Interview with Tom Mesereau

Tom Meserau was not sure he wanted to be a lawyer; in fact, his first career choice was journalism. But after taking his father’s advice, Tom graduated from Harvard University (cum laude) with a major in International Relations; he received a Master of Science from The London School of Economics and graduated from The University of California’s Hastings College of Law.

He first gained national attention in the Robert Blake murder case preliminary hearing which was widely televised, and became internationally known for acquitting Michael Jackson in a case seen by many as unwinnable. In one year alone, Tom Meserau obtained 7 acquittals and 2 hung juries. Now he is deemed as one of the best trial lawyers in the country and the recipient of many public service awards and honors. But there is another side to Tom that he sees as perhaps his greatest accomplishment in a career both long and distinguished, and that is his humanitarian and charitable work.

Apart from his pro-bono work, Tom operates a free legal clinic in south central Los Angeles, called “The Mesereau Free Legal Clinic” and donates his time to such inner city organizations as the N-Action Family Network, Save Our Sons, Women of Watts, and Families to Amend California Three Strikes.

In this exclusive, heart-to-heart interview, Tom gives us his insight not only into the upcoming trial of Conrad Murray, his “lawyer” persona and Michael Jackson, but also into the man he is inside; a man dedicated to justice, the community and educating the young against gang violence, and to giving people a sense of worth and value in lives that might seem to them hopeless and pointless.

Transcribed by Valmai Owens

Valmai:  Tom, you were educated at Harvard University (cum laude), The London School of Economics and The University of California’s Hastings College of Law. Was it always in your heart to become a lawyer?

Tom:  No, actually. My father was a graduate of The United States Military Academy at West Point in New York, and he took a law course while he was in college. He always said to me, "Consider law school, particularly if you’re not sure what you want to do; it’s a great background for many things." I always had it in the back of my mind, but I never was sure that I wanted to be a lawyer; in fact, I thought seriously of being a journalist.

My major in college was government; I concentrated in International Relations. After college I tended bar in Denmark for the summer, and then I was a speech writer for a United States Congressman from New York. Then I went to The London School of Economics and received a Master of Science in International Relations. So I applied to law school; I still thought about being a journalist, but ultimately I decided to be a lawyer.

Valmai:  Well, we’re awfully glad you did.

Tom:  Well, thank you.

Valmai:  Now you specialize in both criminal and civil trials and are widely recognized as one of the best trial lawyers in the country. You have also received many public service awards and honors. What do you consider as being the greatest achievement of your career to date?

Tom:  Well first of all, you have to understand that every life is valuable; I don’t value one life as more important than another life. So whether the case is high-profile or low-profile, a life is a life. When I save a life, it’s just as important to me whether the person is rich or poor or known or unknown, valued or not.
But I would say, to answer your question, my greatest accomplishment has been my ability to blend the practice of law with charitable work. I do a lot of pro-bono work. I founded my own free legal clinic in South Central Los Angeles, called The Mesereau Free Legal Clinic, where judges, lawyers, law students, college students and activists donate their time at least two Saturdays a month, to assist the poor who have legal problems. I’m talking about every kind of legal problem, both civil and criminal. It could be landlord/tenant, it could be healthcare, it could be Social Security, it could be probate or criminal, you name it.

I think because I’ve gotten to be a high-profile defense lawyer, it’s made it easier for me to spread the word that lawyers must get back to the community, that we can make a tremendous difference and that a lot of the idealism we had in law school that we lost through the hard knocks of living can be recaptured. So I think my greatest accomplishment has been to serve as an example of lawyers who get back to the community.

Valmai:  So that would be your motivation behind your civil rights and pro-bono work,  to get lawyers back to the humanity of law?

Tom:  Yes!  First of all, there’s a selfish motivation as well as a charitable motivation. The selfish motivation is that I feel better as a person and I feel better as a lawyer. It’s good for the soul; it’s good for the spirit. So, when I talk to law students and lawyers about the need for pro-bono work, the need to find a certain percentage of your practice that is devoted to giving rather than receiving, I always tell them there is a selfish component: You will feel better as a human being.

Valmai:  You also assist local organizations and churches in drug recovery and youth counseling?

