Lest we forget we are all flawed

I thought twice before posting this as some part of me feels that Patrick Carlyon’s brash slander of Michael Jackson was intentional for the purposes of sparking debate and standing out amongst the empathetic coverage of The King of Pop’s death. Then I decided that I don’t care if this is his agenda- I’ll go ahead and say what I want to say.

Firstly, I don’t see why it is necessary to compare Michael Jackson’s memorial service to that of our annual Anzac Day service. Obviously, the impact of war not only in Australia, but all over the world, warrants the outpouring of tributes, honour and remembrance for those who sacrificed their lives for their country. How by mentioning this is supposed to belittle the turnout for Jackson’s memorial is simply weak. Mr. Carlyon tries to play the numbers game by explaining how 40,000 people attended the Anzac Day service this year while only 300 turned up at Federation Square to watch The King of Pop’s tribute on the big screen. In Melbourne that is.

I didn’t realise how easy it was to overlook the thousands at the Staples Centre in LA that morning and the millions around the world who were watching the broadcast in memory of Jackson. Well, maybe as Mr. Carlyon suggests, that doesn’t really mean much because they didn’t brave the cold in solemnity.

“A big media event,” he writes, “It oozed glamour.” Well, rightly so. Michael Jackson was (still is) the King of Pop, of pop culture, a celebrity, a music icon, entertainment royalty. What else was to be expected? And to those who have been criticizing Jackson’s golden coffin for being ostentatious I ask, do you not shower your loved ones with expensive gifts because you think they deserve it? Do you not want the very best for them?

Mr. Carlyon continues on boldly, stating that “Jackson won’t be missed.” How he can claim such a thing is beyond me. Just ludicrous. Unfounded. The very fact he is writing about Jackson at all is because of the impact he made in the world and the legacy he leaves behind- his music, his talent, his uniqueness. He is already being missed, and like Elvis and The Beatles, will forever be, with their words and melodies playing in our hearts until the end of time.

Yet Mr. Carlyon does not spare a word for any of that. Perhaps he unlike most of us, has never attempted a moonwalk on the dancefloor as the DJ pumped out ‘Billie Jean.’ The music to him is of no interest. But like nasty paparazzi, Jackson’s personal life is.

“Allegations of pedophilia were not mentioned. Nor were the unanswered queries surrounding Jackson’s weirdness,” he says. How in any way would it have been appropriate to bring up such things at one’s memorial? Would you mention a friend or family member’s vices or suspicious behaviour in your eulogy at their funeral? “Oh yes, my dear uncle was a good man but I had suspected the numerous affairs he had with women and he was an avid gambler.” Yeah right Mr. Carlyon, appropriate I think not.

Also, I don’t think the public are really ‘thirsting’ for the answers, the media are. And as long as tabloids keep digging for the ‘truth,’ we will all remain intrigued because Michael Jackson was such an influential figure in pop culture across several decades. The public are curious yes, but seem to want to celebrate his life, his music and good deeds, rather than embroil themselves in the intricacies of malicious speculation. Jackson’s record sales will tell you that, as will the average person on the street deeply saddened by his sudden passing.

The plain fact is we will never know the real truth, but if any such thing should appear to reveal itself over time, I wonder, what then? Will that affect Jackson’s significant contribution to the entertainment industry? Will that take away the millions he donated to charities? Will that change the impact of his music which has inspired people to dance, sing, love and hope?

Mr. Carlyon must be the only perfect human being to live on this earth, for he has no hesitation in casting stones. Likening Jackson’s ‘weirdness’ to ‘war’ is hateful and shows no respect to an individual tormented his whole life under the scrutiny of vicious tabloids, who has recently passed.

‘Unchecked humanity,’ dear sir, is something we are all guilty of. Look at the ways we allow our young people to be perpetrators of violence, expose our children to messages of evil, ourselves often succumbing to the temporary pleasures of a superficial and material-driven world.

Yes, Michael Jackson had his flaws but the good he gave outweighs by far. What can we say we have given? Who have we helped? Who have we inspired? Sure, we can all justify ways that we have done so. But the King of Pop did more.