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 ...
Careful fellers I hear that idiot Eaker will be back in town Sunday night!
Good choice and I’d like to offer Chuck Berry.
He sold records.
A couple of years ago Britney Spears commanded probably 20% of all media. Watch the video and imagine her performing without the quick cuts to make it look like she's actually dancing, and without the electronic manipulation of her voice. Why did she get all the coverage? It made people money.
Michael Jackson made a lot of people a lot of money the week after he died. Darned few people were actually disappointed, as long as his corpse kept the gravy train going.
Yes, the private wake at the wayward boy's home ended at noon.
Damn. Who left the shit filter off again at the border ?
Meaning you shouldn’t have been able to escape again !
Humble has tick check duty this month BTW.
Stay Safe !!!!!
Negative.
We got flea dips and sprays and powders.
We are the "Patroles de las Pulgas".
Orders come down saying nothing about ticks.
Well it is eeeeek. Maybe spelled with pr vs a t.
Who knows.
Wish TC was still here.
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