Emmanuel Konde
The music paused the world over on Thursday, June 25, 2009 at 2:26 p.m. PDT when the “King of Pop,” Michael Jackson, ceased to exist. It is said that Michael suffered a cardiac arrest and all attempts to resuscitate him failed. And so the stunning news filtered from the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles to the entire world: “Michael Jackson is Dead!”
Although the physical death of Michael Jackson may have occurred on June 25, 2009, he had been killed spiritually many times over by journalists the likes of ABC ‘s Diane Sawyer (1995) and BBC’s Indian journalist Martin Bashir (2003).
Bashir had wrought the ultimate havoc on Jackson by carefully editing the long interview footage, reducing days of interviews to a mere 90-minute, and presenting to the world only those facts that were damaging to the reputation of the pop icon. For the 90-minute distortions aired on Granada Television program in 2003, the Royal Television Society conferred on Bashir their TV journalism awards in 2004. In announcing the award to Martin Bashir, the British group noted that it showed “great journalistic enterprise.”
Jackson was brought low because he loved children and admitted, in a CBS 60-Minute interview with Ed Bradley, that he slept with children in the same bed. He was arrested after charges were brought against him for molesting a child, but was duly acquitted. Even so, the mortal damage had been registered deep in the soul of Michael Jackson, a man who exuded love—especially for children. Thus began Michael Jackson’s slow death in 2003. Jackson’s attempt at rebutting Bashir’s toxic filth that was thrust at him with his video release of Take Two: The Footage You Were Never Meant to See” amounted to nothing. How could a just and loving man, to whom children were naturally drawn, live with the kind of unimaginable filth Bashir had poured over his person and reputation?
The public humiliation that Jackson was made to endure not only rendered the man confused but also killed him spiritually. Since his acquittal in June 2005, Michael was essentially reduced to a living dead, a walking corpse. He finally gave up on Thursday, June 25, the day the music paused for a very long while for the world to mourn the greatest music man of all time.
This writer wonders whether Jackson would have granted Bashir the long and open interviews had he been a child molester. As for those organizations that give people like Martin Bashir awards for selectively reporting only damaging facts, this result should make them think twice next time around before conferring any awards on toxic-journalistic productions like Living with Michael Jackson.
Now that Michael Jackson is finally gone spiritually and physically, perhaps Diane Sawyer and Martin Bashir will see fit to seek out for interviews the Roman Catholic priests and others who have actually abused children.
No, no, no! Michael's just so tired, and he is resting in Jah arms.
He never died; by Andrew Tosh
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWPNme78pV0
Posted by: Ras Tuge | Friday, 26 June 2009 at 03:22 PM
A black man was breaking the odds and making history in grand style. He was later diagnosed of Vitiligo and Lupus which made him susceptible to sunlight. Whether these diseases were natural or done by the racists white doctors, the western media didn't give a damn. They settled on the fact that he wanted to transform into a caucasian. Everyone believed them. Jacko was not only fighting the diseases but had to fight against the allegations. The envious world was equally at his neck to make a name and get a share of his fortune.
I hope some black folks will have to rethink after the 25th of June 2009. But the chaos has been completed.
Posted by: Bob Bristol | Friday, 26 June 2009 at 04:08 PM
Bob Bristol,
however much I regret the death of this very talented young "black man", permit me state unequivocally that there are many blacks like me who do not share in your observations above.
Konde states clearly, "Bashir had wrought the ultimate havoc on Jackson by carefully editing the long interview footage, reducing days of interviews to a mere 90-minute, and presenting to the world only those facts that were damaging to the reputation of the pop icon."
Facts damaging to the reputation of this Pop Icon? Facts will forever remain facts, unless Konde has a different definition for what is fact or fiction!
Jackson is one of five brothers. It is curious that he should have been the only one affected by this disease that gave him a craving to look like Ms Diana Ross or Ms. Liz Taylor!!
He courted his downfall and if anybody killed Jackson, that person is Jackson himself.
May his soul rest in peace.
Posted by: Danny Boy | Friday, 26 June 2009 at 05:16 PM
Most media in America is highly commercialized, that is why sensation trumps the facts everytime. I watched Bahir's interview of Michael Jackson, and it was quite clear that he set out to do a hatchet job on the hapless Michael, who had no notion that he was being set up for the kill. Media is a double edged sword. It profits from building you up, and equally profits from tearing you down.
A friend of mine quite recently was subjected to one of these 20/20 style interviews. He accepted on condition that he had his own film crew taping simultaneously. The redacted version that showed on TV was deliberately edited to make him look bad. They cut out all the boring parts. Watching both versions was a revelation about the tactics of the press.
MJ could have afforded to have his own camera crew tagging along, but he was quite childlike and trusting of these crocodiles. Superstar before he was 12, Michael never had a normal life, never mixed with other kids outside his home and never had the wonderful university education of people of most of you people. At the same time he had enough money to satisfy any wish. That is crazy.
