Thursday
Jun252009
Your Michael Jackson open Thread
Thursday, June 25, 2009 at 11:37PM The Blogmother 
I'm in meetings all week. Here is your open thread. I'mma keep my mouth shut. If you want to know some of my contemporaneous thoughts, follow my Black ops twitter account :)
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I grew up on Michael Jackson's music, so much so, that I actually felt a little sick to my stomach upon hearing the news of his passing. Regardless of your opinion of him personally, his musical contributions are undeniable and speak for themselves. Rest in peace, Mike.
I Wanna Be Where You Are
Maria
Get on the Floor -- one of the best dance songs!
:-((:-( I'm still shock. It won't set in. No way. I was hoping to pay for a expensive MJ concert ticket in my lifetime.
Michael Jackson’s impact on our people, the world in general in just amazing! Now I really know what an icon is. I first heard the sad news on the bus coming home from work. An Ethiopian sister got on the bus, talking quietly to someone on her cell. Then she suddenly got loud, “What? What? Michael Jackson? On no! On God no!” Then she started talking very fast and very loud in Amharic, with every other word being, “Michael Jackson, Michael Jackson!”
Just to let you know how old I am, soon as I got home, I went to my book shelf to find my old Jackson 5 eight track tape (you youngins’ know nothing about that); didn’t find it, but I did find my 1969 45 rpm record of their first hit, “I Want You Back” that I bought with my allowance and then I found my “The Jackson 5: The Third Album.” ALBUM. AS IN VYNYL. At the risk of sounding oh so very silly, I do feel quite bummed right now between the Metro train crash earlier this week (I live in WDC, that’s the route I use on my way to church) and now Little Michael is gone Home. God has my full attention now; life is so very precious, we should always make the best of all the opportunities and blessings God gives us. :)
Yes life is precious maybe some people will see this now, I'm supposeed to see Stevie Wonder today emotions will be runnin high.
I always wanted to meet him:(
I think it's weird that when people die, everyone feels obligated only to say positive things about the deceased. Michael Jackson was an icon. He had been for as long as I can remember. But he he was also perceived by many to be a weirdo, bizarre, and maybe even a child molester, though he was never convicted. In death, people seem to become iconic. Everyone talks how much they love them, whether they really supported them in life or not. Though I do not mourn Michael's death, I have reflected on the impact that his music had on me and will probably continue to have on me, as well as the rest of the world. My latest blog post focuses on Michael's legacy, which to me goes way beyond his music. I invite everyone to read it.
Peace,
Tasha
As a young girl, I lived out of the country for nearly four years. I'm not sure how many Americans know what it’s like to be almost completely disconnected from your culture; I mean your foods, language, friends, world view. Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' dropped during my time abroad…a time of no cell phones or internet. And he came to epitomize 'America' for me and my sister. Our “King of Pop” was at turns stunningly brilliant and painfully flawed. He was human and he was ours. And I thank him for the joyful music which created a little bit of ‘home’ in my 10 year-old heart. I wish Michael Joe Jackson the most peaceful rest and ridiculously, love-filled ‘next-go-a-round’.
People can say whatever they want about him being "eccentric" but no one can touch him as an entertainer. There are so many imitators out there, but there will only be one MJ. Heaven just gained another Angel.
R.I.P. Michael Jackson. He certainly was the king of pop music.
Truly the King of Pop. Elvis Presley had demons also and folks still mourned him as an icon. I hope Michael is truly at peace now. He was gifted and a TRUE entertainer.
I love how people want to highlight the "weirdness" when if you think about it....You have family members and friends that are just as weird. They just don't have any money to nurture it.
what I find fscinating is people bristeling about ppl pointing out that he was "weird"... HE WAS! And according to at least 1 story, his eccentricities were made public by HIM.
So stop trying to rewrite history. yes, he was a genius, but like many great geniuses, the development of his genius may have also hampered his development.
the two are intertwined. you can't tell the story of his stardom and not mention the way that stardom impacted him as a human being.
How coul he NOT be weird after how he grew up
I feel so sad. I grew on Michael Jackson's music and I just feel like something in died in me when I heard he died. :-( It also reminds me of my own mortality. We will all eventually follow him to the grave. Okay, I'm going to stop now, I'm beginning to sound morbid.
Gina, I think you are right, he was weird. However Tracy is correct when she said that many people are weird but just don't have the money to support their weirdness.
Sis. Gina, you are so right; often Michael got himself in trouble, he gave too many interviews! Remember the one with Martin Bashir? And he was holding hands with the little boy, the comment about how wonderful and loving to share your bed with someone? Pleez!
