I am proud to stand up in defense of Michael Jackson, not because of his music, but because of his character. Michael Jackson makes me proud to be An American again! He was and was found innocent in a court of law, and still America spit and continues to spit on him. Meanwhile, actual child molesters are seldom caught and/or convicted, but rather are permitted to roam free, often lavishly praised by the communities in which they live; authentic child molesters are, as a general rule, spared the utter pain, humiliation, degradation and ridicule that Michael Jackson was made to endure before, during, and, after his trial; most people, period, regardless of whether they have ever been accused of a crime, have not had to endure the suffering Michael Jackson was made to endure, and he do so with unsurpassed grace, dignity and love for humankind; he is a living example of what it is to be humane, and to possess heart, integrity and
spirit, a living example of the Holy Spirit, of true non-prejudice and multiculturalism; when Michael Jackson embraced, he did so fully, and completely, without apology, in response to those in need: those whom this country has otherwise forgotten, and I know this because I am one of America’s forgotten. Here in the U.S., a good game is talked and taught, but when it comes down to believing in people, and in justice, we will almost always believe those who are lying over those who speak the truth, the sinners in favor of the saints. Michael Jackson was a Saint, and he was therefore blackballed and routinely and unfairly mocked. Even Oprah Winfrey presumed Michael Jackson’s guilt, and now, as opposed to saying, “I am sorry Michael Jackson, I was wrong,” Ms. Winfrey has instead made money off of Michael’s death, complete with so called tribute shows (she suddenly has a need to pay tribute to a man she thinks was a child molester)? and displaying the highly coveted Michael Jackson
Opus due out next month on her show.
If America cannot be proud of Michael Jackson and the example he set forth, we must ask ourselves, what then can we be proud of, for Michael Jackson is a man who fed the hungry and the sick, who raised our awareness of AIDS and other diseases, who did the job multiple members of social service agencies across the country purport to be doing. This man, this “pop star” Michael Jackson, was someone with whom, had I had any children of my own, I would not waste a second’s hesitation, to live them in his care. Same goes for the children whom I do have presently in my life. If given the choice between Michael Jackson and a man who wears a suit and tie and could very easily hide his ill intentions toward children, I am going to pick Michael Jackson every time: he was/is someone whom children and others should be encouraged to look up to; someone whom Martin Luther King Jr. would be pleased: we risk the lives of our troops everyday, in the name of bringing democracy, freedom, and
safety to others, and yet, when we have someone who exemplified these principles and ultimately prevailed in the name of the greater good because of them, we turn our backs on him, try to wash him out and erase him, letting him exist only in so far as we get to say what a twisted sicko he was, always sure to note, that while the music was good, the man certainly wasn’t: in fact the opposite is true. The music, but most especially, the man, was filled with hope and joy and pure goodness. For NBC to assign Martin Bashir, of all people, to speak at Michael’s Public Memorial was the most inappropriate despicable act of the media to date, placing, and this next phrasing is deliberate, the last nail in Michael Jackson’s coffin: his children were there, his family was there, his supporters and fans amassed, and we needed to grieve, to cry out, and to hang on to each other, and to Michael and his children, not be party to Bashir’s futile attempt at redemption (or whatever else his
presence was supposed to mean). President Barack Obama did not commemorate Michael Jackson, but rather sent a white house aide to deliver a short statement saying that Michael Jackson was a “deeply gifted yet ultimately troubled artist.” President Obama’s was and is inexcusable. If ever there were a man who was in a position, who had the obligation and the responsibility to come forth and remind America of Michael Jackson’s innocence and greatness, it was Barack Obama, whom, like Oprah and others, were given the chance to truly excel and to come to fruition because of the groundwork that Michael Jackson laid, the civil rights work that Michael Jackson did; Michael Jackson got his hands dirty for the rest of us, but it is the rest of us that have benefited.
Not a day goes by without some kind of massive effort to discredit and to desecrate Michael Jackson, in the effort to see him hidden away, unable to influence and inspire others, in particular, up and coming generations. Yet Barack Obama certainly makes his way to my TV enough, his photos and advertisements find their way onto every web page imaginable, where Barack can be seen shaking and pointing his finger no less, while Oprah is seen by many to be the most powerful and staunchest advocate for victims of domestic violence. Michael was one of the easiest targets in the world for false allegations: massive amounts of money, otherworldly fame, and a held by many others prejudicial attitude that Michael Jackson was just plain weird. Had he been wrongly convicted, it would have served to reinforce every twisted, erroneous, and quack pot stereotype about sexual child abuse that there is, and America, in the same smug attitude that many actual molesters possess would have been
able to say, “Ah, hah, we got Michael Jackson, we’re cracking down on sexual child abuse.”
One such molester was my biological father, William Splain, who passed away, having never come to justice, despite much overt and tangible evidence (which never existed in the Jackson case) and those with this evidence, those with adequate enough knowledge that I was being raped as a small child, innocent in every way, those who could have been the positive influence in my life that Michael Joseph Jackson was destined to eventually be, stood away and let me suffer, let me stew in my darkness and in my doubts while William retained his position as esteemed community pastor, enjoying effusive recognition.
