Priorities???

I liked Michael Jackson. I thought he was an extraordinary talent and have often said that when you practice something from the cradle you will get very, very good at it. Jackson did that.

I never believed any of the pedophile charges. A famed attorney once repeated endlessly to a jury: "If it doesn't fit you must acquit". In my opinion, the charges of child molestation against Jackson never did fit. Not even close. Like much of the world I was saddened by the death of this lonely famous man.

Now, can we stop talking about him?

When Dwight Eisenhower died, I was General Manager of a radio station in Salina, Kansas, just 25 miles from Eisenhower's home town of Abilene, Kansas. Ike was well liked everywhere. He was especially well liked in Kansas.

General Eisenhower was the Allied Supreme Commander in Europe in world War II. He engineered the Normandy invasion, which liberated Europe. At wars end, Ike was elected president. His first act, even before inauguration, was to go to Korea and stop the killing in the Korean War which Harry Truman had exacerbated but could not end.

Eisenhower then presided over an eight year presidency of peace and prosperity. People often refer to that period as a ho-hum presidency, but Eisenhower gave us a balanced budget. For younger readers, that means the government did not spend more than it took in. Amazing.

Perhaps Ike's greatest legacy is the Interstate Highway system. Before Ike, we made our way across country on two-lane highways. With steep hills, big trucks were slowed and there were few passing opportunities. I have driven from Kansas City to St Louis behind a big truck almost the entire journey. Get an opportunity to pass one and you soon overtake - and are stuck behind - another. Ike realized this could be a fatal obstruction to the rapid movement of military forces in the event of a national emergency, and initiated a nationwide system of high speed, limited access highways. The Interstate Highway System.

Dwight Eisenhower was a very important leader in our nation's history.

What has this to do with Michael Jackson? When Eisenhower died, I stopped the broadcast of all commercials on my radio station and programmed only quiet, respectful music as a memoriam to this great former general and former president whose hometown was well within our coverage area. I was widely criticized for this act. Even some of our station's stockholders were critical. So, after only a few hours time, I resumed regular programming.

Harry Truman once said he was amazed at the celebrity accorded the office of the president. I am amazed at the much greater attention and devotion heaped upon entertainers and athletes. Michael Jackson died. That is very sad. Now shut up about it. Time to resume regular programming.