Dear Ron, I was so happy to see your editorializing (in the Mid July Newsletter) on the death of Michael Jackson and the reaction of the public to it. I bitched the whole time that every news channel was spending day-in and day-out on nothing else. We could have gone to war again, and it would not have been mentioned. (At Right: When men lose their own moorings and mindlessly take the values of other men, disaster is sure to follow.)

At no time in my life nor in his did I ever feel entertained by Michael Jackson. I did not care for his music, I did not care for him, I did not admire him in any way at all.

I did like the music of Elvis, and I was sorry that he died as young as he did and in the circumstances under which he did. However, I was not all torn up over his death. I have seen the deaths of many other famous people, or world icons, and have never been much more than sad at their death.

For years, I have wondered why it is that so many people make such a big deal when some rock star or some other idol dies. Now, I think you have put it into excellent perspective. Those people have nothing else in their lives. Had I lived directly across the street from the building in which the memorial service was held for Michael Jackson, I would not have taken the time or the effort to walk across the street to attend it, much less spending any amount of money to be present at it.

Dear Ron, I never, ever, thought I would agree with commentator Bill O'Reilly on ANYTHING, however he was right-on regarding this current bandwagon to canonize Michael Jackson. It's scary to speak up because some people are such BELIEVERS and you never can tell what violent act might result from hearing the truth. MJ was a 50-year-old weirdo whose private life (hardly private mostly) was a shambles. There is no doubt in my mind that he was a drug addict, mentally ill and to top it all he was that scum-of-the-earth we know as a pedophile. And the people around him were, and are, enablers of the worst kind. You are right, the Elvis spectacle was (and still is) confounding to me and I like to think, any sensible human being. Unfortunately too many people need to worship at the feet of their heroes, warts and all. Personally I hate warts. Especially on feet.

From Ron: While warts are not attractive, it is the "feet of clay" that needs attention by us and all men.