Tom:  Yes, I speak at schools whenever I can, including middle schools and high schools, about the need for education. I try to encourage students to consider being lawyers, and I also speak out against violence, particularly gang violence. I try to educate kids on the justice system because Los Angeles is the gang capital of America. The gang problem is worse here than any other city in the country. Some of these gang families are now multi-generational. The grandparents, the parents and children have been associated with violent street gangs, and because it is so deep in a cultural way, I think people have to direct these young people as to what is really going on in the justice system when it comes to gang arrests and gang prosecution. A lot of these kids don’t realize that the tattoos they put on themselves or the nicknames they have, the way they conduct themselves, could get them convicted even of crimes they didn’t commit. There is such an anti-gang fervor in Los Angeles, it’s considered to be a form of urban terrorism.

I also just try to give positive direction to young people to let them know they have value, that they’re brilliant, that they’re smart, that they’re creative and that they should have high goals for themselves. I look at a lot of these young people and they can’t believe that someone is telling them they can be a lawyer, because no-one ever has. So I do like to go to the schools whenever I can.

I also counsel people at my clinic. Very often parents will bring young people in who are troubled, and I will do what I can to talk to them. I also have associated with various organizations that deal with youth. I march through the Projects once or twice a year with the Women of Watts and their children, against gang violence. These are some of the most violent Projects in Los Angeles. We usually march in June through the city with the police department, and we sometimes have shorter marches through individual projects, where we will light a candle on a spot where a young person was shot to death in gang violence and say a prayer. We try to focus attention on just what is wrong with all of this.

I’m also on the advisory board of a group that deals with women and drug recovery or who are in jail, and also homeless children, particularly children whose parents are in jail. So we try to do what we can to help people transition into a better form of life. I get called from time to time to participate in various functions that deal with issues like this in the inner city.

Valmai:  Tom, what is your advice to young people with drug problems or going through recovery?

Tom:  Well, I don’t pretend to be an addiction expert. I can only give people the advice that I think is helpful. I try to let people know they’re not the only ones who are troubled, that all of us as human beings go through ups and downs. We all have our problems. Their problem might be drugs; for other people it may be emotional or it may be depression, maybe self-esteem. They may have turned to drugs for a reason; other people turn to other forms of anti-social behavior. So I try to let them know, don’t be down on yourself because you have this problem. All of us have similar types of problems in one form or another.

I try to tell them that they are very special people. They have value. They have uniqueness. This is just one obstacle to overcome. I do the best I can to let people know they have value because very often, young people come out of family situations, you know, where the recurring message is, "You have no value. You’re not special. You have nothing to contribute." When you hear messages like this directly and indirectly for a long period of time, it can do damage. I learned a long time ago that I had an ability to let people know how special they are and let them know what they can accomplish.

I remember a number of years ago when I spoke at a small middle school. It was for very troubled youth in Los Angeles, and these were young people who had been kicked out of every school. There was no other school left for them to go to; this was the last school that would take them. It was in a low-income neighborhood, a lot of poverty, a lot of violence and gang activity, and I was telling these students they should consider being lawyers. They first looked at me like I was crazy; they couldn’t believe I was telling them this.

So at the end of this talk, a young African American girl came up to me who had had a terrible upbringing, and she had bullet scars on her forearm and shins where she had survived drive-by shootings on the street. She said to me, “I want to be a lawyer. I didn’t know I could be.”  So I told her, “Yes you can. I think you would be a very good lawyer.” I saw the look on her face, and I realized that no one had ever told her anything like this.

A lot of these young people in the inner city need to be told they’re special, need to be told they’re brilliant. They have to be told they have value and that they can accomplish things. Nobody has ever told them this. Every message they’ve ever gotten has been quite the opposite.

So this is something I strongly believe in, in the way I conduct my personal and professional life. I very much believe that you have to find a way to let people know they have value.

Valmai:  I guess if you’re told something often enough, if you’re told you’re stupid or ugly or worthless for example, you start to become the label you are given; you start to live it.

Tom:  Yes! And also remember, as I said before, that Los Angeles is the gang capital of America. This is where the Crips and the Bloods were founded and it’s now into its third generation. A lot of these young people don’t have families. They’ve been turned out on the street early. They’re being raised by one parent who may be a crack addict or have all sorts of other problems, and the gang becomes their family. People want to have a family and they do their best to find it somehow.

So the gang becomes their family; their identity for protection, their direction, their religion, and it’s not all their fault. Someone has to do what they can to break that cycle, to let them know that there is an alternative which values them as people because too many of societies messages are, "You don’t count."

Valmai:  Yes, it’s very sad. We actually have the Crips and the Bloods where I live. Tom, are you following the Murray trial in this lead-up phase?

