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In search of censorship Let there be light
Michael Jackson: the Man
Suffer the little children to be subjected to blatant, sexually By Leslie J. Griffin
explicit billboard ads and the like. Not too long ago, Calvin Klein
in the Mirror
had an ad posted in New York that showed four scantily clad
In the beginning was Detroit. And Detroit was a thriving city
teenagers, in what can only be classified as an orgy, to promote
founded on principals and values, with connected villages of
By Steven Malik Shelton
his jeans. And just recently, Burger King released an ad that all
citizens who stood together. It was a city where grassroots or- When I heard that Michael Jackson had passed my first
but encourages the act of fellatio to the masses buy showing a
ganizations were birthed and people regularly came together reaction was disbelief. It was as if my mind did not want to
woman with her mouth open, eyes gaping with a sub-sandwich
before tragedies prompted them to take action. Known as the accept that someone who had been so much a part of Ameri-
strategically aimed at her mouth with the words “IT’LL BLOW
Motor City capital of the world and once boasting more than one can popular culture, as well as part of my own sensitivities on
YOUR MIND AWAY” boldly printed beneath it.
million residents, nosey neighbors and strong family ties gladly an array of thoughts and emotions, was no longer a breathing
offered children to arrest-me-now-officer punishments for less entity but now belonged, as the saying goes, to the ages.
To add fuel to the fire, the BK ad went on to say: “Fill your
than perfect behavior – one from the neighbor and the other
desire for something long, juicy and flame-grilled with the NEW
when at home. It was a city where children respected the el-
Perhaps it was because he was younger than I and exuded
BK SUPER SEVEN INCHER.
derly and avoided gun battle by simply “putting up their dukes”.
such vitality on stage and we usually
Yearn for more after you taste the
perceive the shadow of death hovering
mind-blowing burger that comes
Replete with eye-pleasing landmarks such as West Grand
over the aged and the infirmed. And
with a single beef patty, topped with
Boulevard (home of Motown), Grand River Avenue, Corktown,
Michael always seemed so perennially
American cheese, crispy onions
the downtown Hudson Building and Belle Isle, Detroit and its
young and energetic.
and the A1 Thick and Hearty Steak
communities were harmoniously inhabited by the masses.
Media reports, although praising
Sauce.” All for $6.25.
Somewhere we let our guard down. People stopped caring
Michael and celebrating him for his
Now any responsible adult
and speaking up. We began putting people in office who we
phenomenal talent and acumen as an
would have to scratch their head
knew nothing about, only their name, and out of ignorance,
entertainer, also seemed to gloat in
and wonder: What is the world
began operating the city like celebrity week on a Hollywood
taking cheap shots at him. One news
coming to? Yes, we live in the land
game show.
commentator said that “Michael Jack-
of free speech but at the expense of And God said, let there be light. And there was light. And
Michael Jackson
son claimed to be the King of Pop,” as
what? The innocence of our young God saw that light and it was not good. though he arbitrarily and unjustifiably
people? No wonder teenage preg-
I’ve always been told what’s done in the dark will eventually
took the title. Like many people, I have heard Michael Jackson
nancy is rampant, along with the decline in the age that children
come to light. How true, given in the past 18 months Detroit has
say many things in media clips, interviews and sound bites,
become sexually active.
taken hit after hit. Plagued by crime and saturated with scan-
but I have never heard him claim to be anything – except in-
Media leaves nothing to the imagination. Everything is laid dalous mismanagement of city government and public school-
nocent of the allegations of child abuse.
out for any and everyone to see with no thought of any measure ing, many wonder if Detroit will shine again. These charges and rumors have dogged Michael at least
of censorship. Why, just last week, Lil Wayne and Drake had
The symptoms of these ills have festered in our communi-
since the early 1990s when he was charged with inappropri-
little girls dancing on stage with them as they sang a song that
ties and homes, and stifled our ability to demand better. Our
ate sexual behavior with a 13-year-old boy who was staying
boosted “Shawty, you’re the best I ever had.” To make matters
mentalities are that sports events warrant cheering crowds in
at his Neverland Ranch. Jackson settled the case out of court
worse, one of the young girls that Lil Wayne had dancing on
the tens of thousands while children lying dead in the street
to avoid the trauma and unpredictability of what would surely
stage to this song was his very own daughter. Doesn’t anyone
after a hit-and-run accident receives 40 people holding candles
have been a media-feeding frenzy of a trial. And although
see the issue with that?
