I believe the physical and mental health of the children of the world is greater than Michael Jackson, and I think Michael would agree with me.  In our field, the addiction field, we see first hand on a daily basis the suffering and mental and physical consequences of childhood abuse and trauma.  Both childhood abuse and childhood trauma can cause untold pain and anguish, years later, in a person suffering from addictive illness.  One of the worst case scenarios for a counselor to treat is when one of our clients is from a physically and emotionally abusive household.  We have seen that the self-esteem was literally beaten out of the child many years before substance abuse became a problem.  The physically abusive parent sets into motion for the child a host of potential self-destructive future outcomes, which are sleep disorders, eating disorders, alcohol and drug dependence, just to name a few. 

The most insidious part of physically abusive parents is that they play into a child’s need to trust an adult. When we are small, we rely on our mother and father to keep us safe and secure.  We know not to stick our fingers in a light socket or play in traffic, or other essential safety rules, because of our parents.  We naturally learn to trust their decisions.  So, when a parent becomes violent and physically abusive in the name of punishment, children can be traumatized and live in fear.  Show me a traumatized and fearful child, and I’ll show you a fearful and anxious adult later in life.  I can’t stress enough how devastating a physically abusive childhood can be – the trauma can have lifelong effects. 

Many people will soothe their trauma-induced anxiety, fear and sleep disorders with drugs, usually strong central nervous system depressants.  These drugs can be legal or illegal for drug addiction to take place.  Once a person has progressed to addictive illness, overdose and death are both real possibilities. 

Michael Jackson liked and respected the infamous Walt Disney.  Michael even named his ranch, Neverland.  Walt Disney once said, “This country’s greatest natural resource is the minds of it’s children.”

The very fact that Michael Jackson publicized his childhood physical and mental abuse at the hands of his father, is testament to Michael Jackson’s goal of protecting the children.  What’s greater than Michael Jackson?  That would be His Cause.  Who’s greater than Michael Jackson?  That would be The Children.