An Alternative Take on the Death of Michael Jackson

This was published in today's edition of the Stamford Advocate (www.stamfordadvocate.com) in the "Letter's from Readers" section. I figured it was a good way to start off this blog. What do you think? Was that last line too much?

_____________

Those of us who graduated from the University of Connecticut Storrs in 1996 had the pleasure of hearing Quincy Jones speak during commencement ceremonies for the college of liberal arts and sciences. Being caught up in the moment, I do not remember much of his speech but I do remember Mr. Jones referencing all the talented people he had the pleasure of working with throughout his career including Michael Jackson. There is something else that we class of ‘96’ graduates also share; we are children of the ‘80s.’

There are many memories that we children of the 80s share including a space shuttle explosion, a president who loved jellybeans, a Pope who was nearly assassinated, and, of course, the video for Michael Jackson’s Thriller. There was a period of time when even we predominantly white kids from St. Cecilia’s school would attempt moon walking down the hallways. I clearly remember Brian L. who proudly wore a white sequence glove and Colleen H. who had more Michael Jackson pins on her jean jacket than there was denim. 

And then it happened; we turned on Michael. After a while, it was not cool to listen to Michael’s music. The gloves and pins were tossed aside for other icons. Yet it wasn’t just a change in fads that turned on Michael, society as a whole turned on him as well. Allegations of sexual abuse, drastic changes in appearance, and erratic behavior filled headlines for the past decade or so. Now, shortly after his death, we remember the good times; the singles, the dance moves, the Grammy’s. His star is shining again. 

It begs the question, if we were asked our opinion of Michael on June 24th (the day before he died) what would we have said? Where was this outpouring of reminiscence then? There is a lesson in Michael’s death that transcends stardom, musical taste, and popularity. I ask that each of us take a look around and identify the Michael Jackson’s in our lives. Maybe they are once close friends or family members who have gone down a self-destructive path. Maybe they drink too much or abuse other substances. Maybe it hurts us to look at them now because we just can’t recognize them anymore. 

Yet perhaps if we continue to reach out to them and continue to show them we care, their sense of hopelessness may start to erode. Perhaps, due to our kindness and outreach, they might find the strength to start turning their life around.

If there is a positive lesson in Michael Jackson’s death it is that we cannot afford to turn our backs on those truly in need; especially those who we call mother, father, sister brother, friend, and, sometimes, pop idol. I think I will take my own advice and start by looking at the man in the mirror.

Moment of Surrender

The below is another submission that I sent to the Busted Halo Show (M-F 7pm-10pm, Sirius 159, XM 117) for their segment entitled Faith and Culture Thursdays.  If you have not done so yet, I strongly encourage you to purchase U2's latest album No Line on the Horizon.  It is a cross between their work in the 90s and the style of The Unforgettable Fire.  An amazing album.  

_________________

While out running yesterday, U2s “Moment of Surrender” came on the iPod. The chorus and one verse in particular stopped me dead in my tracks:

I was punching in the numbers at the ATM machine
I could see in the reflection
A face staring back at me
At the moment of surrender
Of vision over visibility
I did not notice the passers-by
And they did not notice me

I was speeding on the subway
Through the stations of the cross
Every eye looking every other way
Counting down ’til the train would stop

Starting with the time we are born we are pushed (unless of course delivered by C-Section and then I suppose we are pulled) into a world that wants us to be independent. Parents are taught not to pick up crying babies. As parents, we cannot wait for our children to walk by themselves (so we don’t have to carry them), talk for themselves (to tell us what they want), and ultimately live by themselves. This independence is not a natural state. God does not want us to be independent from Him – why would it be His will to be independent from our human families? We are taught to keep our guard up and not appear weak. Many of us are taught to never surrender.

We all need a moment of surrender every now and then to reflect on not only who we are as people and how we fit into the world, but to spend time listening to the will of our God. It is in these moments of surrender that we become most creative due to His inspiration. When we fully surrender our wants, needs, and fears over to God good things happen. It takes a strong person to be able to do this and it is something I work on personally.

Don't be the Rule, be the Exception

I have been a fan of Jim Breuer since his days on SNL. He has a show in Sirius Satellite Radio called Friday's with Breuer that is a true definition of "Reality Radio." The biggest mistake that Raw Dog Comedy made was not letting him continue with his daily show "Breuer Unleashed" from remote locations as he toured. I had the opportunity to see him in Stamford recently and as I read more about his career choices it dawned on me that he is a great example of Faith in Culture. It inspired me to write this piece which was read on the Busted Halo show (The Catholic Channel, M-F 7-10pm Eastern). They do a segment called Faith in Culture Thursdays (Sirius 159, XM 117). Give a listen to the show, it is not what you would expect.

_______________

Jim Breuer. Here is a guy who was a major player on SNL for a number of years and who was posed to have a major career in comedy/entertainment but walks away from it (for a while). Why would anyone do that? According to Jim it was to take care of his family – he said something like “Hollywood will be around forever but my kids will only be young once.” So he puts the career on hold, helps raise his kids, and helps to take care of his ailing father. How many of us would have the strength to do that? In the go go go world of Fairfield County, CT it is clear that Jim is the exception, not the rule. In our social circle, fathers (and many times mothers) are not around to spend time with their kids; sacrificing these special years for higher income, bigger titles, and (consequently) emptier lives.

Now Jim finds himself building his career back up, hitting the road doing stand-up, doing voiceover work in movies and planning a new stand up special for Comedy Central. It takes faith to make a move like that; to put professional aspirations on hold realizing that ‘you can always go back.’ In short, Jim's story encompasses two themes; the importance of embracing family life at the expense of worldly aspirations and having faith that “it will all be alright.”