in Dixie cups crying something must be done. Our audacity to
much has been made of Jackson’s implied guilt by deciding to
Once upon a time, sex was something that took place behind watch and allow city government waste tax dollars and alleged-
settle the case out of court, nothing has been made of the du-
closed doors. Now that the motto “sex sells” is the campaign ly engage in corruption of which the average citizen’s freedom
bious decision by the boy’s parents to allow them to be bought
slogan of every major ad campaign and music video, it be- would be immediately stripped is beyond me. Our thinking that
off if they really believed that their child had been molested.
hooves the community at large to hold some of these people the police department should control our children when, in fact
Did they not equate their child’s safety as well as the sanctity
responsible for the messages they put out. ,parents should just raise them.
and security of other children that Jackson would be privy to
As a parent, you can try to monitor what your children read,
as being more important and valuable than money? Or was
Some of us are morally bankrupt with no signs of re-estab-
watch on TV or which websites they visit on the Internet, but
money the goal all along?
lishing our stand as citizens. We have given up and will contin-
what do you do when you’re driving and your 5-year-old baby
ue to experience madness until all of us say, “Not where I live.”
Jackson went to trial on the second allegation and a mixed
sees Calvin Klein’s orgy ad and says, “Mommy, what’s that?”
We must end the menace of self destruction, beckon Congress
jury of both Blacks and Whites found him not guilty of all
And before you know it, you’re having to contemplate opening
for resources required to change our circumstances and elect
charges. Yet the mainstream media continued to view and to
the door to a conversation that you really weren’t ready to have
people to manage those resources in an ethical manner that
broadcast Jackson’s life through the cloudy lens of suspicion,
yet.
benefits everyone.
innuendo and sensationalism.
Freedom of speech comes with an awesome responsibility.
The screenplays and government fiascos must cease. All
In the wake of his death, aspersions are also cast on Jack-
Just because you are free to do something doesn’t mean that
those auditioning for the role of leader…put the script down and
son because of his reported bad business decisions and wildly
it should be taken advantage of. Common sense and decorum
just become one.
wasteful spending habits, yet little mention is made of the
are key factors. If standards aren’t set, then standards cannot tremendous sums of money he distributed to charitable and
be expected.
Leslie J. Griffin welcomes your thoughts at igetitwrite@
humanitarian causes throughout the world, nor of the allega-
yahoo.com
tions of theft and misappropriation of funds by unscrupulous
managers and crooked record company executives.
ComiC ConneCtion
On Friday, the day after Jackson’s death, a media pundit
asked a guest on his show, “Do you think that Michael Jack-
son was on the same plateau with giants like Frank Sinatra
and Elvis Presley?” I do not mean to take anything away from
these American icons but the question that would be better
asked is: Are they on the same level with Michael Jackson?
To the millions he moved with his music, it is not important
how much money Jackson made, spent or lost; nor the vicious
allegations and the vortex of controversy surrounding his re-
clusive lifestyle, nor the bizarre clothes and facial surgeries or
the renewed accusations of drug abuse. What matters most is
the incomparable joy of his art and the excitement and wonder
he made us feel when we, at so many points and junctures in
our lives, were blessed to behold it.
So I’m looking at Michael’s man in the mirror, and I see
staring back a reflection of a gentle, kind and incredibly unique
and gifted soul.
Goodbye, Michael. We were thrilled to know you.
Steven Malik Shelton is a journalist and human rights
advocate, He can be reached at: malikshelton19@aol.
com
The Michigan FrontPage • July 10, 2009 5
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