We love his music, it marks the journey(s) of our lives, he and Prince are the most talented, creatively courageous entertainers of all time and he will definitely be remembered, hopefully more for the good than the less than pleasant. :)
"Weird" is subjective, isn't it? And even if there were some consensus definition of the word, when I hear people use it, more often than not, there's a negative, derogatory connotation accompanying it, which is unnecessary.
Labels like this without context divide and vilify unfairly.
I'm watching MTV right now and enjoying his videos. Not only was he a great entertainer but a fabulous storyteller through his videos and dance moves. He is definitely a legend.
I'm not too caught up in his demons and weirdness today. As far as legal troubles and accusations of child molestation, the jury is still out for me. Dozens, if not hundreds, of little boys have visited his Neverland Ranch. Out of all those children, some who are now adults, we've only ever had two bringing him to court.
Compare that to the outpouring of stories about child molestations that flooded the Catholic Church, which happened because 1 or 2 had broken the silence.
So, I will always doubt his guilt on this subject, but I certainly do not doubt that the court case surrounding this issue, plus other woes, have contributed to his stress level, which perhaps eventually led to his cardiac arrest.
And, yes, he was weird - something Michael Jackson nurtured himself.
But, for me, none of that takes away from his genius of music and entertainment. As one of those 10 year olds who imagined I would one day become "Mrs. Michael Jackson," some memories I'm not going to mess with.
Peace,
ABW
MJ was my first boyfriend. I kissed his poster goodbye every day before I left for school. There are no words for how connected I felt to him or any way to count how many times I sat crying to 'Ben' or 'Dear Michael' or 'You are not alone' - I could feel his pain even then, and as much as I loved him, I knew he was that much more alone. It's real easy to judge someone else but much harder to put yourself in their shoes. No one else on the planet has lived Michael's life of constant exposure - the very person who's supposed to protect him being his primary exploiter. His social/psychological difficulties not withstanding (and for the record, I do NOT believe he molested any children), his barrier-breaking contributions to pop culture will never be matched. I will mourn him always.
One thing that fascinates me is how Michael was able to do so many things that would have scared off the fans of any other artist and yet he even at the end he has millions and millions of adoring fans.
Even among Black people, we accepted things from him that we wouldn't have tolerated from any other star.
What was it about him that despite all the bad stuff he was so adored?
I guess that was part of his greatness.
The ultimate entertainer, never short changed his fans with bad albums, degrading music videos and insulting their intelligence with superficial lyrics. He made people dance and he made people think, the 2 do not have to be mutually exclusive. Even the top artist today (will not mention names) don't do that.
By the way some of that "weirdness" was the showmanship of Michael. He knew how to keep in the name in the media.
"The ultimate entertainer, never short changed his fans with bad albums, degrading music videos and insulting their intelligence with superficial lyrics."
That's it right there, Naima. Look at the span of his music over nearly 40 years and never once did he lower himself to trash. You could always play his music around your kids or your grandparents, yet, artists today act as if they can't even write a dance song without talking about getting it in on the dance floor. Did Michael even sample anyone else's music? I can't recall if he did, but everybody sampled him.
He was a true musical legend, and for that, I respect what he left us with.
I concur: Michael was a true, full-tilt, give you your money's worth, entertainer.
Folks, you remind me as to why I cannot tolerate stations that play "urban / r&b / hip hop." Most, if not all, the "singers" are sub-par, vulgar, no talent, low-life hacks.
Michael has had a lot of imitators, but no true duplicators, or heirs to his crown.
Yeah, he was weird. I liked Elvis too, and he was all out crazy.
RevMama~ I hear ya. Everyone around the world is affected.
I knew he had had a heart attack. I went to my n'hood Korean store & their faces were in shock. They had to confirm for me that the newscaster actually said "WAS"! His reach was so far.
Monie, I agree with you. Everyone is just suspending reality. No one speaks candidly about how sick he was. And as a result we're adding to the delusional life he led.
We just stay to his talent. No doubt this man was highly talented and had the blessings and Gifts that so many African-American entertainers possess. Barack Obama is testament to that!
I was a real fan of his, especially when he was younger. But after his breakthrough solo success, I fell back. I wasn't going to be a part of this sick and crazy Hollywood nonsense.
It's bemusing to read these posts. This blog where you all have been nothing less than pensive and terse and so intellectual. So real. And it's the same maudlin musings I'm seeing everywhere, save for a almost a tentative few!
there is so much to learn from Michael Jackson's life and death other than his dancing and singing.
Goddess rest your soul Brotherman.