Tom:  Well, I’ve been following it in the media, but I’m not involved.

Valmai:  Are you able to give a professional opinion at all on the defense tactics?

Tom:  I’m hoping he’s convicted; I admit I’m not objective. My opinion is that he acted very improperly; he should never have been administering propofol and certainly not allowing it to be in the home. That’s ridiculous! 

I didn’t know until the preliminary hearing that there was evidence that he had allegedly tried to clean up the crime scene. I didn’t know that there was evidence that he allegedly did not tell paramedics and police about the propofol, at least initially. I was very surprised to hear that.

But you know, I’ve followed too many celebrity cases... Elvis Presley, Anna Nicole Smith, and you find these physicians become enablers. They’re afraid to deny the celebrity what they want for fear that they’ll be out of the fold, and I think it’s something law enforcement has to take very seriously.

Valmai:  Well how do feel about the defense strategy in saying that Michael killed himself?

Tom:  I think it’s ridiculous! I’ve already been on television saying it’s absurd. The Michael Jackson I knew was not suicidal. The Michael Jackson I knew had problems; you know I met him during a very difficult period, his anxiety, his sleeplessness, his depression was very acute, you know, as he was on trial for his life for things he never did. Anyone in that position would probably have needed some sleep medication or some anti-depressants, and I don’t know what he was using because I never saw him use anything. Nevertheless, I met him during a very difficult period, a very stressful period, but the Michael Jackson I knew was not suicidal and would never have wanted to leave his children. So I think it’s absurd!

Valmai:  Yes, I think we all agree with that, but I think it’s safe to say that what we can expect from the defense is the portrayal of Michael as suicidal.

Tom:  Well yes, defense lawyers have an ethical and professional obligation to vigorously defend their client. From a strictly professional standpoint, the lawyers appear to be acting in a professional way consistent with their obligations. However, I disagree with what they’re doing and I think their client is guilty.

Valmai:  Another point we agree upon. Tom, have you had any experience with Judge Pastor? Do have an opinion on him?

Tom:  Yes I have. He’s a very, very smart judge, very experienced, very intelligent, very wise and I think he’s going to be a very good trial judge.

Valmai:  Well I’m a layman; I’m not that familiar with the judicial system or the law. Many of the fans aren’t. Can you tell me how much leeway does a judge actually have in his decisions regarding subpoenas, who testifies, and how expansive or restricting questioning can be?

Tom:  Well judges have considerable leeway to direct the course of the trial. They have tremendous power to do what they think is necessary to keep the trial orderly, to keep it dignified, and depending on who the trial judge is can have a tremendous effect on what happens.

Valmai:  The defense requested that Michael’s financial records be made available. Do you think they were aware the judge might deny this motion and this is why they have called Dr. Tohme as a witness?

Tom:  I don’t know if they were aware the judge might deny it. I think they are on a fishing expedition; I think they are desperate to try and find some kind of defense theory that might seem plausible. I’m very happy the judge denied the request to pursue a fishing expedition into Michael’s finances. I think Michael’s finances have absolutely nothing to do with what Conrad Murray allegedly did.

Valmai:  No they don’t. I agree with that, but I think what they are trying to prove is that Michael’s finances were in such disarray, that he was in so much debt and so stressed out, this is why he allegedly killed himself.

Tom:  That’s absurd! It just shows how desperate they are to come up some kind of defense.

Valmai:  Do you think Murray will be called to take the stand?

Tom:  I don’t know the answer to that. I think that’s just going to depend on how the trial progresses and how well the defense believes they are doing. Trials always have surprises. No matter how prepared you are, you always know that certain witnesses are going to come up with things that no one expected them to say or do. I don’t think they’ll make that decision until the end.

Valmai:  Tom, what are your feelings about the lawyer hired by the defense who was peripherally involved in Michael’s 2005 trial? Do you see this as a conflict of interest?

Tom:  Well, I don’t know what he had access to, I really don’t. The judge apparently did a thorough investigation into the issue, and concluded there was no actual or potential conflict interest. So I have to assume in his confidential discussions with the attorney, that he concluded the attorney had no information that would create a conflict. But I really don’t know what this lawyer had access to, I really don’t.

Valmai:  What do you think about the decision to televise the trial? Do you see it becoming the same media circus as it was in 2005?

