On Friday, the United States House Of Representatives stood silent, offering a moment of silence for Michael Jackson.

Jesse Jackson kicked things off, saying:  “If there is a God, and I believe there is, and that God distributes grace and mercy and talent to all of his children, on Aug. 29, 1958, he visited Gary, Indiana, and touched a young man with an abundance of his blessings.  With that gift that young man, Michael Jackson, would touch and change the world.  I come to the floor today on behalf of a generation to thank God for letting all of us live in his generation and his era.”

Rep. Diane Watson contributed this gem: “A young man has left Earth, but now resides in the stars.”‘

Earlier last week, Ed McMahon passed away.  While certainly not as famous as Jackson, he was a bona fide war hero, decorated six times as a fighter pilot in WWII, and he reinlisted to serve his country in Korea as well.  His 35 years as co-host of the Tonight Show brought him into millions of homes each day.

Bob Hope died in 2003.  He served his country tirelessly for over 50 years, entertaining troops and offering his time and talents to programming for the Armed Forces radio and television networks.  Hope was, at the height of his film, radio, and television career, one of the most famous men in the world.

What do Hope and McMahon have in common?  Aside from years of national service and a status as beloved entertainers, they share the distinction of not having received a moment of silence from the United States Congress. 

Jackson spent the last twenty years of his life paying off the families of children who had accused him of molestation, while facing others in court.  He was, evidently, a massive drug addict and a man whose life had spiralled spectacularly out of control.  For the last three days, we’ve been told by the media that we should forget all that.  “Remember the young Michael,” they say. 

A fond memory of Hope and McMahon is not predicated on excising the last two decades of their lives from one’s memory.  When a person speaks well of them, he doesn’t have to start his sentences with a disclaimer about how “He was a heck of an entertainer, y’know, before all the little boys.”

It’s a disgrace that congress chooses to overlook America’s untainted icons, instead choosing to honor a train wreck like Jackson.  When O.J. Simpson passes, will there be a another moment of silence?  After all, he was an amazing athlete. 

“Y’know, before that whole thing with the double homicide.”

-Robert Laurie

UPDATE: It’s been brought to my attention that Bob Hope DID, in fact, receive a moment of silence in Congress.  Sadly, it was just past 3pm EST on June 5, 1998….5  years  BEFORE HE DIED.  Y’know, if the government couldn’t figure out if Bob Hope was alive or dead, no wonder they had so much trouble with the WMD’s…..