My heart is deeply saddened for Katherine Jackson. I cannot stop thinking about her. I hate for any mother to have to bury a child.
During MJ’s career, she had to watch him experience the extremes of success - love and pain. She had to watch her son - the most talented man to ever grace the planet Earth – self destruct right before her eyes because even with all that talent he never took the opportunity to love himself or fully accept himself.
He spent his time wanting to go back to a place in his life that was never to be again – childhood. Once it is over, it is over. And no amount of money or plastic surgery can bring it back.
The stage is where he felt the most comfortable. However, you cannot live your life on stage at all times. He was off stage more than he was on stage. While off stage, it is hard for him to ignore his pain and self hatred. And Katherine had to stand in the wings and quietly (sometimes crying) watch her beautiful and gifted baby destroy himself.
Depression and mental illness should be taken more seriously within our society and the healthcare community. Medical professional have to do more than just write a prescription. The church, medical profession and holistic practitioners have to come together and create more holistic approaches to mental illness and depression and make it more assessable to the general public.
Increase the peace within.
With A Child's Heart
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SogvtTPpM60&feature=featured
With a child's heart
Go face the worries of the day
With a child's heart
Turn each problem into play
No need to worry no need to fear
Just being alive makes it all so very clear
With a child's heart
Nothing can ever get you down
With a child's heart
You've got no reason to frown
Love is as welcome
As a sunny sunny day
No grown-up thoughts
To lead our hearts astray
Take life easy, so easy nice and easy
Like a child so gay and so carefree
The whole world smiles with you
As you go your merry way
Oh with a child's heart
Nothing's gonna get me down
OK....I apologize for the sadness, so listen to this one and dont try and tell me you dont start bopping your head and smiling
Enjoy Yourself
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwTsM9w9A9E
That's Michael ...taking you from one extreme to the next. Nobody but nobody could do it like Michael and his brothers.
http://www.awfulplasticsurgery.com/2009/06/27/michael-jackson-the-plastic-surgery-years/" rel="nofollow">I have to agree with this person, Katherine Jackson did not protect her children from their father's abuse, so I don't feel sorry for her
I want to apologize for me not being as sympathetic as my fellow countrymen, but I'm not as moved by his death as most people are.
I'm actually MUCH more hurt about the death of Jennifer Hudson's nephew and other black children lost to violent acts of idiots.
To a large extent, I just have to blame his death on how he lived his life. The cancer that he gave himself. And the fact, well the speculated accusation, that he molested young boys will never leave my mind, in life or death. I have 0 respect for any man who abuses children, no matter if they were rich and famous or not.
And.....he really wasn't that good of a singer to me, though he clearly could dance his butt off. I thought Luther, Marvin Gaye, and a bunch of other black men had more vocal skill.....but they weren't adored by white people like MJ was.
All in all, I'm putting aside my personal BS, and just saying RIP. I wish his family the best.
PS. WHAT TYPE OF MAN, WHO HAS USABLE SPERM, GOES TO THE DOCTOR TO GET HIS WIFE ARTIFICIALLY .......I MEAN, WHY NOT JUST HAVE SEXY WITH HER??!!!
My thoughts are with his family. I always had nuetral feelings about his music. So I'm not feeling the deep loss that many in the world are feeling. But I hope his mind is at rest now.
I had speculated about the circumstances surrounding his death when I first he had died. So many celebrities unfortunately have too many yes men in their lives; too many doctors writing too many rxs.
@undressing her
There is no such thing as a "fact" that is "speculated". Those two words are mutually exclusive.
The accusations were just that...accusations. Unless you have read trial transcripts the only thing you have is speculation.
If the media's treatment of non-white people (male and female) has taught us anything it is that the media sensationalizes and demonizes us invariably.
Read the book by Aphrodite Jones (non-black), a reporter who covered the trial and then after the aquittal continued to research the so-called "facts" and came to the conclusion that Michael was innocent.
Consider the fact that an all-white jury found Michael not-guilty in the criminal trial.
A person's so-called "weirdness" does not a criminal make.
Finally, it is said that Michael married Debbie Rowe at the urging of his very religious mother. That alone seems to explain why he would use artificial insemination. Perhaps he was asexual.
Finally, the psychologist who examined Michael for the trial stated that Michael had regressed to the mental age of a 10 year old and did not fit the characteristics of a pedophile.
People are so fast to judge others and so fast to close their minds and eyes and merely accept what the media forces down their throats. That level of "sheep" mentality is disturbing and quite frankly disgusting.
Don't destroy somebody of "speculation".