Tom:  Well, they didn’t televise the 2005 trial. I think there will be tremendous media interest in the case, particularly because it’s televised. It will give the public the opportunity to really look at these witnesses and see how they behave, and to really look at the evidence that the prosecution thinks should result in a conviction. So I think there will be tremendous interest around the world. Michael was the best-known celebrity on the planet, and much loved all over the world, on every continent.

Valmai:  I think what a lot of people are concerned about is the way the media portrayed Michael, especially in 2005, and whether they are going to do the same this time round. I know in 2005 the trial wasn’t televised, but the media weren’t exactly impartial in the way they reported on it. If fact, some were quite cruel.

Tom:  Well the media are not interested in justice or fairness, they are interested in business, and business to them is revenue and ratings. They love shock value, they love controversy and you have to look at the media with that in mind. To them this is entertainment. It’s not a quest for justice; it’s not a quest for fairness. In their mind it’s strictly entertainment, so they will focus on whatever they think entertains, and that makes themselves profitable.

You have to be very wary of the reports you hear about trials when those reports come through the media. At least in this case people will be able to watch it, as opposed to listening at the end of the day to very shallow, short summaries from the media.

Much of the reporting in the Michael Jackson trial in 2005 was dreadful. They simply weren’t being accurate. They were just trying to report what was sensational and shocking. They would sometimes report what a witness said under direct examination, without even waiting to hear the cross-examination from the defense. So I think they presented a very illegitimate, a very awkward and poor portrayal of what was happening in the courtroom.

Valmai:  Will you be making yourself available to news outlets if they request your input on the proceedings? 

Tom:  It depends on who they are, who the outlet is and if I think it’s going to be a professional type of situation. I’m available for that.

Valmai:  Tom, how do you see this trial ending?

Tom:  Well, I have no way of knowing; I’m not involved in the case and I haven’t seen the evidence. I’m hoping that it ends with a conviction. I’m hoping that he is held accountable for what I think in my opinion, was a very unprofessional, very selfish and very foolish way in treating his patient.

Valmai:  You spent many, many hours with Michael during what was one of the most traumatic periods in his life. What do you remember about his personal strength and composure?

Tom:  Michael was one of the nicest, kindest people I’ve ever met, and my law firm partner Susan Yu, feels exactly as I do. He was nice. He was kind. He was well-meaning. He liked to see people do well, and he liked to use his reputation and resources to help disabled people, children from the inner city who grew up in poverty and violence. He liked to see people happy. He could have taken his wealth and prestige and just not dealt with children, not dealt with worthy causes. He could have been purely selfish if he wanted to, but that wasn’t what he chose to do. He truly wanted to make a difference. He wanted to bring people of all races, all religions and all nationalities together. You can see this in his music; you can see this in the way he lived. He had a great empathy for animals because he was such a kind person and he wanted to make a difference.

He was somewhat naive when it came to the forces of evil circling around him and trying to destroy him. He didn’t quite believe that was going to happen and unfortunately, they put him through a nightmare.

Valmai:  Did you stay in touch with Michael after the trial?

Tom:  Off and on for about 9 months after he moved to Bahrain. Susan Yu and I were helping him out, but he was talking to Susan much more than me. We did help out for about 9 months with the transition and then we moved on to other things.

Valmai:  How do you think your life has been affected by Michael? What do you remember most about him?

Tom:  Well as I said before, what I remember most is a very, very kind, decent, sensitive person. One of his great gifts was to make a positive difference in the world. He could have been more selfish. He could have simply rented a home on the Riviera and party if he’d wanted. He could have been purely self-centered, but that wasn’t the way he wanted to live. He felt that God had given him wonderful gifts and wonderful success, and hoped to change the world in a positive way. I believe he did.

Valmai:  Well, I agree most certainly with that. Tom, the MJTP and all the fans just want to thank you for believing in Michael, and for all the wonderful humanitarian work that you do. We love and respect you very much, and I thank you for taking the time to do this interview with me.

Tom:  Well thank you very much. I’m honored and privileged to speak to you about all this and I wish everyone the best. He was a very special person, and I’ve always said repeatedly that he was one of the nicest, kindest people I ever met. I will always say that because it’s true.

http://www.mesereauyu.com/thomas_bio.html

by Valmai Owens
© 2011. All Rights Reserved.
No reproduction without permission from author.

This interview appears in the publication Dot to Dot: Keeping Michael’s Legacy Alive,

http://mjtpmagazine.presspublisher.us/
and its content is the property of the authors and the Michael Jackson Tribute Portrait. Articles and exclusive interviews are copyrighted; therefore there should be no republication without permission. You may email edito@michaeljacksontributeportrait.com with any requests for republication. If permission is given, credit must be given to the author, Dot to Dot: Keeping Michael's Legacy Alive and the Michael Jackson Tribute Portrait.

