Michael Jackson Remembered

August 29th, 2011

The entire cast of Cirque du Soleil’s “The Immortal World Tour” remember Michael today from Montreal with birthday wishes of admiration and LOVE.

 

Gary, Indiana was Michael Jackson’s birthplace 53 years ago today; and Gary, Indiana opened it’s arms wide to greet Michael’s children and mother who traveled there for a three day festival that ended today.

Musical acts, fireworks, and special events centered mainly around the Jackson’s childhood home, and the nearby Leonard Douglas Stadium at Roosevelt High School. The International Afro Centric Circus pitched its tent at Roosevelt Park, near the old home place. Hearsay has it that a cake, imported from Canada, was ceremoniously cut, and shared with the crowd.

The birthday tribute event was sponsored by the City of Gary, LGR Partners, Inc., the Jackson Family Foundation, and the Jackson Development and Marketing Corporation.

Jackson Street was closed to traffic between 23rd and 24th Avenues to allow for numerous vendors, and an entertainment platform dubbed, “The Legend’s Stage.” News reporters and fans thickly roamed the streets at key places on the Jackson family’s old stomping grounds.

Michael’s children, Prince 14, Paris 13 and Blanket 9 got a glimpse of their father’s early childhood roots. They posed for pictures and signed autographs for fans during the celebratory weekend.

Mama/Grandma Katherine reminisced about old times at 2300 Jackson St. “There’s a lot of memories that stand out in my mind from when we were here, like when the boys used to practice all the time… I remember Michael was so happy when he was young, and he used to take all his money and buy candy for all the kids in the neighborhood.”

Paris told a video crew, “We’ve adjusted over the past years.  And I think that coming here, seeing our dad’s old house, and all the fans coming out, I think it is really sweet they did that.”

Blanket, while normally very shy, willingly shared his perspective on the Gary visit, “It’s good to see the place where our dad grew up.”

“I am happy for this type of a thing not only going on here, but going on all over the world,” said Michael’s father, Joe Jackson.

A member of the Jackson family commented that seeing the community, and fans from everywhere honoring Michael, makes them feel wonderful as they vow to keep alive his music and legacy.

When asked how she wants her father to be remembered, Paris remarked with a sweet smile, “As one of the greatest and nicest guys ever.”

Seth Riggs was Michael’s voice coach for 32 years. He knew Michael very well. He loved Michael very much.

Seth’s tender anecdotal descriptions of his student’s character and personality are deeply touching, and incredibly insightful.

 

Biased media journalism, coercive persuasion on the unwitting public and subtly deceptive marketing ploys make me wanna scream!

Today my son emailed me a Billboard Magazine link to what he called a “silly MJ animation.” I am somewhat sorry that I clicked on the video because it gave Billboard Magazine a little bit of coin… which they don’t deserve a penny of!

The “silly animation” turned out to be another example of the type of tabloid trash and media exploitation which Michael was subjected to for many, many years of his life. It makes my heart ache that greedy people target innocent people with such crass insensitivity just to make a buck. Unfortunately, it sells. They couldn’t get away with it if it didn’t. It sells to people who buy into the smug attitude which is actually the antithesis of what Michael himself believed in, and tried to promote. Michael Jackson’s humanitarian efforts were herculean, to say the least.

Perhaps I spoke too soon when I said, “They couldn’t get away with it if it didn’t [sell].” Well, as current events proves, this isn’t always true. Recently the influential media mogul, Rupert Murdoch, was recently exposed in the United Kingdom for deceptive journalism practices. “…he’s not afraid to use his media properties as weapons to further his vast -– and politically connected –- empire,” the LA Times reported a few days ago. “In the United States, Murdoch has not hesitated to use his media holdings to advance the company’s business agenda. Case in point is the battle News Corp. waged against Nielsen, the company which provides television ratings used to sell advertising on cable and broadcast outlets, including those owned by Murdoch such as Fox News, FX, Fox, and local TV stations including KTTV in Los Angeles.” Full LA Times article HERE.