I mourn for the little boy in Michael who was abused, used as a money-making tool, and never allowed to have a childhood. He was embraced, nearly deified, worshipped (humans should never be worshipped...unless you are Jesus I suppose...but then most refuse to acknowledge that he was human...but I digress) then accused, demeaned and rejected.
Even in death he is still be used by people to assuage their GUILT and to make others feel superior in their smug speculative "facts".
Human beings are flawed...all of us. Michael was no different, I am no different and dear heart YOU are no different.
Lets nip this in the bud right now. before I shut down this thread. We ain't engaging in revisionist history on this blog. It is never okay or excusable to abuse children. Period. I don't care how brilliant you are. It is not okay. Now MJ was adjudicated not guilty in one case and there was a settlement in another. While I do not know what happened, what I do know is that these parents and MJ had inappropriate relationships with young children. PERIOD!
So mourn if you want to mourn, but don't come up in here demanding that people forget THEIR memories of Michael Jackson.
BTW undressingher is a DUDE so I don't know why you're disappointed in "your sisters"
I honestly don't believe that MJ was a pedophile However, he certainly engaged in very bizarre behavior that made him appear as if he could be a child molester (sleepovers with young children). And the sad thing is that he evidently didn't realize how bizarre his behavior was and what it looked like because he continued to engage in it even after the allegations. I just really believe that he was scarred in childhood and never recovered. The childhood abuse that he endured plus his overwhelming fame left him with the inability to live a normal life. Yes, he was a musical genius and his contributions to music cannot be denied, but he was also troubled and unhappy. I just hope that he finds the peace in death that always eluded hin in life. His life and legacy should be a testament of how NOT to raise children.
@redcatbiker...
Damn, I hope when you have kids and try as hard as possible to raise them to the best of your ability, that someone will come along and blame you for the things you tried yet failed to protect them from.
One has to wonder at your humanity, when a person loses a child and you have the audacity to state that you do not feel sorry for them.
You don't have to like the man, his music or his life. But to justify the suffering of a mother losing her child. Damn... that's really cold. really. really cold.
GEM2001
Can you please explain how you know "these parents and MJ had inappropriate relationships with young children"
Michael had bizarre behavoirs but I question the validity of anybody saying they know he had inappropriate relationships. Where is the evidence? What are you basing this information from?
I absolutly refuse to continue the public lynching of Michael Jackson and these trumped up pedophile stories that the media drowned us into believing. Michael was too trusting and made some poor decisions which cost him dearly. I also believe that it was his father's abusiveness that really killed him. Michael looked a mess before he died. How could anyone purposefully disfigure themselves like that.
Monika
Monika, clearly your comment answers the question for you. You indicated he used poor judgement.
I said inappropriate relationship. Inappropriate is not a legal term, its a common sense term. 40 year old men should't have playdates with young children. Parents of young children shouldn't allow their children to have play dates with 40 year old men.
If you think it appropriate for 40 year old men to keep company with kids that are non-relations then fine, I feel otherwise. Go rewrite your history somewhere else.
May Michael Jackson rest in peace. All the comments about the poor choices he made just remind me that he wasn't as larger than life as we made him. He was flawed, and therefore human. You'd be hard-pressed to find someone not flawed, so we should just respect his enormous contributions to American and world culture and finally, just leave him alone.
soul, you don't know a gosh darned thing about me -- if I have children or not (heck, you do not even know if I have had a child who has died!) -- for you to have posted the comment you did in my direction in which you question my humanity. I suggest that you look the word up in the dictionary, for you know not of what you speak.
Your comment made all sorts of assumptions, so I shan't say much to you (because you are not worth my expending the intellectual energy on you, one who does not possess the ability to think critically and NOT follow the herd mentality), except that no one is obligated to feel sorry for any mother whose child has died unless that person wants to. You can think what you wish of me, but I will not allow you to dictate to me how I should respond to Michael Jackson's death in regard to his mother.
@redcatbiker...
Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not an MJ fan. So there's no herd mentality here and if you critically thought about your response, you would not have uttered it. It is not only inhumane but obscene.
My comment made absolutely NO assumptions at all.
You stated it clearly, you felt she didn't do enough to protect her kids from abuse so you don't feel sorry for the fact that she lost a child...
Yet, in the next breathe you state that I don't know anything about you and you could have possibly lost a child.
Of course, you do not have to feel sorry for anyone's mother, but most people, recognise that the passing of a child is devastating to a mother and they don't chose that point in time to blame her for things she possibly had no control over.
That's why I addressed your lack of humanity, lack of compasion and coldness.