Lasting Impressions

Lasting impressions. We have all experienced those moments in time when someone or something has left an indelible mark upon us, an effect that causes a feeling both permanent and enduring. These impressions are imprinted upon our minds and hearts forever to dwell within our life memories.

Michael impacted our lives in ways we are still discovering; ways in which some of us are trying to understand. Slight of frame, huge of heart, empathetic to all creatures, a musical genius breaking barriers across time while carrying a love so great and unselfishly given, Michael left a powerful mark on the face of generations past, present and future.

We, his fans and supporters, each have our own memories and different impressions placed upon us from time spent walking a shared, and spiritual space with Michael during his time on this planet. All of us will remember the good that was this man without doubt or uncertainty, without question or blame. But how will the media and public remember him?

Far from embracing the light that shone from this man, there are those who choose to remember Michael in quite a different way. A means to an end. A commodity of endless scandal. Efforts concentrate on negativity and controversy, and the public soak up this information in what for some is seen as the final episode in his life, a life to us that was given to humanity, a life to us that was cruelly taken before its time.

Michael’s last trial looms before us. He stands accused once again, not of the heinous charges and allegations of the past, but of the mismanagement of wealth, and relief sought through means that at the end would see him take his last breath. A life once more open to speculation, ridicule and blame, dissected before the world in an attempt to shift culpability from the taker of life, to the giver of love.

Is this how the ‘Moonwalker’ will be remembered? Will he become another of our bright stars that lit the sky with blazing light, burnt out and drained of life and spirit by those who feed off their energy; by those afraid of the words change, justice, equality, peace and….love? Will Michael’s final portrait be painted in the colors of laughter and mockery, shame and guilt? His face staring out from yellowed posters and magazines? His song encased in plastic covers and buried in discounted bins?

As extreme as this may be, it has happened to others. Michael, one of our brightest and most beautiful stars cannot be allowed to rest still surrounded by controversy, allegations, cruel mockery and the pointing of fingers. This should not be the last testament of a life lived in service to his craft and humanity.

The characterization of Michael’s name by those who seek nothing else but pleasure and profit through its exploitation, obscures the world’s view of the ‘real’ man. It is up to us to show  the musical genius, humanitarian, messenger and gift that Michael truly was, and reveal his legacy as a lasting impression that should be remembered by all. One that is deserving of recognition by all, rather than one overshadowed by a few who seek not truth, but  notoriety  through deceit and falsehood.

              

Video by Bonnie Lamroc- http://www.mj-upbeat.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwry-3KE8Vs 

© Valmai Owens, 2011. All Rights Reserved.
No reproduction without permission from author.

This article appears in the publication Dot to Dot: Keeping Michael’s Legacy Alive, and its content is the property of the authors and the Michael Jackson Tribute Portrait. Articles and exclusive interviews are copyrighted; therefore there should be no republication without permission. You may email edito@michaeljacksontributeportrait.com with any requests for republication. If permission is given, credit must be given to the author, Dot to Dot: Keeping Michael's Legacy Alive and the Michael Jackson Tribute Portrait.

What the Whole World Knows, But Doesn't

The whole world knows of Michael Jackson’s humanitarianism now that he has gone. Charities and organizations he supported during his life-time can be easily found on the internet, and it’s an impressive list. The sort of list that when looking at it triggers a twinge of guilt or shame, and the feeling that a period of self-reflection is long overdue and well in order.

Yes, the whole world now knows of Michael’s habit of giving freely without expecting anything in return, but why didn’t the media report on this while he was alive? For the most part, Michael didn’t want it publicized. It wasn’t about getting good press or photo opportunities or making himself look good. It came from his heart and he did it for love, quietly and unobtrusively without the prying eyes of the world watching.

And perhaps there was another reason he discouraged publicity surrounding his acts of love and generosity, especially toward children. The rare times was actually filmed visiting hospitals and orphanages, and at Neverland when he hosted special visits from underprivileged and sick children, it was often down-played or underscored as an act of kindness, and sometimes found questionable by those who didn’t understand, didn’t want to see it for what it was, and alluded to something far darker than his innocent and pure love for all little ones. That  left the door open then, for more sinister elements to enter Michael’s life and take advantage of him.

