Posted on 07/11/2009 1:37:30 PM PDT by Kimmers
Give me a break: Michael Jackson was not some sort of cultural giant Friday, July 10, 2009 By Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez I have watched the fawning nonstop media coverage of the death of Michael Jackson with skepticism this past week.
Yes, premature death is tragic. Upon that we can (mostly) all agree. What I cannot agree with, however, are the repeated claims that Mr. Jackson: was a musical genius; broke down racial barriers; was a brilliant singer; was a great dancer; changed American culture.
The book "African American Education" by Walter Recharde Allen details the rampant double standards applied by the U.S. school system to black children. Too many teachers still hold negative stereotypes about blacks. When a white kid says two-plus-two is four, the teachers nod and move on; when the black kid does the same, they stare in disbelief, express surprise or praise the student for high achievement. In other words, lowered expectations lead teachers to praise mediocrity in black students.
I believe something similar is going on in the media regarding Michael Jackson.
As a musician (I hold a bachelor's degree in performance from Berklee College of Music) and as a music critic and historian, I can tell you with a clear conscience that Michael Jackson's musical abilities, placed upon the spectrum of human accomplishments in this field, are mediocre at best. Yet everyone from the London Telegraph to People magazine have gone to great lengths to tell us Mr. Jackson was a literal "genius."
(Excerpt) Read more at post-gazette.com ...
Yeah I know she is lib with her comment about Sarah.....
To Hell with Michael Jackson, and to Hell with the media. They can have each other there, that is where they both belong.
Nobody ever insulted the black race like MJ insulted the black race.
And yet they line up to worship at his Demerol-embalmed feet.
A pretty good article, but that was unnecessary.
Typical media leftists who must exhibit their utter lack of racist tendencies by deifying/protecting/cheerleading/shilling/covering up for blacks—all blacks, any blacks, anybody who is some percentage black. Neither facts nor truth may interfere with their perpetual drooling and slobbering ways.
Reminiscent of Samual Johnson's observation about watching a dog walk on his two hind legs. "It is not that he did it well, but that he did it at all." That is the liberal media's attitude about blacks. Only most blacks are too brainwashed to get it, so they just suck it down and keep on shuffling to Massa's back door for another handout.
I assume you mean Sarah Palin. Are y'all on a first name basis?
Do you mean to imply that anyone who makes a negative comment about her must therefor be a liberal?
I seem to recall loads of conservatives making negative comments about Bush.
What's up with that?
“.....lowered expectations lead teachers to praise mediocrity in black students.”
Yep, the same kind of institutional racism leads the mostly white media elite to accept a buffoon like Al Sharpton as a major black leader.
This guy lived twice as long as many brave young soldiers in Iraq...
Where’s the tears for them ?????
Not that premature a death if he was using drugs the way it’s being reported.
Although a bit of a rough article, I am glad to see that someone agrees with me. I always thought MJ was second-tier. I have never understood the hype surrounding him.
I find it a bit telling, though, when someone classifies another based on a single comment.
Eaker is smart !
Jacko was a pedophile. Who knows? He may have elaborately orchestrated his own death so that he can now live as LaToya. She looks like Jacko in drag.
You’re obviously a moron.
The MUCH more apt analogy would be...
If Mr. Jackson is a musical genius, one realizes, it is not such a great leap to imagine [Obama] as presidential material
These are some of true genius who should be the pride of black Americans.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XEk_-npJ10&feature=related
LMAO !!!
We can only talk this way because he is down in Aransas this weekend.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.