Comments on: Michael Jackson on race – and who he saw in the mirror http://www.carmenvankerckhove.com/2009/06/30/michael-jackson-on-race-%e2%80%93-and-who-he-saw-in-the-mirror/ on race, diversity, work, and life Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:35:38 -0800 hourly 1 By: Tracy http://www.carmenvankerckhove.com/2009/06/30/michael-jackson-on-race-%e2%80%93-and-who-he-saw-in-the-mirror/comment-page-1/#comment-3662 Tracy Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:23:02 +0000 http://www.carmenvankerckhove.com/?p=684#comment-3662 The most curious thing this piece reveals about race is how much easier it is for people to accept what a white woman who didn't even know MJ has to say about his feelings about his race - rather than anything this black man ever said himself. That is the true legacy of racism. That you can set yourself up as a credible authority on a subject you can never know anything about - living as a black man. It's ridiculous if you give it even a moment of logical thought. The most curious thing this piece reveals about race is how much easier it is for people to accept what a white woman who didn’t even know MJ has to say about his feelings about his race – rather than anything this black man ever said himself. That is the true legacy of racism. That you can set yourself up as a credible authority on a subject you can never know anything about – living as a black man. It’s ridiculous if you give it even a moment of logical thought.

]]> By: Susie http://www.carmenvankerckhove.com/2009/06/30/michael-jackson-on-race-%e2%80%93-and-who-he-saw-in-the-mirror/comment-page-1/#comment-1943 Susie Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:07:59 +0000 http://www.carmenvankerckhove.com/?p=684#comment-1943 Nice article. I am a white woman and I love Michael Jackson. However, of course everyone should know that he was an African American. I mean what guy in that day and age could have danced the way Michael did. He did have Vitiligo and that was something he could not control. He changed his appearance so much because he felt that most of the world would not accept him. I am deeply saddened by his death. Everyone knows that Michael Jackson cared deeply for everyone no matter the race, or what you may have looked like. Pls no more issues about race. Michael Jackson was very proud of his race. I mean his mother was the most important person in his life.Him hating black people is like him hating his mother and he loved his mother with everything he had. My condolences go out to the family...Especially his Mother, his children, and his siblings. May you Rest In Peace Nice article. I am a white woman and I love Michael Jackson. However, of course everyone should know that he was an African American. I mean what guy in that day and age could have danced the way Michael did. He did have Vitiligo and that was something he could not control. He changed his appearance so much because he felt that most of the world would not accept him. I am deeply saddened by his death. Everyone knows that Michael Jackson cared deeply for everyone no matter the race, or what you may have looked like. Pls no more issues about race. Michael Jackson was very proud of his race. I mean his mother was the most important person in his life.Him hating black people is like him hating his mother and he loved his mother with everything he had. My condolences go out to the family…Especially his Mother, his children, and his siblings. May you Rest In Peace

]]> By: Jasmine http://www.carmenvankerckhove.com/2009/06/30/michael-jackson-on-race-%e2%80%93-and-who-he-saw-in-the-mirror/comment-page-1/#comment-1942 Jasmine Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:02:17 +0000 http://www.carmenvankerckhove.com/?p=684#comment-1942 This has probably been the most positive thing said about Michael since he passed. I believe I was watching a news show on Cnn but I can't remember which one. This guy spoke on Michael's feelings about his race. The guy was claiming that Michael Jackson was running away from his race. Okay now I got upset with that. I love all people just like Michael Jackson did. However, Michael Jackson was and always will be a black man. The press and most people claim that he tried his hardest to become a white man when really the truth of the matter is that he suffered a skin disease which made his skin like that. I don't believe in any way that Michael Jackson was running from his race. Over the years, he began to change his appearance but I loved him when he was young and loved him still throughout all the surgeries. No one believes that he had Vitiligo but I believed Michael when he first told the world what he was suffering from. Michael Jackson was a wonderful man and he will truly be missed. I love you Michael always and forever. Thank You for writing a good article. For everyone who still believes that he hated his race and believes he didn't have the disease, maybe you should watch his interview with Oprah from 1993.....May you rest in peace Michael Jackson. This has probably been the most positive thing said about Michael since he passed. I believe I was watching a news show on Cnn but I can’t remember which one. This guy spoke on Michael’s feelings about his race. The guy was claiming that Michael Jackson was running away from his race. Okay now I got upset with that. I love all people just like Michael Jackson did. However, Michael Jackson was and always will be a black man. The press and most people claim that he tried his hardest to become a white man when really the truth of the matter is that he suffered a skin disease which made his skin like that. I don’t believe in any way that Michael Jackson was running from his race. Over the years, he began to change his appearance but I loved him when he was young and loved him still throughout all the surgeries. No one believes that he had Vitiligo but I believed Michael when he first told the world what he was suffering from. Michael Jackson was a wonderful man and he will truly be missed. I love you Michael always and forever. Thank You for writing a good article. For everyone who still believes that he hated his race and believes he didn’t have the disease, maybe you should watch his interview with Oprah from 1993…..May you rest in peace Michael Jackson.