And those that did take advantage of his love for children, and used it for their own nefarious gain; the circumstances surrounding the situations, the gossip and innuendos fueled by the media, the resulting court case, stigmatized and branded Michael forever. It didn’t matter that he was found not guilty. In the eyes of the armchair critic’s who sat before their television sets night after night watching one man’s life ton apart, he was guilty, regardless of the verdict. Yes, he was guilty, but only of his simplistic trust in the goodness of the human heart. For this he was judged, condemned and forever remembered for the things he never was, instead for all the things he should, and deserves to be recognized for.

One man, with so much love to give, donated millions of dollars of his own hard-earned money to countless charities. He donated medical equipment to hospitals. He paid for transplants and surgeries; opened up his life and home to hundreds of kids and their families, and people gratefully accepted his kindness. They were touched, affected and changed forever through his gift of unselfish love.

Charities and organizations were grateful also.Through Michael’s generosity, their work in helping the disadvantaged, underprivileged, sick and terminally ill, was made just a little bit easier. It helped continue the humanitarianism that echoed so strongly in Michael’s heart. But hearts beating as one in an instant, in the flash of a camera, in a news broadcast, in an allegation and trial, faltered and skipped a few beats. And after the acquittal, for some it was too risky, too controversial, to pick up and unify the rhythm again.

Having Michael’s name associated with their charities became an embarrassment for some. The money had been accepted, spent wisely in most cases and used where it needed. “Very much appreciated and thank you very much Mr. Jackson for your kind donation, but….” And that is a very loud "BUT." Even now, approaching some of these charities and hospitals to ask if they will help support or sponsor new projects that will ensure Michael’s legacy continues, and also bring attention to their needs and continuing work, there is a reluctance, flat-out refusals or total silence.

And still today publishers are reluctant, if not un-willing, to print books on Michael’s life unless they are tell-all’s that focus on negativity, hearsay and gossip. So many positive and beautiful books that have been written both by Michael’s friends and his fans, have been turned away and not afforded their due, forcing authors to self-publish. Without marketing, distribution and promotion, these books do not have the range to reach a mass readership, therefore denying countless readers easy access to a better understanding and insight into the real truth about Michael.

How sad it is that this one slight man with a voice that brought even men to tears, that engaged generations in a love affair of the heart, mind and spirit, who gave so much, did so much to help others, is still seen as a pariah in society. It doesn’t say much for humankind.

So what can we do? How can we change an opinion that has been engraved upon the public’s mind through the clever manipulation of words, and that has been accepted as a truth by those willing to believe everything they read? We can continue walking the path we are on; all of us. Fans, friends and associates of Michael are all working toward the continuation of his legacy each in our own ways. We are fighting for justice, seeking the vindication of his name, paying tribute to and honoring all that he accomplished and stood for. We are trying to live his message everyday and we are showing the world by our example, the truly special gift that Michael was and still is.

Everything we say and do causes a reaction; a ripple in the universe that becomes locked in the time of that precise moment when action produces effect. Essentially, it becomes a part of history because the clock cannot be turned back. We cannot change what has been said and done. Let our words and actions become a part of Michael’s history so that when future generations read of this time, when they read of how it all began, they will see how the negativity and lies were silenced with truth, and by the roar of millions of voices speaking one language for a common good.

This video was made to honor all of Michael’s fans and friends, and all the websites both tribute and justice that are dedicated each in their own way to the continuation of Michael's legacy and the vindication of his name. Thank you all for your tireless work and love.
Valmai Owens

              

http://www.youtube.com/user/EditorMJTP?feature=mhum

© Valmai Owens, 2011. All Rights Reserved.
No reproduction without permission from author.

This article appears in the publication Dot to Dot: Keeping Michael’s Legacy Alive, and its content is the property of the authors and the Michael Jackson Tribute Portrait. Articles and exclusive interviews are copyrighted; therefore there should be no republication without permission. You may email

edito@michaeljacksontributeportrait.com with any requests for republication. If permission is given, credit must be given to the author, Dot to Dot: Keeping Michael's Legacy Alive and the Michael Jackson Tribute Portrait.

http://www.mjtpmagazine.presspublisher.us/

www.MichaelJacksonTributePortrait.com

Michael

The Name

Michael. Who is like God. Gift of God.