Your original comment was cold. However, if like you 'claim' (or tried to claim), you have actually lost a child and still feel comfortable castigating a woman who lost a child, for what YOU personally feel she didn't do. (you don't even know them)
Then, I just feel sorry for you. And you are quite right, you have absolutely nothing to say to me.
No one is dictating anything to you, calm down. You can feel free to debase or insult any other mother who has lost a child as you wish.
Go ahead....
But what you do and say will come back around to you.
So don't be surprised when people blame you for not protecting that baby you claim to have lost
@redcatbiker...
If you indeed have lost a child (as you tried to claim), I'm soo sorry. That makes your comments even more chilling. It would signify an unaddressed issue which you are trying to project on to a stranger you have never met.
I'm not an MJ fan, he was a dude who wrote good music and a brilliant performer, who had inappropriate interactions with children. No matter what his upbringing, he is now an adult and he alone is responsible for that.
If you call that 'herd mentality' then I suggest you should seriously take your own advice and apply critical thought to your writings.
I didn't assume anything, you wrote what you wrote and laid blame for abuse not at the hands of an abuser but at the hands of one of his victims. No matter how you dice it, that's exactly what you did.
You can introduce all manner of insults, tangents and psuedo intellelectual noise.
Call me names and infer all you want about my intelligence/ critical thinking abilities.
But whilst doing that, you might want to assess your own abilities, your insecurities and the obviously sad issue which you have to deal with (btw, if you didn't lose a child, then it is the worst kind of attention seeking nonsense you could have posted).
In addition, you might want to ask yourself why you feel like you are being denied your right to be mean, cruel and inhumane by someone on the internet.
Your last words indicate that indeed, you have a few unresolved issues to deal with, because it is simply hilarious and impossible for me to 'dictate' how you should respond to Michael Jackson's death.
I'll say it again, your response was cold, cruel and lacking in compassion and empathy to a mother who just lost a child.
I hope you find some place to displace your 'intellectual energy' lol and whilst your there, maybe you might ask them to teach you about some compassion too?.
I also hope that intellectual energy you claim to have, makes you realise that when you post a comment on a blog which isn't yours, other people are free to make comments on your initial comments.
It's kinda how it works, I suppose you've been too busy spending your intellectual energy on Internet Gangsterism, than figuring out the 'small stuff'.
Dueces!
soul, once again you have displayed your inability to comprehend what you read. Or perhaps the fault is mine: my writing has been unclear here(?).
Oh well, as I said to you, you can think of me what you wish, that is your god-given right, to think what you wish, to form any sort of opinion that you wish. Therefore, I am outta here, putting this "fight" with you to an end, before the blog owner does.
G'day to ya!
There are a lot of things that disturb me when it comes to the willful ignorance and plain stupidity people have toward Michael and his life. At this point in time, if you still misinterpret or question his boyhood, skin disease, relationship with children, and general lifestyle, then it's truly a sad thing. Aside from so called 'fans', to still hear Black folks of all people fall into the traps set forth by White corporate media to further diminish his reputation makes me loose hope in our deliverance. Michael Jackson was a child of the revolution and a system buster by all accounts. He didn't define his life by socially constructed rules and American biases. And as sensitive and insecure he may have been at times, he was most definitely a very head strong and confident individual who knew what he wanted and knew he had the right stuff to execute his plan. Michael and his family have been on everyone's shit list since the seventies. A rich, talented, powerful and influential Black family is a huge, yet dangerous commodity. People have been trying to Black list them for decades, including their brightest, most advanced star - Michael. Michael was a message singer sent to help awaken folks; too bad his message fell on deaf ears. I mean, listen to his songs, watch his interviews, read his autobiography. Learn from the man, not the caricature. He's trying to tell ya something, folks. Michael was too spiritually and politically mature for the White power structure and fellow powers that be. There are forces in this world inextricably linked through the media, politics, the music industry, etc. And those in power don't want us to build and grow. But how can one educate the public when they are ruled by fear? How painful it must have been for Michael to watch so many people develop slanted opinions of him, which were mostly based on fabricated rumors and a general lack of research. The truth will eventually come out and Michael Jackson will forever be remembered as a musical, business & marketing genius... and I only hope the masses can catch on.
@redcatbiker...
lol. nice one lady. I wish you well.
From my side, this was never a fight, I simply commented on your comment.
The fact that you described this as a fight, kinda puts your response into a hell of a perspective for me.
In anycase, be well. be peace.
In other news, I just realised that Cynthis MCKinney is being held by Isreali special forces. Never thought Isreal would have the audacity to do that to a US senator, but then she is a black woman, they probably realise that they can get away with it.