|
| |
Michael Jackson’s Sister Shared His Pain
8-Aug-2009
Written by: Corinna Craddock
Was Janet Jackson’s 2004 wardrobe malfunction an attempt to divert attention away from her accused brother, Michael?
Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson both had a great drive inside them to make it to the top. It was a motivation they were driven to by their father. The siblings also shared similar scars inflicted by the same type of abuses that wounded their self esteem. It was in the fashion that kids pick on someone else before they become the one being picked on, that the Jackson kids were made to feel down about themselves.
Janet Jackson would leave school after being belittled by a teacher in front of fellow students, only to come home and have her teenage awkwardness made fun of by her little brother, Michael. When Michael's own body began to go through growth changes, the brother and sister had their father, Joe Jackson, to keep up the steady stream of self-respect-slashing words, dispersed in his damaging paternal style.
Janet and Michael's father had lofty financial goals for his children. His children would make him rich, but not if he allowed his children to pick on his own weaknesses. He could not make a fortune if he could not control his strong-willed group. He needed strong talent, not strong will. The solution? Beat 'em down to keep 'em around. It was parenting that had fatal consequences for his children's future ability to love themselves.
Joe Jackson may have killed his children's sense of self-worth; however, their allegiance to one another was stronger than most fans know.
After Michael lived a childhood at the mercy of a man who emotionally tore him up to get him to the top, Americans continued to build up Michael in order to ultimately tear him down.
Life brought allegations against Michael that directly attacked Janet's ability to be happy. The bond she shared with her younger brother caused her to share his pain in the midst of her own struggles with things such as a tumultuous love life.
At one time in their life, both Michael and Janet were people admired by many, but ironically, neither wanted to look in the mirror. Both were unhappy with their body. Both disliked their appearance.
It was Michael, though, that was really being put through the public wringer. How far would Janet go to get the media to lay-off her brother? Did she flash millions of American's during the half time show of the Super Bowl in 2004 to divert attention away from her beloved bro? If he was innocent, she may have.
In 1993, Janet kicked off her concert tour with a special prayer for her brother who was being accused of child molestation. While performing in Cincinnati, she paused and led 12,000 fans in a silent prayer for Michael.
But Janet was not the only superstar who believed in Michael's innocence. Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney believed the allegations against Michael were false.
Wonder told USA Today that he didn't believe the allegations, saying, "It seems to me, it's almost like a witch hunt. It's like people build people up to destroy them. It's very sad. I'm there for him and I always will be."
McCartney told an Argentine newspaper, "Linda and I are parents, and it's clear to us that Michael isn't that kind of person."
In 2006, Janet Jackson opened-up for an issue of Giant magazine. She talked about how much her brother's troubles hurt her:
"That song ('Life/Love') was written and recorded while, um, while my brother was going through it. The whole night trying to record, while I was singing the background, I could not stop crying. Michael was in my mind . . . thank God the room I was singing in didn't have any windows."
Janet Jackson has made it clear to the world how much her brother, Michael, meant to her, both before and since his death. For the sake of Prince Michael, Paris, and Blanket, perhaps no windows will be needed for Michael to continue to shine his love on the life of them and their Aunt Janet. For the kids' sakes, perhaps Janet will recognize the beauty, that it is in her power to create, in the lives of her brother's children.
Talk to other readers about this story on our Facebook page.
|
|
|
|
|
