MICHAEL JOSEPH JACKSON – AUGUST 29, 1958 – JUNE 25, 2009 Last evening, as I sat on my sofa watching the CNN story about the passing of Farrah Fawcett, I saw the scroll at the bottom of the screen stating that Michael Jackson had been rushed to the hospital after suffering cardiac arrest. Minutes later, it became the lead story. To say I was stunned would be putting it mildly. As the story developed, I got a sinking feeling in my heart – somehow, I knew he wouldn't survive. What can one say about Michael Jackson? Talented? Gifted? Weird? Sad? Lost? Genius? Probably all of these and more. But, who among us doesn't have some type of issue and idiosyncrasy? As Michael grew older, quite different-looking and embroiled in controversy after controversy, my heart always held a certain sadness for Michael. His often almost child-like persona always made me feel sad for the childhood he never experienced. From a young age, he was pushed into the public spotlight. Raised in a home with a devout Mother on the one hand and an abusive, driven father on the other, Michael didn't have a childhood. As it became evident that he was the clear star among his eight siblings, he was pushed further and further into the public eye. I remember thinking this when he built and developed Neverland and when it was revealed that two of his closest friends were Macaulay Culkin and Emmanuel Lewis (the boy who starred in the series, Webster ). He was trying, as an adult, to create the childhood he never experienced. Michael became the major breadwinner for his family at a very young age. I remember when the Jackson Five appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show during my early high school years. Everyone I knew immediately fell in love with them, especially little Michael. Here were these cute, darker-complexioned boys with big Afros who could sing and dance their butts off. Other than Nat King Cole, the Jackson Five were the first black folks I remembered seeing on The Ed Sullivan Show which my family watched faithfully every Sunday. Girls would debate about who was the cutest, Jermaine or Michael or Jackie. When I got my first six-transistor radios and a Jackson Five song came on, you would find me with the radio glued to my ear and me dancing around doing, or trying to do, their steps. Later, when they appeared on The Mike Douglass Show and American Bandstand, everyone I knew was glued to the television. I spent my teen-aged years being one of their biggest fans. They had these cool, matching outfits and big Afros. Their dance steps were coordinated and smooth everyone tried to copy their moves and always, there was cute, little Michael with the brilliant smile and shining personality. As I grew into early adulthood, so did the Jacksons, and Michael broke from the group to start his own career and what a career it was! Got to Be There, I Wanna Be Where You Are, Ben (who but Michael could have a hit with a song about a rat?, With A Child's Heart, Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough, Rock with You, Off the Wall, The Girl is Mine, Billie Jean, Beat It, Thriller and so many, many more, too numerous to name here but we all remember hearing them and dancing to them. When Thriller aired on MTV in 1984, it was the first time a video by a person of color appeared on MTV and the video was hot, smoking! It was more like a mini-movie than the standard music video. It was choreographed perfectly and those zombies were jammin'! It remains my favorite Michael Jackson video. As Michael's looks changed over the years and stories of his low self-esteem about his looks began to surface, I was mystified. I always thought Michael was cute and attractive. I never noticed what he referred to as a nose so big that he father called him Big Nose. I found his dark, Hershey Bar-colored skin one of his most attractive features. Though his music continued to evolve and excel, his physical appearance changed to that of someone I could not recognize. This did not diminish one iota my admiration for his musical genius. Rest in peace, Michael. May you finally find the peace and serenity you long sought. In tribute, here is the link to my favorite Michael Jackson video, Thriller http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtyJbIOZjS8&feature=featured Blessings,
T
When our race is seen as a weapon
3 years ago
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