At 19, I never knew the King of Pop, Michael Jackson...

[armyowalgreens]

I was born 7 years after Thriller came out and a year after he wrote his autobiography. I was never able to enjoy the era when he was most famous.

As of today, I know Michael Jackson as the "weird guy that was accused of touching kids at his creepy ranch". Is it bad that my most memorable image of Michael Jackson is him standing on top of his limousine outside the courthouse? I don't know. I have no perspective.


But when I heard the news of his death, I was overwhelmed with an immense grief.

I had not lost a pop icon. He was never a music icon to me.

A man died yesterday. A man that contributed greatly to the world in many different ways. And how did the world return the favor? They dragged him through the mud. And he was never able to reclaim any sort of dignity. It's a disgrace.

I won't pretend to know the complexities and shortcomings of Mr.Jackson. I know that he had been "tared and feathered" in the public square much too often. It seemed like very few cared about his good will when they could simply use him as the butt of a joke. Humans can be such cruel creatures sometimes.

So here's to you Mr. Jackson. May you finally rest in peace.

[hlthe2b]

1. re: "he was never able to reclaim any sort of dignity."

Indeed, this is what has me particularly sad this morning. I was rooting for his redemption, his comeback, his somehow finding a way to erase the demons that seemed to be causing his self-destruction.

It is quite telling that you can appreciate him in this way and extend this understanding and compassion, having never experienced anything but the tragic figure he had become Thank you for your post and compassion. We need far more of it.

[armyowalgreens]

2. It makes me sad to see such a tragic figure die without redemption...

He was shunned as a freak. But who knows what kind of torture he lived through. Who knows who the real Michael Jackson was?

It's just so... sad.

[tinkerbell41]

3. It is so Sad

He was THE soundtrack to my teen years. I cannot remember him as the freakshow he became. Looking at the old videos last night, from the beginning helped to erase the last 10-15 yrs. Misunderstood, I think, I cannot imagine that life, cannot imagine what made him into the last image we saw.

[hlthe2b]

20. I agree... I haven't listened to him in years....

But, BAD, THRILLER,and Off THE WALL, made me move when I was younger (once motivated me to become me as fit as I'd ever been) and filled me with awe as I watched him "move."

Now, more than 40 pounds overweight, I think I will return to Jackson's music, using his premature departure as a real wake up call and see if I can't regain that motivation to become more healthy. That, in some small way, would be a fitting way to remember MJ and to bring some personal good from his death...

Ahh, CD's sold out everywhere--3 week backorder.... I guess I'll have to get started without him....:shrug:

[SoCalDem]

9. Sadly, there are some things that cannot be "undone".

Making music that people enjoy, does not make up for molesting kids, and then paying off their families.
Once a reputation has that kind of stain on it, it cannot be washed clean, no matter how much money is donated, or no matter how many records get sold.

It may be possible for some people to look past it all, and just enjoy the music, but things like that do not go away for many others.

[hlthe2b]

10. There was certainly a perception of molestation, but it was not

proven and we are not privy to the facts that the jury and court were able to hear and access. As strange as he was and as 'damaged' psychologically, it is not impossible to believe that there may be other explanations for his behavior-- I have severe doubts, mind you, but there is an outside chance that his behavior with children, however inappropriate, may not have been overtly sexual.

Regardless, I also believe in the possibility of redemption. Otherwise, I'd probably be a death penalty proponent. :shrug:

[roguevalley]

16. nt

[Odin2005]

4. I'm 23 and I agree completely.

He had a really messed up, abusive, exploitative childhood so it's no surprise that he was such a mental basket case. The bashing of him is disgusting. The molestation allegations were BS, parents using their kids as tools to enrich themselves (kind of like how MJ's dad used his kids for money, ironically).

[Joanne98]

5. We'll never know if he was guilty or not. Too many parasites feed off him.

for all we know the child molestation charges were just blackmail. He might have paid it in the beginning just because it was easy then every lowlife thought they could hit him up too.

As far as the cops go I always thought the prosecutor was after fame. A lot of DA's do that.

[Window]

6. Your compassion is astounding...

especially in view of some of the most disgusting posts I think I've ever seen on DU.

MJ never grew up, he was not allowed to. I understand the father went as far as having Michael undergo hormone treatments to keep his voice from changing.

He did indeed become a tragic figure, which probably stemmed from the abuse he suffered as a child. RIP Michael, finally.


