Normally, I am one of the people who argues that more speech is better. I dislike it when DU members ask the mods to restrict certain speech, for example. I prefer the open dialogue that has made DU my favorite message board. We're generally free here to say whatever we want, within some very wide boundaries. I cringe when I read STFU posts or threads. But this time I feel differently.

This is a STFU thread.

Consider this advice. Those who want to bash Michael Jackson should STFU. Here's why:

1) It's rude to speak ill of the dead (at least while people are mourning). It's even more rude to speak ill of the dead directly to a person that you know cared about the dead person. Those of you who insist on reminding us all that Michael Jackson was a pedophile (an unproven allegation, but very likely true) are pissing on the grave of a person that you know many of us appreciate and respect because he enriched the world and made it a more beautiful place. Reminding us that he was (you believe) a pedophile, is the equivalent of going to MLK's funeral and reminding Coretta and all the assembled mourners that Martin was an adulterer. That's just downright rude. What do you think would have happened to you at that funeral if you had shouted out your disapproval of MLK's behavior in front of all the mourners? Think about that before you post, please.

2) I am a white man from the Deep South who, as a teen, danced to (poorly) and sang (miserably) Michael Jackson's songs with my black friends. My parents could never have done this when they were teens, but my mother (at least) was singing Michael Jackson's songs too, and for the first time in history it was socially acceptable in the South for whites and blacks to like the same kind of music. Many of you can not understand how significant Michael Jackson was because you do not share my history, but I can assure you, he was a colossus. And his popularity, obviously, was not limited to the South. It was global.

See this reference, if you're interested: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2007/jul/1...

3) It is not my intent to call anyone out in this thread. That, of course, would be a violation of DU rules, but you need to understand that it seems odd to hear people denigrate Michael Jackson's music. Thriller has sold more copies than any other album in the history of the world, and that number is growing rapidly now that MJ has died. The nearest competitors are more than 50 million behind Thriller.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-...

It seems quite strange (and somewhat racist, in fact) to hear people call MJ's music pathetic, weak, or otherwise unacceptable. Each person is entitled to their own aesthetic opinions, of course, but it sounds like sour grapes to me. Sorry, the white boy bands didn't sell as many albums. One could argue that no person was ever as famous as Michael Jackson. Indeed, few people have ever had as great an artistic impact on the world. If you don't like that, or if your gut tells you there's something "just not right" about that, then STFU. You need to figure out what your personal agenda is. The world, very obviously, disagrees with you, and people are mourning the loss of Michael Jackson all over the world.

You don't really want to hurt our feelings, do you?

R.I.P. Michael Jackson



-Laelth