The Tragedy of Michael Jackson

And when the groove is dead and gone
You know that love survives
So we can rock forever
- "Rock With You"

I have to admit, I'm a Michael Jackson fan. A few weeks ago, when I was restoring my laptop's data after a fiasco involving my motherboard being replaced twice in one week, I found several CD-Rs I had backed up my MP3s on, including one with a bunch of 80s music. Browsing through the CD as I drive around Macon, I find myself settling more and more on MJ's tracks. In a vacuum, Michael Jackson is not only a genius, but possibly even one of the most talented men that's ever lived, bar none. I'm not even confining this statement to music - I'll really go on a limb and rank him up there with the raw talent possessed by those of other pursuits. As Da Vinci was to artistry, Shakespeare was to literature, and Jefferson was to Politics, Michael Jackson should be seen similarly in relation to music.

This may be a grandiose statement, but put it in perspective for a minute. Not only was this guy the youngest singer ever to have a #1 hit (the Jackson 5's "ABC"), but he is still the highest-selling male pop artist, and most of his albums are pre-CD. He has more than 2 dozen #1s, invented the modern music video, and changed the way musical artists were looked at. In tandem with Madonna, he pioneered the concept of the super-artist that could dance, sing, and be a sex symbol that set style trends all at the same time (although it seems strange to look at him as such now). "Billie Jean," "Rock with You," "The Way You Make Me Feel," "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough," and "Thriller" are just a few of the songs that are grandkids will hear in regular play on oldies stations. The 80s undoubtedly belonged to Michael Jackson. And deservedly so. Most pop artists, especially in modern times, are manufactured and have little talent to fall back on. His collaborations include the likes of Paul McCartney and Slash. Additionally, he writes much of the music in his songs, and can play over a dozen musical instruments. The bottom line is that Michael Jackson is undeniably an immensely talented songwriter, singer, and dancer.

Unfortunately, we all know that Michael Jackson and his talent don't exist in a vacuum. The young black kid from the ghettos of Gary, Indiana is simultaneously one of entertainment history's biggest triumphs and tragedies. Much of this, of course, he brought on himself. No one told him to have a publicity stunt marriage to Lisa Marie Presley, build a huge estate that lives out some strange Peter Pan fantasy, or dangle his baby off of a balcony. But what's easy to forget about Michael is his own history. This was a child that, along with all of his brothers and sisters, was sexually abused on a regular basis. All of the Jacksons acknowledge this. Now, put aside what you think about the man, and imagine being in your bunk bed as a kid while your brother below you is being molested by your father - and you know that you're next. Then, imagine that a few years later, you're world-famous at age 10, your molester is now your manager, and any semblance of a normal childhood that you had is undeniably wiped out. There is an picture in an old MJ album - I can't recall which - that Jackson drew of himself. The picture is of a young Michael, curled up in a corner in fear, holding a microphone. It's a very disturbing and poignant portrait that speaks a lot about what success and fame cannot undo.

Addressing the allegations of molestation, let's say for a moment they're true. Well, we know statistically that being the victim of sexual abuse makes you exponentially more likely to be an abuser yourself. Of course, this is never an excuse, but from a psychological viewpoint, it's extremely relevant.

Now, I'm not so sure the allegations are true. What I am sure of is that he will not be convicted on the molestation charge, while it is slightly more likely he will be convicted on the charge of administering an intoxicant to a minor (the "Jesus juice" charge). I've followed the trial somewhat, and the case against him is so flimsy I can't believe the DA proceeded upon it. Just yesterday, the accuser himself admitted during cross-examination that he denied Jackson had acted inappropriately to his school's dean. Hand-in-hand with a videotaped statement of the accuser admitting the same thing in the rebuttal video to Martin Bashir's documentary, this is damning to the prosecution. The accuser's brother and sister also crumbled under defense questioning. All three parties have failed to be consistent with their accounts and dates of the alleged incidents, and their behavior during the alleged timeframe of the molestations is inconsistent with a family seeking to escape from a pedophile. The family's past attempts at frivolous lawsuits and allegations against celebrities grind their credibility down to a level where I can't imagine a jury would convict Jackson. But we'll see. The Peterson verdict mildly surprised me, as well, although that case was still much stronger.

Regardless of the verdict, Jackson is finished as an entertainer. Reports say he will likely have to sell his song catalog to Sony to avoid bankruptcy, as well as the catalog of Beatles and Elvis songs that he owns (the latter being purchased from his ex-wife). His music may never be played again without snickering, but that is nothing new. The stigma on him now is so great, he won't even be able to sell his songs as commercial jingles. If he is, in fact, convicted, he will face not only jail time, but his children will almost certainly be taken from him indefinitely. A comeback, under any circumstances, is impossible. His last album, "Invincible," only sold 2 million copies and produced only 1 single, which failed to make the top 10. The man who wrote "We Are the World," will be isolated from it.

Again, Jackson has only the "Man in the Mirror" to blame for much of his demise. A 46 year old man sleeping in the same bed as a child is delusional to think he can explain it away, and his strange behavior can be traced to long before molestation charges ever arose. But so can the poor media treatment of Jackson, as well. Far before the first allegations were thrown his way in the early 90s, Michael was labeled as gay, insane, eccentric, etc. His skin color became an issue, even though a look at Janet and La Toya Jackson clearly shows that the family suffers from the pigment-altering condition he has always maintained led to the whitening of his skin (Look at Janet in the "Rhythm Nation" video and look at her now). He also, in my opinion, is the target of a disproportionate amount of criticism over his plastic surgery procedures, considering the fact that nearly every celebrity out there has had massive amounts of work done, and only a few have gotten called on it in the way he has. And again, any person that has suffered sexual abuse as a child themselves, regardless of fame and wealth, should be treated with some degree of understanding. There is probably nothing more damaging to a child than suffering abuse at the hands of a parent.

So as the country awaits a verdict on whether the most talented man in our ranks is a pedophile, I just wanted to put in my 2 cents about what a tragedy we are witnessing. Jackson's music was the soundtrack to a generation, and he is still widely worshipped in the rest of the world. Yet what he will be remembered for is what he has become - an accused child molester, penniless and mocked, a forgotten icon maligned by the masses he so entertained for almost 3 decades. Blame assessment aside, there's no denying that one of the most inspiring American tales has also become one of the saddest.