from the archives

First published: East Tennessean. 19 February, 2004.

Jackson's Impact Still Felt As Allegations Loom

by Ericka B.

Teen-age German boys bombard him with loving remarks when he visits Deutschland. Women over 40 in Zimbabwe collapse when they hear the opening riffs of "Man in the Mirror." Young Russian girls casually scream, "я тебя люблю Michael Jackson!" with globs of fat tears streaming down their faces.

Across the globe, people won't "stop till they get enough" of Michael Jackson. Not only do little Russian girls, German teen boys and Zimbabwean women love him. A bevy of drunk adults were shaking their booties to "Beat It" on Friday night at the lovely Dixieland bar in downtown Johnson City. Even the gentleman at the bar with the blonde mullet and the "Guns and F*@! Roses" T-shirt couldn't keep his hips from moving to that song of international renown.

Surrounded by so many strangers who didn't hesitate to show their admiration for Michael Jackson's music through physical gyration and the drinking of Coors Light, I began to think about the power and immensity of Michael Jackson's music.

Imagine moving millions with your creative genius and talent as a performer. The very thought boggles the mind, I know. Even I, the sometimes quiet and reserved Ericka, secretly performed the choreographed moves to "Beat It" in front of the door of a ladies restroom in a small Memphis bar with my friend Silaja, simply because the music moved me so. It is not only people from around the globe and from Dixieland bar that love Michael Jackson. I love him. Not only am I in love with Michael Jackson, but I want to have his babies (which simply means that I think he is wicked cool).

No doubt, many of his songs are anthems to the underdog that is tired of being pushed around. Anthems to those that want suffering to end so that the world "can be healed, making it a better place for you and for me." The king of pop sings about how "it doesn't matter if your black or white," or about how if you're a girl named "Dirty Diana" you should "stop playin' with his emotions."

It is with this work in mind that I consider how horrible the charges brought against him are.
No one knows what really happened at his Neverland ranch except for the gloved one himself and those that were around. I would like to give him the benefit of the doubt and reason that out of the thousands of children that have stayed with and visited Jackson's home, only two have accused him of inappropriate conduct.

Jackson is going through a tough period in his life. His nose seems like it has had enough, he is being charged with a crime he staunchly denies ever committing and while he was in custody he was put in a place that had "doo- doo on the walls."

Alas, if only it were as easy for Jackson to forcefully express his feelings to all of these allegations as it was for him to act tough around a bunch of gang-bangers with thuggish dance moves in his "Beat It" video. He could inquire of the judge, "How funky and strong is your fight? Uh huh, that's what I thought. Just beat it!" During his testimony, he could confess that it deeply saddens him how all these people always "wanna be startin' somethin" and if the prosecuting attorney starts to get fresh during questioning he could simply tell them, "Leave me alone - stop it! /Just stop doggin' me around. Heh hee."

In support of Michael Jackson during this tough time, I wear my "Beat It" shirt with pride, which features the "gloved one" striking a crotch-grab pose in those smooth penny loafers I love so much. Beat it child molestation allegations! Beat It Gloria Allred! Beat it LaToya! All Michael wants to do is make music and love children and monkeys and Charlie Chaplin and roller coaster rides and gold home decor. What's wrong with that?

Excluding the life changing experience of great cheesecake, I feel that there is nothing more gratifying on this earth than seeing Michael Jackson clad in leather from head to toe, belting out lyrics like "You know I'm bad, I'm bad, you know it." So why shouldn't he do this in a court of law, to settle this matter once and for all? And, by bad here, he means innocent.

Hopefully those that are college educated will understand. It seems like we are dealing with a potentially complex metaphor here regarding Michael Jackson's innocence in this matter. Listen people, Billie Jean is not Michael Jackson's lover. She's just a girl who says that he is the one. And hey! The kid is not his son.