]]> By: Pia http://www.carmenvankerckhove.com/2009/06/30/michael-jackson-on-race-%e2%80%93-and-who-he-saw-in-the-mirror/comment-page-1/#comment-1923 Pia Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:20:27 +0000 http://www.carmenvankerckhove.com/?p=684#comment-1923 Carmen, thanks for this great piece! Nice to have some thoughtful writing about MJ. It is now surfacing that MJ had Lupus -- which I am inclined to believe for a number of reasons (one being that we shared the same doctor in the 80s). Lupus is a devastating autoimmune disease that can cause your body to actually attack it's own organs (including the skin). In my case it was my joints and kidneys. No two Lupus cases are identical--Lupus could have attacked MJs heart ultimately causing his death. The one thing that is common in Lupus patients is that it is exacerbated by exposure to the sun. My case went from treatable to almost deadly with one severe sunburn. Would explain a lot of MJs odd behavior- (umbrellas, masks, etc). The disease and the cure (high doses of steroids) can cause disfiguring scars all over one's body. The musician Seal has thick scars on his face because he has Lupus. Lupus also tends to manifest in over achieving perfectionists...mostly Black, Latina, and Asian women (and some men). I hated my body and it had nothing to do with my race...it was the disfiguring reminders of the disease all over my body that I disliked. If it is officially confirmed that he did indeed suffer from Lupus, it might shed light on his issues around his racial identity and body image as well. Carmen, thanks for this great piece! Nice to have some thoughtful writing about MJ.

It is now surfacing that MJ had Lupus — which I am inclined to believe for a number of reasons (one being that we shared the same doctor in the 80s). Lupus is a devastating autoimmune disease that can cause your body to actually attack it’s own organs (including the skin). In my case it was my joints and kidneys. No two Lupus cases are identical–Lupus could have attacked MJs heart ultimately causing his death. The one thing that is common in Lupus patients is that it is exacerbated by exposure to the sun. My case went from treatable to almost deadly with one severe sunburn. Would explain a lot of MJs odd behavior- (umbrellas, masks, etc). The disease and the cure (high doses of steroids) can cause disfiguring scars all over one’s body. The musician Seal has thick scars on his face because he has Lupus. Lupus also tends to manifest in over achieving perfectionists…mostly Black, Latina, and Asian women (and some men). I hated my body and it had nothing to do with my race…it was the disfiguring reminders of the disease all over my body that I disliked. If it is officially confirmed that he did indeed suffer from Lupus, it might shed light on his issues around his racial identity and body image as well.

]]> By: Sue G-R http://www.carmenvankerckhove.com/2009/06/30/michael-jackson-on-race-%e2%80%93-and-who-he-saw-in-the-mirror/comment-page-1/#comment-1922 Sue G-R Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:46:47 +0000 http://www.carmenvankerckhove.com/?p=684#comment-1922 I am blown away and this piece has changed my opinion about him. There is a difference that is hard to see in the bigger picture between hating black and hating one black man. It IS complicated and so much public discourse on race and personal issues regarding its impact is dismissive and reductionistic, moving us no further in the process toward understanding. Thank you. And thank you for the bit of vulnerable personal history. Not bad for someone with parent-brain! I am blown away and this piece has changed my opinion about him. There is a difference that is hard to see in the bigger picture between hating black and hating one black man. It IS complicated and so much public discourse on race and personal issues regarding its impact is dismissive and reductionistic, moving us no further in the process toward understanding. Thank you. And thank you for the bit of vulnerable personal history. Not bad for someone with parent-brain!

]]> By: ATW http://www.carmenvankerckhove.com/2009/06/30/michael-jackson-on-race-%e2%80%93-and-who-he-saw-in-the-mirror/comment-page-1/#comment-1921 ATW Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:13:55 +0000 http://www.carmenvankerckhove.com/?p=684#comment-1921 The most insightful piece written on MJ so far. Thank you! The most insightful piece written on MJ so far. Thank you!

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