Jackson, American Victim
By Justin Collins

A lot could be said about Michael Jackson. What cannot be argued is
the overwhelming support and praise for his music and his life upon
his death. All over the internet message boards and postings ask "why
did some hate him so much?"

Jackson was a tortured soul, as a young boy he had the sweet sing song
voice America loved. As a pivotal member of the Jackson 5, the
original boy band, young Michael was a teen heart throb and
international star. Times were not always so serene, later in life
Michael complained his father and mentor Joe Jackson was abusive and
gave beatings for missing notes during rehearsals. Michael’s later
life would reflect the loss of a childhood to constant touring and
conforming to a world of adult demands. Jackson stared in “The Wiz,”
an afro-centric take on the Wizard of OZ. Michael went on to be one of
the highest paid performers of all time with hit albums like Off The
Wall, Thriller and Bad.

Michael Jackson was always soft spoken and polite in public. But his
high profile King of Pop persona and his origins in a broken home in a
Chicago suburb shaped a very unique person. During the 1980’s Jackson
began to become lighter in appearance, he claimed to have developed a
skin condition and began to bleach his face and hands. Many believe
that Jackson fell into an idealized and false sense of beauty and had
cosmetic surgery in order to gain the appearance of a white "Peter
Pan" that would never have to grow up. In addition to his dramatically
whitened skin, Jackson can be seen as having altered his African
American features, in a progression of his album covers, one can see
his nose and lips become thinner between Off The Wall (78) and the
Thriller album to a complete change in 1988's Bad.

Was Jackson a victim of a world where being black just wasn't good
enough? Many attacked Jackson for his eccentricities and friendships
with child stars. Jackson lived in a wonderland, or rather Neverland.
His relationships were controlled by managers and an overbearing
father in his early years. At some point Jackson took his career in
his own hands and in connection with Motown production wizard Quincy
Jones Jackson changed the face of dance music forever. Jackson has won
more Grammys than any other artist in history. As an artist he was
never afraid to grow and challenge the standard. He worked with horror
master John Landess and Vincent Price of the ground breaking Thriller
video and even once put in a bid for the bones of the Elephant man.
At one point Jackson even owned the rights to The Beatles albums. I
think the world was too eager to demonize Jackson and maybe all
celebrities. Jackson was no fiendish pedophile, and like OJ Simpson
although exonerated of all charges, in the court of public opinion, he
was guilty.

Countless celebrities have been harmed by America's satanic lust for a
pretty face to adore. All over the world paparazzi hound celebrities
, princess Diana was fleeing cameramen when she suffered her fatal car
wreak. The British Royal family is constantly harrassed and rumors
are always good for tabloids. Brittany Spears is constant cannon
fodder, as was the late Anna Nichole Smith.

You and I could drive drunk, marry who we wish and suffer only the
normal consequences, but a public figure can very quickly turn into a
public castration as what nearly happened to Kobe Bryant for
allegedly having sex with a hotel hostess. We have to ask, are
celebrities trading their soul or security for success?

John Lennon might have a different take than Jackson, but we put a
world’s hopes on public figures and is it a mystery why so many have
psychological meltdowns and self destruct. We as a culture have to ask
what is our part. In the film “Three Kings” the idea is pretty much
summed up "What is the problem with Michael Jackson, your country made
him cut off his face, he is a product of a sick f*cking country. Your
country makes the blackman hate himself."