It is not an uncommon name. Many have had it bestowed upon them, but for us it is a name that when spoken, slides over the lips like red wine, rich and bursting with flavor. Lighting up the eyes it wreaths a face in smiles, and quickens the heart with excitement and tender longing. We clothe ourselves in this name; drape it around our necks and dangle it from our ears. We speak it, watch it, dance and sing it. It is drawn and painted and written upon pages; branded on our skin, hearts and minds. It is a name synonymous with everything we hold dear and love in this life. The name Michael is a soul’s kiss and a spiritual whisper of adoration.

The Child

Cute, adorable and playful, his smile won our hearts. He sang like an angel and moved like a seasoned professional far beyond his years, holding us captive and bound to him forever.

Well, you don't get to do things that other children get to do, having friends and slumber parties and buddies. There were none of that for me. I didn't have friends when I was little. My brothers were my friends. Michael Jackson.

For those of us who witnessed his emergence into the world of song and dance (children ourselves), we never questioned the hows and why’s he arrived to the stage. He was just there, shining and bright with life and a talent that left us breathless. We never considered that while we were going to school and playing with our friends, going to the park, the beach or on vacation with our families, engaging in normal childhood pleasures and activities, Michael was not doing the same.

He was like a child who never was. Years determined his age, but harsh discipline, grueling hours of practice and performing and dedication to his art, determined that he would never know the simplicity of living in the world of children with all its magic and laughter and fantasy. Instead he lived it in his mind; a private playground equipped with all that he yearned for but had never experienced. And through it all, he kept smiling and singing and dancing for a world that was unaware of his loneliness.

The Teenager

I was a gangly adolescent heading toward five feet ten inches… It was tough. Everyone had called me cute for a long time, but along with all the other changes, my skin broke out in a terrible case of acne…. I couldn’t look at people when I talked to them. I’d look down, or away. I felt I didn’t have anything to be proud of and I didn’t want to go out. I didn’t want to do anything. Michael Jackson

He grew; he grew tall and lean, and the roundness of the child’s face refined itself into angular lines of the young adult. The evitable course of nature dictates that all life must age, and Michael left his childhood behind and walked toward the angst, uncertainty and afflictions of the teenage years. And we walked with him, each bearing the signs of our body’s ever changing appearance and the confusion over emotions that often seemed out of control.

For some, these years were more painful than for others, leaving scars that ran deep into the future. Michael was no different, but this period in a sense was worse for him because he was so much in the public eye. Exposed on stage and before cameras he could not hide his face from the spotlight nor did he try, as he sang and danced in an expression of joy and deep emotion.

If we noticed the physical changes occurring in him, it was the revelation that a magical being was starting to emerge from his cocoon. We waited in expectation for the day he would unfold and stretch his wings.

The Butterfly

I only ask to be free. The butterflies are free. Charles Dickens

Once free from his chrysalis, Michael was more beautiful than we could have imagined. He had an ethereal beauty that came from deep within his soul, and it shone from him surrounding everyone who came near. None of us could resist the magnetic pull toward him; man woman and child were drawn to him like a moth is to flame, and we burnt from the love that was out of our reach, almost untouchable.

Yet we couldn’t help but come back for more; just as the moth, we kept flying into the light. We stood under hotel balconies and at the gates of Neverland, everywhere that we knew he would be, with our smiles and hopeful hearts waiting for a glimpse, a wave, a word, a touch; just one moment of physical connection.

Some would say that Michael was no different to other icons that collected adoring followers, but we know different. We know that Michael was different. He was more than an artist and he was more than just physical beauty. He exuded a spiritual aura that touched everything and everyone with an unselfish and all encompassing love. We could see it then as we can now, that one such as him comes but once in a lifetime.

The Master of Song

I wake up from dreams and go "Wow, put this down on paper." The whole thing is strange. You hear the words, everything is right there in front of your face . . . Michael Jackson

Instantly recognizable; a voice that is as smooth as silk and fluid in intonation and clarity. Strong and powerful or soft and tender, Michael adapted his voice to the message in his songs, pouring his heart and soul into lyric’s that told more than just a story. His songs were poetry; an extension of his feelings that exposed his deep innermost feelings. They gave us an insight into his heart and mind, and carried us far beyond imagination into the reality of his world and the spiritual essence contained within. When we close our eyes and breath in the music, we are right there in his moment of joy, pain, happiness, loss, loneliness and sometimes anger; feeling the words as if they were our own.

Michael’s song is unforgettable and much more than just aesthetically pleasing to the ear. It brings us to an awareness of his message; a message that ripples across the universe in waves forever etched in the history of mankind; an eternal prose of enlightenment.

