600, lists several charitable acts by Michael Jackson over his long career and proclaims him as an American legend, musical icon and world humanitarian. He is, Jackson Lee said, "someone who will be honored forever and forever and forever and forever and forever."

In the House, non-controversial resolutions honoring a person who has died or carried out a noteworthy accomplishment normally move quickly from committee to the House floor and then pass on a voice vote. The Michael Jackson resolution, introduced June 26, is awaiting action in the House Foreign Affairs Committee, of which Jackson Lee is a member and King is not.

An opponent could ask for a recorded vote, which then requires a two-thirds majority for passage. So far, Jackson Lee's resolution has just one co-sponsor, Rep. Diane Watson, D-Calif.

Jackson Lee hosted a 2004 meeting in her Capitol Hill office that brought Michael Jackson together with ambassadors to the U.S. from African countries. At the time, Jackson was considering a tour to raise money to fight AIDS. However, he was also facing child molestation charges and was unable to leave the country without court permission.

Even so, Jackson was greeted by screams, applause and flashing cameras.

Jackson also visited Iraq veterans at Walter Reed Hospital while in Washington.

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Comments

[frmme2u]

Who are these people? No on health ins. for all Americans, No on stimulus, No on a simple proclamation for an American Icon. Who needs these people in office. 2010 elections are right around the corner.

[gfredsen]

Are we going to have a Michael Jackson Day? For a guy who paid people millions to not sue him for child molestation? A black man who paid someone to produce white children for him? A guy who shared his bed with children? A black man who bleached his skin white? Oh wait, we already have it, Halloween.

[montecarlo408]

Spoken like a bitter, underachieving white guy.

[MikeDu]

Well, that was a bigoted statement on your part. Jacskon fanatic shows his stripes.

[Judah]

These same repubs were eager to give Bush and Cheney the benefit of the doubt even in the face of overwhelming evidence that they lied this country into a war of illegal aggression. Would they now support investigating the bush crimes?

Micheal Joseph Jackson was the victim of attempted blackmail and making enemies in high places who were afraid of his impact as a messenger. It is instructive that MJ spent so much time in the middle east amongst Arabs whom he felt had no agenda to destroy for an ill advised sentence in "They don't Care About us" We must understand who he spoke of when he said they. It seems that Peter King is one of them.

[LeftCoastLarry]

Oh well, there goes the black vote - as if they care -snark-
What's the history of these kinds of resolutions? Aren't they somewhat routine? I don't understand the hostility from the Republicans but then I usually have a hard time understanding how the right wingers let emotion shut off their ability to think rationally on a lot of issues.
I say let those who want the resolution have it and let's get on with more important issues.
People who are letting this get to them need to evaluate their prejudices and how they're dealing with them - or not.

[montecarlo408]

They are very routine, and they are just trying to create a wedge issue, something they are pros at and something Americans are notorious for falling for.

[Grunty1]

Sounds like a pointless resolution, but I am looking forward to watching the Rushpublicans stand up standing something this pointless, while ticking off Michael's millions of fans in the process.

[bigsioux]

Idiocy all around. By all means, waste time on this issue.

[aftershock]

Exactly, what a joke. If they do this, the "we don't have time" excuse they like to use when they don't want to pass something is just destroyed.

[montecarlo408]

These types of resolutions are passed every day and for things you have never even heard of. They are making a stink for a reason.

[WilliamL]

So, so very sad. Being found "innocent" of the charges he was accused of does not make him not quilty. Even being charged by such along with his open statements about sleeping with children?

A grown man sleeing with other people young chilren found not quilty and this woman want to debate his "value" to US society.

Not all find this man's life of great impact as others nor his death of any greater importance than others who have died in combat.

[aftershock]

"Being found "innocent" of the charges he was accused of does not make him not quilty."

You know, I'm not one to defend Jackson, but this statement is insane. Since when is it guilty until proven innocent by a shadow of a doubt, not innocent until proven guilty beyond a shadow of a doubt?

[SwingingFromCenter]

Since Snopes. Since OJ. Since the guy from Baretta.

[WilliamL]

How many innocent black men in the south were found "quilty" by a jury and hung?

How many quilty people been found innocent. It is intersting to see such faith in the court systems.

An adult male sleeping with children and believing that behaior acceptable? A congresswoman wants to discuss his life on the house floor?

It will be interesting to hear that debate.

[StillIRise]

For black people unfortunately, it's always been guilty until proven innocent, and doubt is generally not even a factor of consideration.

Michael Jackson was found not guilty in a court of law by a jury of his peers, but his critics insist that unless he's proven innocent, he's guilty!

It's another one of those double standards that they don't even realize they're applying.

[LeighAnnes]

No one is ever found innocent. They are found "not guilty." This means there wasn't enough evidence to convict. It certainly doesn't mean he was innocent. I wish we would quit wasting time with him.

[imjustawitchywoman]

well....then why don't you start with not reading and commenting on any of his stories.

[janarchy]

This is what our government spends its time doing? Seriously, this is what we pay them for?

[CitizenJ]

I'll go ahead and take a guess and say that it probably took some staffer about an hour to come up with this thing. Hardly wasted time when you consider that the entire Republican caucus spends their entire time trying to see to it that nothing passes.

[Poboy]

...and we the people pay them for doing NOTHING but OBSTRUCTING.

[bowthai]

Look, I doubt this eats up much time. They are not debating for days about this. I'm more worried about the big things the government isn't doing rather than the little things they are.

[joemondo]

I'm just thrilled that our legislature has nothing to do but dis/praise dead pop stars.

Things must be so prosperous and wonderful in the nation if they can afford to use their time on this.

[AbyssinianLion]

GOP standard - If it aint white;it aint right.

[rsprog]

Bro,
I don't think race has as much to do with this, as the real belief that Michael Jackson did behave in questionable ways with young boys, notwithstanding the not guilty verdict. I grew up with MJJ and the J5, and we in the black community will always hold them in special regard, but 12 days of video tributes and fond remembrances won't erase the memories of the Michael Jackson that paid 20 million to Jordie Chandler, and still insisted that sleeping with other peoples children was okay.
Representatives King and Lee represent polar ends of the spectrum regarding sentiments towards Jackson, King ,who probably didn't like much about Jackson prior to the molestation charges, and Lee, so anxious to pander to the blind and misguided Micheal Jackson idol worship.

[Okieborn]

This Democrat agrees with the Republicans !!!

[FearlessFraz]

This one too!

[SangZe]

Maybe there should be a memorial on the mall.

[Poboy]

You mean "Republican."