R.I.P. MICHAEL JACKSON
I was returning from work when an elderly woman came up to me and said,
“Did you hear that Michael Jackson is dead?”
She seemed to be in a state of shock, quite evident from the sad look
on her face. She did not know me and she did not ask if I knew Michael
Jackson. Surely, if I live on this Planet Earth, I must know the great
pop icon. I told her I did not hear that but if it was true, it was a
big loss for those of us who grew up with the Jackson 5 and Michael
Jackson. I moved on and as I walked along Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn,
I heard a young man, no more twenty, tell another another,
“Yo man, Michael Jackson just died”
Right away, the obvious was reinforced: The man Michael Jackson,
transcended age. The impact of his death is felt in various lands and
climes. I saw the reaction on CNN and other television channels when I
rushed home and connected to the television. Life sometimes is about
connecting and Jackson connected just the way many of us connect to the
media.
It is about his music which touches the human soul. It is about music
and inspiration which awaken in us a spirit that binds the human race
and causes us to sing, dance and laugh and to do so together despite
our varied backgrounds.
I can still picture myself riding the wooden bus in Grenada many years ago and listening to
“A B C
It's easy as, 1 2 3
As simple as, do re mi
A B C, 1 2 3
Baby, you and me girl
A B C
It's easy as, 1 2 3.”
The Christmas song “Someday at Christmas" still rings sweetly in my
ears. The later song Billy Jean and the record breaking Grammy winner,
Thriller, are eternally etched in the minds of all those who appreciate
good music. Certainly, he helped revolutionized music.
I still see the quiet, mystifying man singing the song, “We are the
world” with Ray Charles and the other stars who belted out the song in
aid of Africa.
This is not about the faults of Michael Jackson. This is not about his
hair catching fire. We all have our shortcomings and though people are
sometimes quick to see the flaws in their fellowmen and women, it
remains an undisputed fact that none of us is blameless.
The fans are gathering in Times Square. Many are somber and in a state
of disbelief over the death of a man whose music started as a family
affair, and later dazzled the world with his dance and songs. His
Brother Jermaine spoke tonight. There will be no more albums, no more
tours. We make plans, but ultimately, we can only go on stage if the
good Lord permits us to do so.
He is dead; another indication of the mortality of man, but his music
is alive! You will recall where you were when Michael Jackson died.
We are but a passing cloud
Let’s drop a little rain
Spill moisture on the hardened ground
To ease someone’s pain”
Let us celebrate his life.
R.I.P, Micheal Jackson.
Anthony Wendell DeRiggs.
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