What is wrong with us as a people that we would sooner take comfort in and build up to others a sorely negative and ultimately malevolent influence, while wholeheartedly insuring that we destroyed a genuinely shining star (in every sense of the word) like Michael Jackson? Barack Obama, Oprah and all of us would do well to remember and be humble about the gifts that we have been given courtesy of Michael Jackson (separate and apart from his contributions to the music industry). More people know who Michael Jackson was and who Michael Jackson is than they do the Presidents of Countries (especially when it comes to people knowing the Presidents of The United States, as well as past prime ministers of The United Kingdom). Complaints about the cost of Michael’s funeral (and I confess, I was one of “those people” who thought, through all of the musical performances and beyond, any minute now, and Michael Jackson will come to us, softly, and in full form, perfectly fine, and say,
“I’m sorry, there has been a terrible mistake. Don’t worry and please do not cry. I am alive and well and I am right here with you-always”). For anyone to have complained about the cost of Michael’s funeral (estimated to be anywhere from one to four million dollars) is ludicrous. No one complained about the cost of the witch hunt that was to become the trial and no kind of public apology or public redress of Michael’s or his children’s psychological and/or physical injury was ever given. What is the cost of attempting to convict an innocent man? His injuries must have been grave (word use intended). How worn down and worn out he must have been. What is the cost of never apologizing to an innocent man, a man whom we never had just cause to believe he was anything but innocent in the first place-a man who has been mercilessly shackled in America’s clutches for so many years? What is the cost of knowing that Paris, Prince Michael and Prince Michael II will grow up hearing
of their father as a pedophile named Wacko Jacko? What is the cost for America, who got so horribly, grotesquely and inexcusably wrong? The cost is what it is and we should be more than happy to man and woman up and pay it and to openly shaking with remorse as we do so. How worn out…and yet, Michael Jackson never stopped loving, never stopped believing, never stopped giving. There was not one bitter moment in his veins.
Michael, God Love you, xoxoxoxo:)! and on behalf of all of America, I am so sorry!:(! As a survivor of sexual child abuse and a social worker, I feel responsible for all that has happened, for all that you and your children were made to endure. You were much more of a father to me than my biological father ever was, or could ever be, and I have so much more respect for you than I do him. I know with every fiber of my being, with all that I am, that you, Michael Jackson, xoxoxoxoxo!:)! went to heaven!:)! Let God Hold and Kiss You, Babe, xoxoxoxoxo:) you’ve earned it. Although I hate the idea of you, at least in flesh, being alone and cold, when by all accounts and in every right, you should be “This is It-ing” all over the place in Europe, I know that you deserved a proper burial. Thanks so much for being the epitome of what it is to love when others are less than kind and offend against you. You are my reminder that, while anyone can love when it’s easy, and things are
smooth, and everyone agrees with you or does what is desired, it takes genuine compassion, courage, and tenacity, the kind that you, Michael Jackson possessed and still possess in abundance, to love in the face of hardship and discord. Thank you for being my idea of justice, and of soul, of everything good that is possible and can prevail. I am sorry that you had to suffer for what my biological dad to me, and for the actions of those committing similar acts against other children; It isn’t right, it’s unjust, it’s outrageous and downright unfair: these individuals should have been held responsible for their crimes, not you. But I thoroughly appreciate your willingness to suffer on my behalf. It is because of you that I finally feel safe, and I certain in my heart that I am not the only survivor of sexual child abuse who feels the same: we look up to you and we need you: the change of where you are in terms of time and space will never change that. Rest Michael,
xoxoxooxoxo!:) rest, next to Job and Angel Gabriel, xoxoxoxo:)! and…be assured….always that I love you….more.
Of you and your beautiful “This Is It” Movie, your friend Elizabeth Taylor calls upon us to say to ourselves, “I loved Genius in my lifetime.” Dame Elizabeth calls it:)! and you stunningly, unbelievably accurate. I could not have said it better.
Teddy Riley, a few short days after your death (every minute seems to drag on into infinity without you here-the world seems grayer, as if somehow permanently weighted down) said that “the world will never be alright with Michael Jackson not being here.” Truer words have never been spoken.
This culture and the media that is both fed by and formed because of it, has an ethical, psychological and moral obligation to right the wrongs committed against Michael Joseph Jackson: as we have already seen, the consequences of not doing so (will continue to be) as irreparable as they are devastating. A modern day Gandhi and a selfless humanitarian, Michael Jackson’s philosophies should be permitted in the school system, as part of the regular curriculum taught to our youth. Michael’s extension of himself to others, his tremendously rare and powerful creativity, and his writings should be championed and celebrated. Something must be done right now. Tomorrow isn’t waiting. In addition to the aforementioned public apology, one of the ways the media can begin to “make that change” is to fully support Respectable Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee’s HR 600 to give Michael Jackson a National Holiday.
What a wonderful Christmas gift this would be-the media making a commitment to uphold Michael’s good name-let’s do it, for Michael and for The Children of the World, our children; let’s all be like Whoopi Goldberg who proudly and articulately told Congressman Peter King, ”Yes, yes, I did leave my Children with Michael Jackson.” xoxoxoxoxoxo:)! Michael Joseph Jackson
