The Way I See It
By Joseph C. Phillips

Earth To Michael

I know. I promised not to write about the Michael Jackson circus – I mean trial. To my credit, though tempted for the better part of a year I have managed to hold my peace. When the King of Pop missed court due to “flu like symptoms” I remained silent. When he limped into court (late!) accompanied by a doctor wearing surgical scrubs, claiming a back injury, I winced, (mainly from biting my tongue) but didn’t utter a word. (Note to Michael: When on trial for child molestation it is probably not a good idea to show up to court wearing Sponge Bob Square Pants jammies.) However, after hearing the pop star’s recent interview with the Reverend Jesse Jackson where he played the race card, I can no longer hold my peace.

During his hour-long interview, Michael lamented, "It's very painful, but this has kind of been a pattern among black luminaries in this country." Michael then listed South African president Nelson Mandela and heavyweight boxing champions Jack Johnson and Muhammad Ali as other examples of black men who have been persecuted because of race and flying in the face of convention.

Mandela, you will recall, spent 27 years in a South African prison for opposing the racist and immoral practice of apartheid. Mandela fought for dignity and self-determination for the black majority of South Africa.

Johnson ruled heavyweight boxing from 1908 –1915. He was not a man who “knew his place.” He married white women and beat up white men. In 1910, Johnson was railroaded on charges of transporting [white] women across state lines for purposes of prostitution, a violation of the Mann act and forced to flee the country.

Ali, of course, was stripped of his heavyweight title in 1967 after refusing induction into the United States military on religious grounds. For two and a half years, Ali traveled the country speaking out against the war in Vietnam and speaking for human rights. Finally, the U.S. Supreme court upheld Ali’s conscientious objector status in 1971.

Fighting an evil political system, and being the manifestation of black manhood are not words one might use to describe Michael Jackson. Jackson is a huge celebrity -- an international music icon. What he is not is a hero worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as these three men.

The audacity of Jackson comparing his plight to that of these genuine heroes is not what is so infuriating. Nor am I annoyed by Jackson’s ridiculous charges of conspiracy. (The album Thriller is the best selling album of all time. Michael has made millions of dollars for his corporate sponsors and fans of all ages, races and nationalities have embraced him. Who exactly is behind this conspiracy?) No. What I find increasingly difficult to stomach is Michael’s arrogance and refusal to take responsibility for his own poor judgment and behavior.

Michael has written more than $20 million in checks to make similar allegations of impropriety go away. This should have been a lesson – an expensive lesson, but one worth heeding. But for some folks it takes a ton of bricks. Michael is not in trouble due to a worldwide conspiracy nor is he being singled out because whitey finds him in need of being knocked down a peg or two. Michael is up to his neck in hot water because he was either unable or unwilling to stop inviting young boys into his bed. If he is unable, he should be behind bars. If he is unwilling, then he deserves everything he gets and there aren’t enough dog-eared race cards in the deck to prevent me from shrugging when they throw away the key.

Send me your ways of seeing it at Josephcp@netlistings.com