Aren’t we glad that Murdoch said he was “sorry.”

Barabara Kauffmann, founder of the Voices Education Project questions, “What social value is there in 7 inch headlines designed to bypass the brain and critical thinking, screaming labels like “freak,” “naked,” “evil,” fat,” “bizarre,” “gay,” “scandal” with an accompanying photo of someone now dragged to a public platform for dismemberment and humiliation? It both numbs and dumbs. What is heroic about clever linguistics and innuendo that plants labels or suggestions in people’s minds with “sources tell me” when there are no “sources”? What is honest about printing half truths or lies front page and later, a retraction in small print on the back page? Sensationalism doesn’t sell you news; it sells newspapers.” Read Kauffmann’s recent article about tabloid journalism at the Huffington Post HERE.

Billboard Magazine’s type of marketing made Michael want to SCREAM! His fans were thrilled when he turned his frustration into a huge hit. In retaliation to the media’s mean-spirited response to the false child molestation allegations hurled at him in 1993, Michael, with his successful sister Janet, produced his acclaimed song and music video, Scream.

“..well received amongst critics, it [the song, Scream] has been compared favorably to other accomplished pieces by Jackson. It went on to be nominated for a Grammy Award and an American Music Award. The corresponding music video remains one of Jackson’s most critically acclaimed pieces; it won numerous MTV Video Music Awards and a Grammy. At a cost of $ 7 million, it was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most expensive music video ever made.” ~Wikipedia

Scream lyrics with music YouTube channel: GigaAkalan

 Scream

Written by Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, James Harris and Terry Lewis

 

Tired of injustice

Tired of the schemes

These lies are disgustin’

So what does this mean? (Daddy)

Kicking me down

I got to get up

As jacked as it sounds

The whole system sucks (Daddy it)

 

Peek in the shadow

Come into the light

You tell me I’m wrong

Then you better prove you’re right

You’re sellin out souls but

I care about mine

I’ve got to get stronger

And I won’t give up the fight

 

With such confusions don’t it make you wanna scream

Your bash abusin victimize within the scheme

You try to cope with every lie they scrutinize

 

Somebody please have mercy

Cause I just can’t take it

Stop pressurin me

Just stop pressurin me

Stop pressurin me

Make me wanna scream

Stop pressurin me

Just stop pressurin me

Stop pressurin me

Make you just wanna scream

 

Tired of you tellin the story your way

You’re causin’ confusion

You think it’s okay (damn it!)

 

You keep changin’ the rules

While I keep playin’ the game

I can’t take it much longer

I think I might go insane

 

With such confusion don’t it make you wanna scream

Your bash abusin victimize within the scheme

You find your pleasure scandalizin every lie

Oh father, please have mercy cause I just can’t take it

Stop pressurin me

Just stop pressurin me

Stop pressurin me

Make me wanna scream

Stop pressurin me

Just stop pressurin me

Stop fuckin with me

Make me wanna scream

 

“Oh my God, can’t believe what I saw

As I turned on the TV this evening

I was disgusted by all the injustice

All the injustice”

“All the injustice”

 

(News Man)

“A man has been brutally beaten to death by

Police after being wrongly identified as a

robbery suspect. The man was

an 18 year old black male…”

 

With such collusions don’t it make you wanna scream

Your bash abusin’ victimize within the scheme

You try to cope with every lie they scrutinize

Oh brother please have mercy ‘Cause I just can’t take it

Stop pressurin me Just stop pressurin’ me

Stop pressurin me Makes me wanna scream

Stop pressurin me Just stop pressurin’ me

Stop pressurin me Makes me wanna scream

Stop pressurin me Just stop pressurin’ me

Stop pressurin me Makes me wanna scream

Stop pressurin me Just stop pressurin’ me

Stop pressurin me Makes me wanna scream