Comments on: Keeping Jacko in Perspective

By: Janice

Janice — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 05:17:25 +0000

Michael Jackson was an American Icon who became a worldwide phenomenon. Yo Momma(God killed Michael Jackson??) and Wendy are callous and hateful.
Quincy Jones collaborated with Michael Jackson to help him develop his ideas. He didn’t make MJ, Michael made himself with the backing of his record company that gave him total creative control. He was always a pioneer and an innovator in his field. He had many great albums beyond Thriller,too.
Wendy’s reference to Michael Jackson as wacko/jacko shows her disdain for a man she clearly doesn’t understand. But great men are often misunderstood. Why spew venom at what you are so ignorant about. It’s obvious you never really studied this man.
Michael Jackson’s interactions with children was innocent. It was flawed, corrupt minds that exploited his love for children by trying to extort money from him. He was an easy target.
Michael Jackson was more than a ’song and dance man’. He influenced even to this day music, videos, dance and dancers, rappers, songs and singers always expanding his ideas until his death. He was a humanitarian; a change agent for the world’s ills.
Michael Jackson deserved high recognition and more.

By: Hanoch

Hanoch — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 01:38:04 +0000

Maluvia:

You’ll be happy to know the US government (the one you say has “so much blood on its hands”) has absolutely no restrictions on emigration. Just a little food for thought.

By: Chrissy

Chrissy — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 20:54:05 +0000

I agree, Dan. More or less. The problem is, you just can’t make people care about every
problem in the world. I live in Trenton, NJ, and heartbreaking events happen here every day; if the murder of the 13 year-old girl Tamrah, earlier this month, got even a QUARTER of the media coverage that’s been going to Iran, maybe people here in the US, but outside the city, would be outraged enough to help change the dysfunctional politics here.

But that probably won’t happen. Most people, unfortunately, can only care about tragedy “somewhere else” for so long, with or without the death of a celebrity (or FOUR!!) competing for airtime. I also think it’s possible for some people to grieve for said celebrity (-ies), and get back to paying attention to politics when the initial shock wears off. Sadly, there are way too many oppressive regimes in this world, many of them local governments right here in the States, and not enough people to care, for any duration.

I am an optimist, so I hate saying something so bleak. I guess, the flip side of that, is that most people are good, anyway. Even the MJ fans who aren’t paying attention to Iran (or Trenton). They’re living their lives, trying to find happiness, and mowing their lawns, and playing video games, and are not keeping people down anywhere in the world.

Would be nice if everyone cared for the cause, but it will never happen. Don’t let that stop you, though.

By: Tom

Tom — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 15:25:03 +0000

Karen: MJ WAS NOT a pedophile, you just eat up everything media feeds you. Your mind is as open as this “open culture” blog. Check the facts, do a little research, instead of just gobbling up whatever is on TV. You can start here:http://www.whoismichael.com/ or here http://www.aphroditejones.com/videos/Michael_Jackson_YouTube.htm

By: Karen

Karen — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 15:20:04 +0000

Mr. Colman, I agree with you. Iran’s concerns are much more important than the passing of an entertainer, no matter how influential in the world of pop culture. Iran’s many issues are of primary concern to the stability of a major part of our world and Michale Jackson, talented though he was, was also a pedophile and a monied recluse. To equate the two issues is specious. Thank you for writing so eloquently in your blog. I, for one, find it at times enjoyable and entertaining, as well as thought provoking. Keep up the good work!

By: Lila

Lila — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 04:47:26 +0000

First of all, if you think this one event is going to bring liberty, freedom and democracy to Iran, then you have no knowledge of their history. Yes, what’s going on in Iran has importance, but why does it, or any other country’s current events, have to take precedence over the front page news every day of something that is so much about AMERICAN culture. And as for the protesters here in the U.S. that are complaining about their vote not getting counted. You want your vote counted? Go back to your country then and make a change to it, not sit over here and expect to live the “American Dream” but complain when you don’t have a say-so in the country you left.

Secondly, have respect to someone who not only influenced our musical culture, our dance culture and our video/film culture and put a stamp into American culture that many other countries have emanated and idolized. Have respect because he lived, he made a difference and he died. So what…it’s been 3 days since…why can’t he take precedent over another country’s ancient politics?

Dan, what an ass you are, and maybe when you die, you’ll come to appreciate the dead.

By: Nat

Nat — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 01:44:17 +0000

Fuck you! I am deleting your blog from my favorite list.

By: Anders

Anders — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 01:19:25 +0000

Your usual dunderhead out there is dependent on network news. A large portion of people in the U.S. only know what’s going on in the world by what big media is giving them.

And right now its giving them Michael Jackson.

By: Maluvia

Maluvia — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 19:37:03 +0000

I’m sorry Mark, but it is you who are wrong – along with most of the American public which has been grossly and deliberately misinformed as to the true facts surrounding the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
You can read more about the actual facts surrounding these events here: “The Hiroshima Myth” http://xrl.in/2kim and here: http://xrl.in/2kio
Just two examples – there is plenty of freely accessible information along these lines all over the internet – for anyone who really wants to know the truth.
People need to learn the truth surrounding this horrendous crime against humanity – perpetrated by the supposed leader of the free world.

By: Dan Colman

Dan Colman — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 17:17:57 +0000

Not to beat a dead horse, but ….

A friend sent along an article today that talks about policy experts’ concerns that Jackson is distracting from what’s happening in Iran. It’s a view held by experts on the left and right. Here’s one quote:

“I think we can agree that the Iranian regime benefits from the media rush to memorialize, explore, and reflect upon Michael Jackson and his legacy,” “[A]nything that takes Twitter bandwidth away from [the Iran election] is bad for the opposition, and anything that distracts the cable networks from showing images of the crackdown is similarly bad.” He added that the international media distractions could give the regime “more room to violently suppress its opposition during a critical phase.”

Here’s the larger piece:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-06-26/will-michael-jackson-doom-iran/