About the matter of whether he had vitiligo and lupus or not, how are you to know? It is not based on simple Mendelian inheritance. Do you really know his family medical history? There are sisters who bleach their skins to look fairer. I may not approve on both health and racial pride grounds, but it is not a cause for hating them. Think of Michael as a bleacher with unlimited funds. A black person who bleaches should be pitied and loved and not hated, because something terrible happened to the person's soul along the way.
Michael Jackson was an extraordinarily talented, kind, but tragic figure. Perhaps that combination was what was needed to create a Michael Jackson. RIP
Posted by: Facter | Friday, 26 June 2009 at 06:10 PM
Millions of dark-skinned Africans are being massacred every day in Darfur by Northern Sudanese Arabs and no one gives a damn. Michael Jackson dies and the whole world comes to a stand still. Give me a fucking break.
Posted by: UnitedstatesofAfrica | Friday, 26 June 2009 at 08:31 PM
UnitedstatesofAfrica,
Or whatever you call yourself. You reason like a pig and I am very convinced you're one.
NOT ALL PEOPLE ARE THE SAME!!
And why should you be so concern about Jacko's skin colour when you don't even care about what you're own sisters are doin'?
Posted by: Paul | Saturday, 27 June 2009 at 02:07 AM
vitiligo and lopus the reason behind the colour transformation and everyone believes that crap how about the flat nose that was transformed and the hair do and even the biotechnolgically doctored voice.people should be smart.ignorance nauseates me.MJ hated to be black of else should i say white couldn't stand the fact such an icon came from the black race and convinced him to transform and as dull as he was he accepted.
Posted by: theseer | Saturday, 27 June 2009 at 02:28 AM
Paul, by saying that not all people are the same, you have proven my point.
Your own brothers and sisters are dying in your backyard everyday but you don't give a damn. Michael Jackson dies and you act as if it is the apocalypse. I'm sure if the massacred souls in Sudan had white skin, you would pay more attention. Since self-hate has eaten into the core of Africa, you don't care for people who look like us. What a disgrace.
Posted by: UnitedstatesofAfrica | Saturday, 27 June 2009 at 05:02 AM
Michael Jackson, is the best for ever. The world is indebted to Michael. He`s music, he´s dance, he´s love, he´s solidarity. He´s light .He is in our heart. We love Michael Jackson.He is live for eternity.
Posted by: Concepcion Ortiz de Zarate | Saturday, 27 June 2009 at 05:59 AM
just watch the unedited version of the interview, where Bashir praises Jackson endlessly and you can bit was a hatchet job,
It is available on Youtube ,I was taken aback
by all the kids he brought there for Make-a-Wish.
He paid for millions over the years to come. Kids came all the time whether he was home or not year round and visited Neverland.
I am sure he had his demonshis, we all do. but he did alot of good.
Posted by: Greg | Saturday, 27 June 2009 at 11:12 AM
UnitedStatesAfrica, Jacko was of very high profile and that alone explain the much attention from all over the world. Do you know Farrah Fawcett - an honorable hollywood actress - equally died on that same 25th, but the news of her passing away was overshadowed by Michael's death.
It's unfortunate those behind my backyard die everyday but no one gives a damm. But do you care when a chicken dies? I don't mean to refer to the people of Sudan as chicken, but why should I care when I don't even know these people.
Why should you care about someone's skin colour? Remember Jackson as a kind exciting talented performer who is an inspiration to our genearation and not for his surgically altered appearance.
Posted by: Paul | Saturday, 27 June 2009 at 04:38 PM
business opportunities between Hungary and Cameroon
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Posted by: mclouis Welisane | Saturday, 27 June 2009 at 06:05 PM
let ur soul rest in peace
Posted by: makoge | Sunday, 28 June 2009 at 12:57 PM
Jackson's death has done nothing but exposed the inequality found in our world today.
It took me a long time not to judge myself through someone else's eyes.Not only racial segregation but discrimination is eating up our world minute after minute.''Jacko was of very high profile'' yes I agree ''an inspiration to our genearation''how..? is it his skin transformation which is a big punch in the face of Afro/black American? UnitedstatesofAfrica,your postings inspire a lot of us who read to learn.I am who I am
Posted by: Shalom | Monday, 29 June 2009 at 08:24 AM
what I see here is a combination of true wit, ignorance and outright naivety for some.
Howmany of us publicly tell about our medical conditions to friends? Because they are inside us we successfully hide them and possibly dish the plague around..what a shame!!!
But Because Jackson had some skin problem he couldnt hide, many would say he was never sick..he just wanted to deny his black roots..well you have a right to be ignorant and naive.
The height of naivety expressed by some on this forum with regards to the INFLUENCE of the media baffles me.
The Media makes you, and when you no longer serve their purpose they destroy you for the same reason.
We all have skeletons we wish to hide and when someday those skeletons are exposed to the world, we shrink to our corners.
No matter how bad King David was, even killing the man whose wife he wrongfully put in the family way, God in his mercy forgave him..Even Jesus said God should forgive his murderers because they didnt know what they were doing..
How dare we, mere mortals stand up to Judge and condemn another mortal who like us looks to one Mighty God for salvation.
Remember though that what Goes around Comes around.
