Comment: The Truth Will Out

As I watched Michael Jackson's memorial service live on BBC, I was surprised at how moved I was by it. Afterwards I felt like I had actually been to a funeral.

It seems then, that even in death Michael Jackson can affect people in ways no other musician has ever quite managed. I suppose that was and is the very essence of his talent, his gift. It's comforting in a way to realise that his ability to do this will never fade.

various people at the service spoke of his humanitarian work and his work for numerous charities, of which I realised I was largely unaware. It is clear from those people's testimonies that he did an enormous amount of work for charity, not just funding, but visiting people, travelling to see those in some form of need. Sometimes without them even knowing he was coming or without being asked to. I started to think about all the recent articles I had read in the media about Michael Jackson and I remembered how it all had failed entirely to mention his humanitarian and charity work. Then I asked myself, why?

I see now that, throughout his career, many people found it hard to or refused to believe in Michael Jackson, that he was somehow too good to be true. There had to be some flaw, some failing, some demonic side, something to bring him down to their level; to reduce him. Every lie, every accusation, every fabricated story was an attempt to reduce their own darkness by taking some of his light. Many people believed those stories, but most of his admirers didn't. Although, sadly, the end result was the same. The media injected us all with poison, but Michael Jackson the icon was the one who became tainted.

Today Michael Jackson the icon was purified and returned untainted to his admirers and followers. The cynics and the liars should hang their heads in shame; they should be ashamed because they refused to accept he was as good as he appeared to be. They should be ashamed because they accused a brother, a son, a father of being a pedophile. They should be ashamed because they accused the greatest black artist in music history, the man who has done more for the cause of African americans than any government has ever and could ever do, of being ashamed of being a black man. They should ask themselves what kind of people it makes them to make such accusations about such a man.

Today the cynics, knockers and doubters were proven wrong, by the undeniable testimony of those who knew Michael Joseph Jackson.

Cynics, I call on you to do the right thing; listen to the message that is now ringing in your ears, realise your mistakes and be duly ashamed. And I call on the media to write about the true and good things about Michael Jackson the humanitarian, the charitable father, brother and son. And then perhaps we can all fully realise our capabilities to accept such individuals like Michael Jackson when they come along and allow ourselves to be inspired; and in turn better ourselves. It's important, because they don't come along very often.