As I walked on the treadmill this morning at the gym, the television was programmed to CNN. As we all know, Michael Jackson and his premature death has dominated the news, as it should. Michael Jackson and his genius, along with his music, changed the world. Having said that, there is an alarming trend that is becoming all too familiar when a "celebrity" passes on. The media becomes relentless. They will go to the ends of the earth to dig up some "dirt" on the deceased. While I do understand (and despise) that this is what sells, it is disheartening and unacceptable, nontheless! Regardless of what Michael Jackson meant to you or myself personally, this was a man that was part of a REAL family. He was a father to three beautiful children that he loved and that loved their DADDY. He was the son and brother of a very big family that he loved and that loved him.
While all of us can hear a song of his and immediately be transported back in time and pinpoint where we were and what the song meant to us....we didn't know Michael Jackson. I grew up with four brothers in my house and each has their own little idiosyncrasies that make them who they are. I know the name of the girl that my oldest brother took to prom his senior year. I have another brother that wrote and sang a strange little ditty titled "Onion Breath" and I know the actual meaning behind the song. Another brother had a treasured stuffed panda bear named MingMing that he slept with for most of his childhood. My youngest brother called me ZsaZsa when he was little and thought that there really was a Tinkerbell. Now, what does all of that have to do with Michael Jackson, you ask. Simply, there are many things that happen within a family that makes you a FAMILY. You may know things about your relative that noone else knows and that is the way that it is suppose to be. Our families are our "safe havens." Our place to go when the world outside is cold and lonely or when there are joys to share.
I loved Michael Jackson's music. There were times that a specific song made me dance, or tap my foot to the beat or hum along and at times, I would even sing out loud (usually when I was alone in the car or in the shower!). I never once thought of what his race was, how old he was, his sexual orientation, how much money he had or if he was in debt. Those things NEVER occured to me while I was enjoying his music. I was just always so caught up in the music. The universal language. So, someone please explain to me and make me understand, why, now that this man is dead, why the media feels the need to dissect every area of his life? What is the purpose of this? I do not feel the need to know everything that the man has ever done in life. How would we feel if each time anything happened in our life...I will use myself as an example...if I had been to the gym and pulled a muscle, for instance, and did not go to the doctor but my sister had a prescription of muscle relaxers and gave me a few and the next day, I was front page news...Julia Wallace Local Pastor's Wife Caught Buying Illegal Drugs....or if I felt the need to snap at my daughter to keep her from running out into a busy street and the next day, yet again, I am front page news, only this time I am now "abusive." This may seem rather far fetched to a lot of you, but these things can and do happen to the "celebrity" every day.
I am a Pastor's wife and there are many times that I feel like I am under a microscope for all to see. I have good days and bad days just like everyone else. The luxury that I have is I am not in the spotlight all the time. I do not have people that are hounding me each time I walk out my door or snapping pictures at my most inopportune moments. I am thankful for this.
Michael Jackson has died. I will truly miss his music. What I would like to hear about now is all of the good things that he did for others. All of the money that he gave to help those less fortunate. The lives that he touched in a positive way. When the media chooses to show the world his beloved Neverland Ranch, please just help the outside world see how serene and beautiful it is. Don't make a huge deal out of the fact that he had a safety room, from what I hear many public people have them, and for good reason! No need to comment on "this room was included in the investigation when he was charged with..." (Matt Lauer). Also, keep in mind that there is a beautiful, wonderful family out there grieving for the loss of their loved one....Michael Jackson, a man that we only knew through his music. Our lives will be a little sad over losing one of the world's greatest talents ever, but we will go on. This is going to affect his children, his mother and father and siblings, nieces and nephews, in ways that we cannot understand and for the rest of their lives. While I am sure that his family truly appreciates the outpouring of love from fans, they are living this nightmare in a way we are not. It must be torture to have to hear every single minute detail of their loved one's life every where they turn.
I do not have the right to know everything that happened in Michael's life nor do I want to. Yes, he was a celebrity. But, more than that, he was a human being. All of this media blitz has reminded me of when Anna Nicole Smith died and the circus like atmosphere that surrounded her death and the custody battle that it seemed the bloodthirsty media was anticipating. Even then, there was a precious little baby that had lost her mother and a father that knew he was her daddy and wanted nothing more than to embrace that role. These are real people going through real heartache. What has happened to our humanity?
Today I read something that a celebrity had twittered about having a "White Trash Party" and she was going as "Octomom" and yet again, I was pained that one human being was belittling another human being that more than likely, she had never met. We are not put on this earth to hurt each other or judge each other. We must start opening our hearts to love instead of our mouths to degrade and ostracize.
My heart goes out to the Jackson family for THEIR loss. God bless and keep them all. I was also impressed beyond measure with Reverand Al Sharpton last night as he spoke with a reporter on CNN about Michael Jackson. He nailed it and I am sure that Michael was cheering from heaven! Michael tried to share love on earth....let's follow that lead!
Friday, July 3, 2009
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