I HAVE been familiar with the inconveniences of being recognized, as well as the occasional inequities–getting attention for things that would go unnoticed in other people’s lives. I’ve also experienced some of the perks: good seating in restaurants or complimentary tickets to shows, for example. And I’ve been known to occasionally complain about the negatives while enjoying the advantages. But I was blissfully unaware of what seems evident now. Apparently, fame allows you to dangle a tiny baby over a hotel balcony, four stories up, in front of the entire world, without anyone intervening.
When Madelyne Toogood was caught on videotape apparently punching her 4-year-old daughter in the back seat of her car, a statewide search for the mother and daughter began almost immediately. “If you see this woman …” or “We are looking for a vehicle with the license plate …” was emblazoned on television screens. The public’s outrage was translated into action. Within days, Toogood was taken into custody. The child was taken away and examined for signs of past abuse and injury.
I have read every news report I can find on Michael Jackson’s horrifying display of parental negligence–not because I’m fascinated by Michael Jackson, but because I keep expecting to read something about consequences. The only hint that anyone is thinking along those lines was one sentence about the German authorities possibly looking into the situation. Of course, since Jackson is not a citizen of Germany, it seems doubtful that anything could actually happen to him there. But what about the authorities in California, Jackson’s home state? Why isn’t social services demanding access to Jackson’s home and the opportunity to evaluate fully his fitness as a parent?
The photographs are nothing short of horrifying. The infant’s legs are scrambling in the air, searching wildly for some kind of surface beneath his feet. But there was nothing–only four flights of empty air. He also couldn’t see anything, since his father had covered his head with a cloth. If you think that alone isn’t frightening to a baby, think again.
And what was Jackson’s response? A statement saying that he was “caught up in the excitement of the moment.” Is he kidding? Last time I got excited about something, I phoned friends with the news, made dinner plans to celebrate, hugged my pets. If Jackson’s response to excitement is to dangle his child over a hotel balcony, precariously holding him with one arm and laughing like a madman, what happens behind closed doors when he gets overwhelmed by emotion? What if something really exciting happens to him, like decent record sales? Would he celebrate that occasion by tossing his kids around like footballs?
The most important question remains: Why is no one doing anything? If any other parent had behaved this way, you can bet that baby (and his siblings) would be in the custody of social services as soon as they returned to the United States–and sooner if the Germans agreed to cooperate. No rational person can look at that videotape and excuse this behavior as anything other than what it was: child endangerment.
If this episode is viewed simply as just another example of how “strange” Michael Jackson is, then I have another question. Down the line, if one of those children ends up seriously hurt because of Jackson’s irresponsible behavior, who will accept the blame for not being there to help them?