Peace:thumbsup:

[KharmaTrain]

7. Generational Bookends...

My son, who is 22 and I talked about this last night. The Jackson 5 came around at the time I was drifting away from Top 40 and into album/progressive/hippie rock 'n roll. My friends and I would pick on Jacko along with Donnie Osmond. My son sees Jacko in a similar light as you do...a freak show. We joked here that I got the creeps from Michael when he sang songs to rats while he creeped out my son for his hanging around little boys.

May he rest in peace...a soul that was surely troubled and never comfortable with his fame. The music will be his enduring legacy...as it should be.

[Liberation Angel]

8. A Little perspective

My 14 year old son said, after I insisted he listen to "I want you back" right after we heard the news:

"Its like asking me to watch a video of OJ Simpson playing football"

He knew him almost solely as a creepy child molester.

For me it is a part of my life history, a passing which is sad because Michael was a tragedy as well as an amazing performer and singer.

And my son was fascinated by the news.

But his memories of MJ are from his childhood are that MJ was the creepy guy who tried to get little boys into bed and get them drunk and fondle them.

Really mixed emotions for me.

Still, that little boy singing "I want you back" was beautiful and amazing.

I blame his parents.

and I feel saddest for Janet who is also an amazing lovely performer

but frankly I feel saddest for the youth of Iran whose story is now lost to history in the whitewash of this death and the 24 hour news cycle.

They re bleeding but the story is no longer leading

[csziggy]

12. The youth of Iran are mourning Michael Jackson also

But they are smart enough to use his death to further their cause:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvOx4avw8WY

Spread that video around!

[Liberation Angel]

13. cool and thanks

willdo

[CoffeeCat]

15. I feel the most sad for Janet too...

Janet and Michael seemed to be really close. They worked on projects together and they
were so alike. They were like the opposite gender versions of each other.

She knows what went on in that family. She understands what Michael endured, and she most
likely has all of the answers to the questions that we can only ponder.

She holds onto the family secrets and I imagine she's feeling such pain right now. She's
not just grieving for her brother, but for the unknowns that they endured as children (most
likely abuse) that she knows were most likely contributing factors in Michael's death.

What a burden she bears. I hope she can heal and use her musical talent to rise above and move forward.

[LibDemAlways]

11. I was a 3o-year-old teacher at the height of Jackson's popularity. I once

responded to a teenage student's comment that Jackson was "the biggest entertainer of all time" by telling him he hadn't been around for the Beatles, so I would beg to differ. I suppose it's all a matter of perspective.

Nevertheless, when it was announced that Michael would be filming a Pepsi Commercial at LA's shrine auditorium, some students begged to go and, with their parents' permission, I took 3. That night Michael's hair caught fire in a bizarre incident that was all over the news. Anything he did was huge and newsworthy - and that was before the days of the internet and saturation news coverage.

Michael remained a big star in other countries. Those London concerts sold out instantly. Perhaps people elsewhere were more willing to consider the talent, whereas Americans became fixated on the eccentricities and scandals.

You're right. He was a complex human being. and one whose music will, I think, stand the test of time. RIP Michael.

[aaaaaa5a]

14. The Michael Jackson Movie will have to be a 3 part series.

Movie 1-1958-1978- Growing up in Gary, Indiana and The rise of the Jackson 5.


Movie 2-1979-1987- The greatest and most dominate music entertainer in history


Movie 3-1988-2009- A freak show!



I guess your opinion of him is based on when you came of age in the 3 part act that was his life.

[GeorgeGist]

17. The King of Pop is Dead.

I suspect nonsense will demand another to kill.

[Taverner]

18. I was an 80's child, and most of us used to HATE MJ

All of it - I hated the whole "faux caring" thing that came out of We Are the World, and like any good Gen X cynic, I thought all of it was an act.

And, I really didn't like his music. It seemed like the ultimate Corporate Rock product: A de-sexualized dancer who can sing a little. It was way too Growing Pains for me.

Today, I have a lot more respect for his work. Granted, I still don't own any of his albums - but like Rush I can admire his talent without getting his music.

[Maru Kitteh]

19. Very good post. n/t

[armyowalgreens]

21. Bump because some DUers are just a-holes.

[fujiyama]

22. It's just a shame what became of his life

It's just sad and pathetic that one of the greatest entertainers of all time became such a mess.

I'm 28, so his music was a part of my childhood. We used to view his music videos on prime time network TV when they premiered and they were a big event. The next day, we'd all be talking about it at school.

I still just cannot understand how family and friends can see someone destroy their life the way he did. How can you see a friend/loved one simply have children come into their home without their parents? Couldn't anyone have stopped him from going anywhere near that point in the first place?