Lets Remember the dead for the good they did and allow God Judge them for their mistakes.
Posted by: KATAKATA | Tuesday, 30 June 2009 at 05:29 PM
Katakata,
the skin problem killed him amongst other demons he inhabited in his head! I said problem, not disease! He suffered from an inferiority complex, given his skin colour. If this is not the case, why would he select white sperm donors for his children?
This guy was an insult to the black race!
Posted by: Danny Boy | Tuesday, 30 June 2009 at 06:41 PM
UnitedStatesOfAfrica, as u call urself,
There is a difference between LOVE and HATE! Sudanese lack love but MJ portrayed LOVE even to the hungry ones and homeless ones, victimes of the masacre caused by the sudanese themselves. You act like one nepothist. Damn heard!!!
Posted by: MichealScofield | Friday, 03 July 2009 at 06:26 AM
c'mon folks,
why all of this vibe? It will be foolhardy to deny Michael Jackson's contribution to music, music videos (yes he implemented many new concepts about music videos and this infleunced Hollywood too)
Concerning his change of skin color -who are we to judge about that or insinuate he was ashame of his African roots? Personally, I don't think Michael hated or wanted to ignore his African past. He stated his lupus condition was one of the reasons, while his difficult past with his family may have also contributed to the surgical changes.
First and foremost Michael was an artist in show business, surrounded by a cauldron of all personalities who played roles in shaping his career. Some of these guys were hawks, predators, parasites, influential as well as promoters. His decisions could not not easily be attributed to our media-supplied information about him. He as a human had weak points too - just like everybody and we seem to concentrate more on these than on his achievements.
Secondly, Michael was a lonely man. He never really had the friends he needed and although he had frictions with family members, he spent most of the time in private being alone despite his immense public fame. All of these could at least give us a glimpse of the factors responsible for his rise to fame, fall to grace and a plan for a final curtain call.
Michael Jackson influenced most of the lives of most of us in our childhood. I was fascinated by the king of pop and could have been hysterical if he ever visited Cameroon. Quite grown up, I have changed perceptions but the fact still remains: the guy was good in what he did and his music is great!
We should appreciate Michael and celebrate his lifetime achievement (although sadly short).
It is also true sociologically that we feel the loss of related persons more than unrelated ones. That is, if anyone who know of dies, we feel the pain more than those we do not. This is present in everyday where the world in general does not mourn the deaths daily from wars, disease, accidents and famine. However, the relatives and friends of those concerned feel the pain and grieve. If the world in general mourns Michael, then it is because firstly of the proximity he brought through his music and secondly people came to identify him with him as the eccentric but lovable person to have caused a huge impact in the 20th century.
As a final note let those who criticize him take up the challenge of achieving something. When the final life clock ticks to a standstill, they would be surprised at the tributes the world would grant them...
Posted by: Rees, Flames | Friday, 03 July 2009 at 08:32 AM
Reex Flames,
people don't rise to fame and fall to grace. They fall from grace.
That said, i wonder why you expend such valuable effort trying to make Michael's lifestyle choice justifiable when your knowledge of him is limited to the controversial media account that we're all conversant with. Your accreditation to his artistry suffices as far as Michael's contribution towards entertaining the world is concerned. You must refrain from making comments that sound as though you knew Michael better than anybody else.
Why such miserable hypocrisy from black people? During his bitter tribulation, Michael suffered years of untold torment at the hands of black people who basically disowned him with an unmanageable torrent of insults!
Absurdly though, as soon as he passed away all the bloodclaat riffraffs; like the little Usher, bebelac Farrel, rascally Wyclef, pompous Mary Blige etc, started chanting a nasty Psalm about paying due homage to the King of pop! Stinking hypocrites.
Black people, where are your consciences? What did you do to assist Michael in times of suffering? How come Michael lost everything, and was renting a mansion, under the watchful eyes of people like the omnipresent Oprah Winfrey and Black America? Man, what a disgrace. The Black man is the same everywhere.
Frankly, i can't understand why a man can be buried in a coffin made of gold when most people don't bother to contribute a dime that could have saved the man's life?! What is the relevance of such laughable traditional notions burial when the dead always ends up feeding the worms? And the gold coffin?!
Black people must stop all the destructive and hateful slander against themselves, and learn to take good care of each other. May the departed souls of all the loving Black people rest in Jah eternal peace.
This is how Black people contributed in killing Michael Jackson, a must watch!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_h1euQKJsr4&feature=related
Posted by: Ras Tuge | Friday, 03 July 2009 at 12:51 PM
Amen, Ras Tuge...
Posted by: Ma Mary | Friday, 03 July 2009 at 02:16 PM
Michael was one the the greatest artist of all times. He was an icon of the music industry. May his soul rest in peace.
Money kept him out of prison and kept children and parents quiet. His relationship with little boys leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
He was a child molester who wanted to be white. MJ was never caught due to fame and fortune.
He rightfully earned his place in history as one of the biggest charity donors of all time.
Posted by: njimaforboy | Monday, 25 January 2010 at 03:47 PM