The Master of Dance

…I keep on dancing and then, it is the eternal dance of creation. The creator and creation merge into one wholeness of joy. I keep on dancing and dancing.......and dancing, until there is only......the dance. Michael Jackson.

He was a white heat radiating from the stage pulsing with energy and light, and when he danced time stood still. No one could take their eyes off him  nor deny the genius of his artistry. Michael was simply mesmerizing. But what made him different from other great dancers of our age? Michael didn’t move to one genre. He incorporated many styles into his dance and mastered each, making him unique and a force to be reckoned with.

His innate sense of rhythm and timing was a natural gift not acquired through practice, but born in him and gifted from above, and each movement he made was in perfect time to the message contained in his lyrics. Quick-fire spins led to the sensuous sway of hips, and in between, he tap danced and moon walked across the world inspiring and electrifying audiences of all ages.

His passion for the art he excelled at; using every part of his body, heart and soul, was a ballet choreographed by divine communion. Michael on-stage and off, will forever remain irreplaceable.

The Man, the Mirror, the Message

I'm just like anyone. I cut and I bleed. And I embarrass easily. Michael Jackson

Michael. The name, the child, the teenager, the butterfly, the master of his craft, was driven to perfection; inspired to make a change in this world. He was a man made of flesh and blood, a man who had his flaws, eccentricities and demons that chased him. His childhood experiences helped to shape the man he would become, but his drive toward excellence and perfection, and more importantly, the empathy he had for the pain and suffering of others, especially children and our planet, came from another place.

He was a beacon to not only his adorers, but also to the disdainers who recorded and wrote of every aspect of his life. Nowhere could he go without being followed, photographed or questioned. His only sanctuary was Neverland, and that too became tainted through lies that almost destroyed his spirit. He became geographically homeless in a sense, drifting from one country to the next with the little ones he knew he could trust, his precious children.

How much the loss of his childhood, the pain of his teenage years and the many betrayals affected Michael, we will never know, but undoubtedly they left their scars. A brilliant businessman and consummate artist aside, Michael was a sensitive soul; a soul that searched and questioned and dreamed.

I changed. People change. Michael Jackson

We see glimpses of this searching and questioning in images captured of Michael standing before a mirror. The mirror image of self- reflection is intrinsically bound to his message; Michael and the mirror, the mirror and Michael.

What was he thinking as he contemplated his reflection? Was he measuring what he had gained against the price he had paid for his success; the countless tours and rehearsals, the invasive curiosity about his life, the publicity and bad press, the ultimate betrayals and tribulations? Did he ever ask the mirror, “Why me? Why was I chosen to deliver this message?”

Whatever his thoughts, whatever was passing through his mind during those moments, there is a sense of Michael pressing into the mirror as if was trying to merge the physical with the image; as if he saw both as two separate entities.

But, through all his joys and happiness, the trials and pain throughout the years, one thing remained constant; his message.

To heal the world, we first have to heal ourselves. And to heal the kids, we first have to heal the child within, each and every one of us. Michael Jackson

What about the bleeding Earth
Can't we feel its wounds
What about nature's worth?
It's our planet's womb.

The basis of his message isn’t new by any means. Many advocates of peace, love and healing have lent their voices to the peacemaker’s choir. But what made Michael’s voice so different; so special?

He was loved and supported unequivocally, by millions upon millions of people in an age where technology allowed the farthest reaches of our world access to images and sound through the click of a button. He toured extensively, he recorded, and he published and used his craft to rise up onto the world platform. Once there, once he had our hearts lying in his hands, he delivered his message to ears that were open and ready to hear. No one before has been able to reach so many people at the same time.

Michael’s legacy more than anything, is his humanitarianism; his unselfish giving of time, money and love. It wasn’t just empty words he spoke, he lived his message and he believed in it with all his heart and soul. For us now, the one’s left behind, a duty falls on our shoulders to make sure his legacy is continued into the future. Let not our words be empty. Let not our actions disprove what he worked so hard for and ardently believed in. We have this one chance given to us so let’s make it count. Let’s make that change in ourselves, and then change the world for our children and for Michael. It is the greatest honor we can give a man who sacrificed so much for us.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_RqXeiFn3E&feature=player_embedded

© Valmai Owens, 2011

Director of Publications/Editor-in-Chief

Dot to Dot: Keeping Michael’s Legacy Alive

http://www.michaeljacksontributeportrait.com/magazine.php

http://www.michaeljacksontributeportrait.com/