Dear Editor,
The sudden death of larger-than-life world celebrity, Michael Jackson, shocked me to the core, but it was only as I surfed my pre-set radio stations in my car and found all the stations were playing Michael Jackson songs that I started having flashbacks of where I was in Guyana when certain songs came out, that I actually found myself tearing up as I drove for an appointment in New York on Thursday.
To say I grew up ‘with Michael Jackson’ would not be disingenuous, because even though he was born in Gary, Indianna and I was born and grew up in McKenzie, Guyana – he was born three days before I was – I literally grew up from around the late ’60s or very early ’70s listening to him and his singing siblings – The Jackson Five. Then, when he went solo, ‘Ben’ was one of my favourite songs while I was in high school, and back then when I had lots of hair, I grew my hair afro-style to mimic him. By my late teens, I partied a bit but distinctly recall loving to ‘party hearty’ to his high-energy Off The Wall album. Then there were Thriller and Bad which continued his legacy.
On my arrival in America in 1988, I was living in Georgia when Michael Jackson performed at what he dubbed his retirement concert in Atlanta in the summer of that year, and I recall reading a glowing feature story in the Atlanta Constitution and Journal on his performance in which a white elderly man attended the concert at the goading of his teenage son, and said he was pleasantly surprised at Jackson’s onstage performance. The man said that for a guy who was going into retirement at the age of 30, Jackson exhibited more energy than most guys he knew who were getting ready to retire.
Music critics and celebrity commentators could slice and dice his life to show the bright and dark sides of a man described by some as a musical genius and others as something of a manic ghoul; maybe they can add eccentric and eclectic, but I just want to remember him for the joy he brought to me and hundreds of millions around the world, including Guyana, with his music and energetic performances.
He may have had financial difficulties, but I am convinced his life was never supposed to be about money as much as it was supposed to be about entertaining. At the time of this writing, some are speaking of him as a man who was often in pain and often sad, but even if true, he certainly knew how to turn his pain to our gain and his sadness to our gladness.
Michael Jackson was not merely gifted; he was God’s musical gift to the world. Unfortunately for the world, the Giver decided to retrieve His gift on June 25 before it could be shared and enjoyed again after a long lay-off in what was supposed to be the start of a 50-concert performance starting July 12.
The world has indeed lost a human treasure in Michael Jackson. He will be remembered all over the world even as his songs continue to be played over and over and over again, both on the airwaves and in our hearts.
Yours faithfully,
Emile Mervin
I could not have said it any better. Well written and you have captured the essence of the man whose gifts and talents have entertained thousands world over. What a man, a musician among men and he will be remembered always and forever!!!!
Which God?? Look at his lifestyle. He is a excellent performer and singer but to say he is Gods Gift is take this way too far
Maybe he was God’s musical gift to the world but I am certain he was endowed with that gift to do more than entertaining. The entertaining and subsequent popularity should have been the vehicle to accelerate social change for his oppressed Afro-American brothers. Instead, like so many others, Tiger Woods comes to mind, he used this celebrity status to isolate himself and to only embrace his blackness when the white power structure attempted to morally and financially cripple him. His paranoia bordered on self-hate and shame leading to his multiple surgeries to remove evidence of his African ancestry. What a shame. We expected more. I can now look at television and not cringe in embarrassment at his next T.V. interview. I am sorry he has died but I am not overly moved.
Bora, you are in a small clique who mixied up the gift with the the gift wrapping. Take your eyes off the wrapping (the man) and focus on the gift (the talent inside the man). You’re talking about him impacting oppressed black brethren; man he has done that a billion times over with his musical genius in America, Europe, Africa, the Caribbean, everywhere, and not just blacks, but across racial boundaries. Like Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods, Jackson was GIFTED and rather than ignoring his talent, he shared it with us. As a human, with flaws and frailities, he probably could have done more, but we have to accept his contribution for what it was. You and your huddled few don’t have to be overly moved by his death, but I hope when you pass away that those around you won’t feel the same way as you do towards Michael’s contribution. Are you making a difference where you are?
I would like to think so. I behave in a manner that is ambassadorial for my country and race. When I can support charities that uplift mainly people of Africans descent I do so. I am happy with my appearance and will not disfigure myself to look like others.
Bora, there is no proof about MJ not liking his blackness. Remember he was the first black to appear on MTV a white channel. He had already paved the way for other black artiste before he began to mess with his face.
And, contributing to African charities alone makes you a racist.
Bora Pork, Michael had Vitiligo, a skin condition which lightens the affected area. (please google it for more explaination)
What probably happened, and I am guessing here, is that he first attempted to try to even out the rest of his complexion to match the lightening patches that was happening to his skin (and the affected area could grow) and he gave up and just did his entire body.
One could only guess that his features would follow since he would have been exremely light with Black features.
That he did go overboard on his face, yes, but he would not be alone in that respect. Most of hollywood over-indulge in cosmetic surgery, and that’s why they are as common as the beaches in California.
Michael never missed an opportunity to credit great Black entertainers that were his idols and profoundly affected his performance style, such as James Brown, Sammy Davis Junior etc
Hey Guys, On the flip side of “darker people” trying to become lighter, lighter people are trying to become darker; some light skin folks love to be darker or tanned. But “getting” an artificial tan just has too much side effects such as skin cancer, melanoma etc. Seems like some people are not comfortable in their own skin.
being selective in who is the recipient of your charitable work / donations makes you a better person? You’re no better than Tommy Hilfigger saying if he had known black people would be drawn to his designs he wouldn’t have designed them.
