I know this category is for tasteless posts, so maybe this is not the place for my reply. I'm just so tired of people bashing MJ this way. I'm sure this public stoning of a wounded celebrity contributed to his untimely demise.
Michael Jackson was without a doubt one of the worlds great artists and performers, whose music, though often just spectacularly well rendered pop, also included very moving and instantly memorable songs with great spiritual messages like "We are the world" and "I'll be there" which reached huge numbers of people and made a real difference in this world. He had an extremely traumatic, abusive, and public childhood, and we've all seen the effects of the lasting damage this had on him in his adult life (if it can be called that) amplified by his wealth and constant over-exposure.
We don't know the truth about the claims of molestation, but the courts have cleared him on this. Now that the tabloids have had their say though, we'll all remember about this. Things are often not what they seen, and this child-man with a hefty dose of naivete has always been attacked by leeches with the hope to extort or steal a living off his great wealth, which he earned with great skill and dedication by bringing joy to millions. If it's true, I would never have minimized the need for treatment and measures to protect others (though I don't see how "punishment", moralizing condemnations, or cruel jokes ever help anyone)
Steven Spielberg said "Jackson's world of fantasy is easier to dismiss with malicious gossip than understand with sympathy. He's like a fawn in a burning forest." and "It’s a nice place Michael comes from, I wish we could all spend some time in his world." Whatever you think of him (or Spielberg) I believe he really meant well, and acted on it in big ways, to the best of his ability which was sometimes considerable. More than can be said of most.
I was never a big fan of his, and the only album of his I ever actually owned was the J5's greatest hits on vinyl from 30 years ago. But of course I know scores of his songs, and some of them are truly great. I went back to youtube this week and watched a few videos - I recommend it, I have a new appreciation for how overwhelmingly talented he was. Check out "I want you back" on soul train
YouTube - Michael Jackson with The Jackson 5 on Soul Train "I Want You Back" - I can see why he knocked everyone's socks off.
Blessings and Love to this strange, wounded, childlike genius; who touched all our lives, and who was both a light and a lesson to us.
Quote:
satire wrote:
Did you hear that since Michael Jackson’s body was mostly plastic, they’re going to melt him down and turn him into Legos, so that little boys now can play with him for a change.
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What, no Michael Jackson jokes?
