Michael Jackson: Mirror Man

Patricia J. Williams: He Became A More Brilliant, Frightening Version Of The Mad Hatter Than Even Tim Burton Could Conjure

(The Nation)  Patricia Williams is professor of law at Columbia University and a columnist for The Nation.

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To me, the most arresting image of Michael Jackson was President George H.W. Bush citing him as a role model for young black men. It was 1990 and Jackson was at the height of his fame. "Man in the Mirror" had been released two years earlier. Jackson had not yet gone into full white-face disguise, but the handsome little brown boy of his first album had long since entered the bizarro phase of rhinestone gloves. I wondered then what on earth about Jackson could ever be a role model for anyone. Musical savant though he was, Jackson was, almost from the beginning, a tragic figure--so obviously trapped in that mirror, forever reflecting what others wanted him to be.

In the wake of his death, many have hailed his "crossover appeal." There is no doubt that his musical acumen led to the integration of MTV; but that "appeal" had a more sinister undertone. If Elvis was "the White Negro," so Michael fashioned himself into "the Negro Caucasian." He literally erased himself before our eyes, his nose slowly disappearing, his skin fading to ghostly pallor, his voice growing higher and whispier, his body evaporating to a dry husk of barely a hundred pounds at the time of his death. It was hard not to be fascinated by him as he molted through all possible confusions of gender, race and sexuality. But his transgressivity was more than just theater; he mimed a narrative of constant paradox and infinite suffering.

By now the stories of that suffering are well documented: Jackson's body was scarred from the abuse that his father, Joe, a former boxer, administered to him when he was a small child. Marlon, Michael's brother, wrote of one particularly chilling incident: his father held Michael upside down by one leg while punching him repeatedly. There are the stories of his father creeping in through his bedroom window at night wearing a fright mask--apparently to teach him not to leave the window open. Joe Jackson has denied ever beating any of his children, though he freely admits "whipping" them with straps and belts. According to him, "You beat someone using a stick."

No wonder Jackson grew up to resemble a walking, talking fright mask, playing with the putty of bodies, of childhood, of kindness, of trauma, of forgiveness. What remains inexplicable, however, is the absence of social, ethical or legal limit to the excesses of Jackson family life. Michael was addicted to so many painkillers that in 2007 one pharmacy sued him for back payments totaling $100,000--thirteen months of prescriptions at nearly $10,000 a month. Who were the medical professionals behind this kind of mind-boggling malpractice? Who were the surgeons who performed so many plastic surgeries on him that his nose collapsed into his skull? Doctors are ruled by an ethical obligation to "do no harm." Medicine is a practice, not a commodity fun house filled with new noses and chins and feel-good opiates to be issued like goodies from a Pez dispenser.

Fortunately, the question of medical complicity in Jackson's death is beginning to percolate in the media. Perhaps, too, his children's custody will be more closely scrutinized. It is extremely troubling to learn that Jackson's mother, Katherine--and therefore her depraved husband, Joe--has temporary custody of them. How sad it was to see Joe Jackson's disjointed, self-promoting, narcissistic interview at the Black Entertainment Awards three days after his son's demise, an occasion he used to push his nascent record company.

But in the longer term, the question of Michael Jackson's children is challenging in other ways. Like his demands for plastic surgery or painkillers, their conception was accomplished as a made-to-order, cash-on-the-barrelhead commercial transaction. According to TMZ.com and other entertainment news sites, Jackson is not biologically related to any of his three children. Reportedly, the women who gestated them carried anonymously donated eggs fertilized by sperm from secret donors. Apparently the children were all crafted to be "white" enough to match Jackson's artfully devised if pathetically alienated image of himself. Deborah Rowe, Jackson's ex-wife and the surrogate who carried his oldest two children to term, describes being inseminated "like a horse"; she then received around $9 million to give up any claim to them. On the birth certificate of Jackson's youngest child, the space for "mother" is left blank.

