In Memory of Michael Jackson, Humanitarian & Artist Extraordinaire
Quincy Jones said it all the other day in his tribute to Michael Jackson on a blog post for the Los Angeles Times. (Jones worked with Jackson in the 80′s and produced some of the BEST finished products ever published in the music industry) Read what Jones had to say this week)
“This blessed artist commanded the stage with the grace of an antelope, shattered recording industry records and broke down cultural boundaries around the world, yet remained the gentlest of souls. Michael Jackson was a different kind of entertainer. A man-child in many ways, he was beyond professional and dedicated. Evoking Fred Astaire, Sammy Davis Jr. and James Brown all at once, he’d work for hours, perfecting every kick, gesture and movement so that they came together precisely the way they were intended to. Together we shared the ’80s, achieving heights that I can humbly say may never be reached again and reshaped the music business forever.” Thank you Mr. Jones; no one could have said it better.
Watching the non-stop coverage provided on Michael Jackson’s death and his life one cannot help asking — Where was MSNBC’s (and other networks and media outlets) many reporters over the past several years? Why did we not see or hear any of these incredible reports? Why when Michael Jackson, the human being, was being hounded and persecuted by some of these very reporters did we not see and hear about Jackson’s incredible kindness to children? His unmatched generosity to various charities? Why did they not tell us how committed he was to his three children? He was trying to give these children a childhood he never had. Mr. Jackson did a great deal to help sick children from all groups and races. Even today, that is not what they focus on; rather we hear about how he hated his father; if this is true, listening to Michael’s tales of his childhood, it is a sentiment well deserved. What about the charities he supported and the many people he helped? Why don’t we hear more about those?
Michael Jackson almost single-handedly changed the perception of black people around the world; the only other person who came close to having a similar impact was Muhammad Ali. Within the past 30 years it has been Michael Jackson. Korean prisoners dance to his songs. He opened so many doors in VERY positive ways; yet, we do not hear about that. We constantly heard about the inflammatory claims even though not one was ever proven; the media was bent on tarnishing him; destroying his joy in life.
Is it possible that if the media presented a balanced picture they (the members of the media) would not have been able to slander him and destroy him so effectively? Is the media ever going to take responsibility for the pain and anguish they caused in pursuit of wealth and prominence and in pursuit of being the first to break the story? Whatever happened to check and verify?
To what lengths are some members of the media willing to go in the interest of greater profits? Is there a limit anywhere? What about ethics in journalism? Does that still exists? We see no evidence of that. The best journalists are no longer on the network stations. Sensationalism is now the order of the day. Cable demands 24 -hr news; it does not matter if it is factual or ethical; conjecture will do; it is all about filling the time. The few really good journalists who are still in the mainstream media seem to have succumb to putting innuendos in their lead pieces.
This man gave so much of himself in caring and meaningful ways; yet, once the lies started circulating, instead of someone trying to ascertain the facts, or at least providing a comprehensive story, they simply zeroed in on how they could exploit him 100 percent. The fact that he was a human being with feelings was not even on the radar screen; he was a piece of meat to be shredded completely. They were vultures tearing at his flesh.
Martin Bashir, presently on ABC, is a British jounalist who in 2003– while working for ITV in England– spent 8 months living with Michael Jackson at his Neverland Ranch. We can tell that Jackson was an innocent because he trusted this vulture. Many have accused Bashir of yellow journalism for the vicious way in which he reportedly twisted the recordings with Jackson so that he could paint him as a child molester. Bashir came to prominence in 1995, when he interviewed Diana, Princess of Wales. How this man can live with himself is beyond the human imagination. However, ABC has rewarded him; he is now on Nightline! It is believed in informed circles that he singlehanded started the most effective destruction of Michael Jackson, the human being. Michael had to abandon Neverland; this was his dream place for children and for himself, but it was sullied by lies, innuendos and viciousness. What a tragedy! What a loss to millions all over the world!!!
The New York Times called Bashir’s journalism style “callous self-interest masked as sympathy.”[1] Please read what the NY Times had to say about this man. Today he is on TV pontificating about the very life he helped to destroy. There is nothing worse than a deceiver and a liar because we cannot hide from them. They can always create their own stories.
I read where they claim Bashir replaced Ted Koppel. NEVER! Ted Koppel was a real journalist; he is a decent person with principles and journalistic ethics. I ask Bashir today, where was your footage of Heal The World? What have you done to make this world a better place? How many poor people have you helped? How many sick children have experienced love, laughter and kindness as a result of your efforts? How do you live with yourself? How do you bring yourself to utter Michael Jackson’s name?
The world has lost an ambassador of peace and goodwill; a man who tried his best to bring joy and laughter to many. Yes, he had too many surgeries, but he did not perform them on himself. Why was he able to find doctors to do these surgeries when clearly he was in need of greater healing than any surgery could provide? We need to ask ourselves what do we value most? The media’s nonstop marauding about Michael Jackson is just another example of them going too far with no controls.
The only things the Media need to show are his performance of Heal The World in Warsaw, the videos of Black and White and We Are The World. STOP talking about his plastic surgeries. He was trying to disappear as a black man in a country where 120 years after the abolition of slavery his music was NOT being seen on MTV. His father used his slave mentality to brutalism him, and the media simply picked up where the father left off.
REST IN PEACE Michael Jackson. You did the BEST you could in a very hostile environment. May the God of the Universe cherish your SOUL in Eternity. I will always cherish your music.