Date: 2009-07-02 09:42 Subject: Michael Jackson - the passing of a disturbed man Security: Public Location: In my chair Tags: michael jackson

As much as I hate obituaries as a general rule, I think in this case somebody has to provide a counter argument to all of the sweetness that is being written about Michael Jackson.  It is true - Michael was a talented artist and a wonderful human being, and in at least one case, he brought the entire artistic community together to make a difference.  That was a song called "We are the World."  He was a role model, and I spent my early years as a fan, looking up to him.

But that Michael Jackson started dying sometime around 1992.  That's not the Michael Jackson who recently passed away.

The Michael Jackson who died this year, as far as I can tell, was a deeply disturbed man.  I'm sorry, but somebody had to say it.  By 1991 he had become addicted to plastic surgery, and the controversies that plagued him followed shortly thereafter.  I've fantasized more than once about being able to return to the age of 12 and play with lego to my heart's content, but I've never tried to carry it out.  Michael apparently did, in his own way, getting himself accused of child molestation in the process.  He certainly tried to have this face sculpted into something looking like the beginning of adolescence.  I don't know if he was a pedophile, but if I had to guess his emotional age from the material I have on hand, I wouldn't go any higher than 13.

I don't know what did this to him.  Perhaps his fame arrived too early, and the need to keep up appearances with the entire world watching wore him down inside.  Probably we'll never know what brought him down this path.  But the Michael Jackson who contributed to charities, set up the Heal the World Foundation, and brought everybody together for "We are the World" has been gone for a long time.  I hope that's the Michael Jackson who is remembered a few decades from now.  The one who took his last breath last month was a disturbed man, and hopefully this finally brought him peace.