Can’t remember Michael saying he didn’t want blacks to buy / listen to his music.
Regardless of his human frailities – mental and physical, he was a performer for everyone and a wonderful performer too.
And I’d hazard a guess, he did not have a normal life growing up in the fami8ly that he did. So forgive him his quirks, applaud his talent and wish him peace in his death.
Bora no respect for a person who support something because of race. Ho dare you tell the guyanese people to stop voting race?
Mj, had a skin disorder, (Vitiligo)…
Indeed!! He was iconic in many respects. People go wild over his music and the man himself, despite the picture that is sometimes portayed about him. On can also understand that being an icon, it is important to be at one’s best at all times. This in itself can be quite stressful. But Michael tried. And He won.
Followers should not allow certain aspect of Michael’s life to go in vein. Though all may not be true, reconstruction/cosmetic surgeries over time can have debilitating effects. Alternative to looking youthful: exercise (yoga, look at Sting in his 60’s), eat responsibility, get adequate sleep, among a long list of inexpensive things.
The great Michael Jackson lit a fire that will never be extinguished.We are fortunate to have lived through a history that chronicled his birth,rise,
and death.I was in West Palm Beach when he stayed with Donald Trump, when he married Elvis’s daughter. In all his travels there, appearences, he was a humble and giving person.In fact, his performances generated an income for many.Even in his untimely death he was helping people in a depression. His recording sales have boosted the economy of strugling businesses.An orignal,icon, star,incomparable,a legend in life,and great American.
..and great human being who used his music/dance/fashion, directly or indirectly, to bring hearts from around the globe ‘together’ > “We are the World”.
Michael Jackson is my favorite pop artist ever since i was a child. He is truly the King of Pop and i am saddened by this news.
….de caption to de letter ,, is an overkill ! “one of the many” in the world of music ,, but having read a few of de lettah riter’s missives ,, i know the mindset of de aspirant so ,, i’m not surprised !
i have MJ and his versatile acts of entertaiment as incomparable ,, but my intelligence would not allow me to deceive myself by making such a public simpleton of myself ! to declare that MJ was a “divine” musical gift to the world ,,, to the exclusion of all the other greats b4 and most definitely yet to come after him !!!!!!!!!!!
(please excuse my english)There are a very few writers who could give you the real story on the King of Pop. When most writers write about him, they all sound the same, they talk about him being the greatest entertainer of all time, they talk about him wanting to be white, his troubled life and his relationship with kids. Michael Jackson is the most misinterpreted celebrity of all time also, his life was very unorthodox, however i think this was mainly due to his over exposure to the media and also the misinterpretations that cloud people’s judgement. If u want to know the man infront of the mirror people need to listen to the people most close to him for starters i would recommend watching ‘Living with Michael Jackson by Martin Bashir, The footage you were never meant to see and his interview with Oprah Winfrey.” MJ was never ashamed of being black, i cannot remember one moment in time which i can recall him stating such. Micheal Jackson was a proud African American, why would he want to be similar to the people that were the majority of his fans? does that make any sense? What people don’t understand is that Michael was diagnosed with vitiligo, have anyone ever seen a person with vitiligo before, it is surely not a sight to see, even some of his friends told the media he was ashamed to look at himself when going in the pool. This disease reduces pigmentation and white patches can be seen on the skin, the disease is often confused with leprosy. Michael then decided to bleach the darker skin to bring his complexion to a uniform tone. I think if he stayed in that condition, he would of been scorned by his fans and the media, since he had the money to do this, it was done. By saying he bleached without giving the correct reason is an ignorant statement. The other aspect i wish to address is his changing facial appearance, i believe the cause of this too, does not have any association with wanting to be white, the reason was inside of him all the time….it was his self esteem, his father called him ugly, so who more do u need affirmation from to convince you that you are, people would torment him, MJ said in an interview that he would sometimes walk the street at night looking for someone to talk to, he was lonely and this was none of his fault. He changed his nose, but i like him with the big one and the small one. If the world has not seen a superstar of such magnitude would you expect that person to be like everyone else? To say Micheal Jackson changed his features to sell more albums or make money is incorrect, micheal jackson threw away money!, i think he definitely would of sold more if his life was not ruined his accusations and by such statements by Martin Bashir – the journalist which exposed the world to such lies for his own profit, he is a practitioner of yellow journalism. Bruce Lee once said that the hardest thing to do was to is to express oneself honestly. MJ did just that, although he expressed himself in a way that may seen not like the right thing to do, to us…he was never criminal. People make bad news because bad news sell, good news doesn’t sell. I don’t think i should touch the child molestation cases, anyone with proper sense can figure that out, MJ didn’t have the heart to pull that off! probably bush set that up to take your attention on the war on iraq…MJ was more than entertainer…since a child he said “everything that i sing, i mean and i don’t sing it if i don’t mean it”,”feel the beat” Man in the Mirror was not entertainment, he meant it and if you think that it was, u surely missed the point. People who write about Michael will always sound the same as long as they focus on his achievements and accusations, its the same old story. Its not if you’re black or white, its if you’re wrong or you’re right.
“The only man I know who behaves sensibly is my tailor; he takes my measurements anew each time he sees me. The rest go on with their old measurements and expect me to fit them.” – George Bernard Shaw