It's hard to imagine that Jackson would have been found fit if he had attempted to adopt children. It is interesting to contemplate the eugenic ends to which in vitro fertilization and surrogate birth are being put these days, often as a kind of end run around the formal inspection of the adoption process. How much more common will the purchase of "the perfect child" become when bioengineering for specific physical traits becomes easier and less costly? It's not a new problem: "colorism" (preference for lighter skin) is an old problem within the African-American community. Choosing trophy spouses is a cruder version of the same game. Nevertheless, it is troubling that the law of sales is about the only context for debating this rapidly developing area. Shouldn't we think harder about the degree to which a free market for eugenics is enabled by easy-payment contract clauses conferring parenthood through the immaculate conception of biotechnology?

Jackson's fame and fortune ensured that he had few barriers to the pursuit of whatever whimsical fancy seized him. He became a more brilliant and frightening version of the Mad Hatter than even Tim Burton could conjure. And with that power, Jackson arranged for the bringing-to-life of three innocent souls whose racial embodiment pantomimed all he could never be. There's something horrifying that in the wake of his demise, his ignorant brutish father will be delivered three fair-skinned grandchildren, the perfectly rendered apotheosis of Michael's final crossing-over.

[jemmecat1]

Why don't people really take time out to really read the updates. Look up Jordan Chandler see what it says. Then ask your self. Those of us who stuck by Michael obviously believe in our heart and soul that he has only tried to bring happiness to kids who couldn't really be able to recieve it. By doing that he has to be ridiculed. Please let this angel rest in peace. What should be done is to interview this Jordan person NOW on national TV his a grown person now if he has a heart he will tell the truth. The evilness of money

[markangeloo]

And in the mirror AMERIKA saw itself.
Not so simple as ABC- 123 !
The USA was once also young fresh faced
& full of idealism; but now we like Michael
are cut, beat, veiled, scarred, drugged, &
afeared that we will end like him.

[tbbaot]

Let me clear up a few things for you:
The glove was to hide the early signs of Vitaligo which first showed up as patches on his hands.
The Lupus excelerated his skin disease and his doctor decided to bleach out the rest of his skin
The hats covered up his baldspots from Lupus and the serious burns he received in the Pepsi commercial.
He paid off the first accusation to Jordy Chandlers family since they were just shaking him down for cash and he wanted it to go away.
He was aquitted of 14 counts by a jury and last I checked makes him innocent under the consitution.
The masks were to protect him from catching illness since Lupus is a disease that affects your immune system.
Hopefully some will care to obtain the facts instead of spreading more lies in the media.

[fairminded]

Well said and very clear, thank you. I believe that your comments validates mine in this forum. I guess that he was too fragile and ill equipped to cope with the harshness of life.

[greg-o]

I dont think these children are even his. Ive seen a ton of interacial bred children and every single one i've ever seen had nappy hair or close to that. They all some some trait that showed they were mixed. Michael had an afro as a child and these childdren have silky smooth hair and NO traits of any african blood in them. Michael did every thing he could do to be more like a white person. Also i recall seeing sister Latoya remembering when she stayed at neverland she stated that michael would keep boys in his private room for up to a week sometimes. The hired help would leave food outside his bedroom door. Come on people snap out of it! The guy is or was sick. Thats kidnapping if you ask me, not to mention whatever he was doing behind close doors. What do you do with children in a room for days on end? All you jackson fans are ignorant idiots. G.

[fairminded]

Here we go again! Assumptions, earsay,speculations. I am not a MJ fan
but as I said, I have faith in the system. The Judges, attorneys and jury members have access to all the information that we don't have and their verdict was clear; "Not Guilty" Now, go back under your rock!

[fairminded]

i am not a MJ fan but I admired the artist. As for the accusations,
weel I think that the judge, the attorney and the jury have had access to far more detail informations and fact thatn you and I and the jury
verdict was inequivocably clear; NOT GUILTY! So, keep your own opinion
that are solely based on ear say, perception and rumors to yourself and
have respect for the process of law that we, the people, have instituted. And the jury said; Not Guilty"

[fairminded]

I never met Michael Jackson nor did I go to any of his concerts. But then again, at my tender age of 70 plus, I hardly fit the profile of a Pop music fan. I know, of course, of Michael Jackson and his extraordinary talent. I never considered Michael to be ?The King of Pop?. I considered him to be an incredibly gifted entertainer. His music and his creativity went well beyond the definition of pop. If he was not the best, for sure he was one of the best that the world has ever seen.

I love music, any good music, pop, soul, jazz, opera and, like millions of others, when I saw Michael perform on video or heard him singing on the radio or simply through the stereo system of a store, I always watched or listened with great pleasure. As an artist, I thought he was great and, as a person, I imagined him to be a gentle kind soul, with a heart of gold and the eccentricity and uniqueness that is so very typical of many geniuses. I admired his readiness to give, to be kind to others, to extend his hand in help. His music and his incredible performances on stage, his natural talent and seemingly endless energy, inspired and brought joy to so many. He dreamed and he made many dream.

Then it all began to change. For some mysterious reasons that I cannot comprehend, strange and lurid rumors began to circulate. At first they were just whispers, then they seemed to gain steam and the rumors became accusations. They were largely based on perceptions, assumptions, impressions and unqualified opinions. But they were loud enough to prompt over zealous officials to take the opportunity to be in the limelight and bring Michael to trial.

I must admit that I was disappointed. Could this gentle and kind genius have done these horrible acts that he was accused of? But I have a principle; never to draw a conclusion or pass judgment without knowing the facts. There is a system that we, the people, put in place. A system that guarantees that in the eyes of the law, everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty. I have great faith in this system. And at the end of the trial, when the jury of twelve peers spoke, they said loud and clear these two powerful words;

?NOT GUILTY?

Those two words said it all. But that was not enough for those creepy individuals, those nullities that seem to draw satisfaction in destroying a person?s reputation, belittling their accomplishments so that they can masquerade the lack of their own accomplishments and ultimately destroy people?s lives. And that is what they did to Michael Jackson. The words? Not Guilty? meant nothing to them. They carried on poking at him, making fun of him. Late night comedians played for cheap laughs at his expense with tasteless and inappropriate jokes, unaware, (or were they?) of the pain that they were causing to Michael?s mother, to his family and his children. Yes, those people destroyed Michael?s life. Although he was a giant in music and entertainment, he was fragile and defenseless in confronting the harshness of life. He was not equipped to deal with the low life who kept on tormenting him. Like a butterfly whose wings were pulled, he withdrew more and more from the public eye, seeking comfort in the only thing he knew he had for sure; the love of his children.



Then one day his guardian angel came and said; ?Come with me Michael, I will take you to a better place?. And all of a sudden he was gone, away from his tormentors and finally at peace.



As I watched his memorial on TV and I saw all these people, friends or opportunists tripping all over each other to sing Michael?s praise, I remember thinking: ?Where were you when he needed you the most??



They said that Michael was still a child, that he never grew up. They even called him ?Peter Pan?. There is nothing wrong or sinister in retaining the freshness and innocence of a childhood. And if this was the case, then many people, for many years, in tormenting Michael they tormented a child. And all I can say to them is:

?Shame on you!?

[streatboy]

I was born in America in 1953, there are cultures and hidden agendas in life that I and others like me had to experience and learn to deal with in order to servive. I had to learn them in order to move to the next level in life. One thing that I learned is people of your culture don't like to deal with the truth. You twist a phrase or misused word to generate fodder for you own agenda. What is gained from your musing accept another tortued life that you will not take responsiblity for, knowing your donation to the chaos. An Old School saying is weighted here " when you point your finger at someone... three fingers point back at you". No one is free of poor judgement and/or bad intentions. This article is one of them. Nuff Said.

[ubrew12]

Wow. Well said. I'm speechless.