Inner Michael

A Monstre Sacre` is someone who is held out as unusual, different or so “out there” as to be not only beyond understanding but untouchable. The origin is French and the translation is “sacred monster” but the feel of that defies translation.

There is a mystery that surrounds the Monstre Sacre` and legends often spring up and surround this mysterious creature because the truth of him or her is hard to be known. Artists who meet this definition come from other worlds and see differently than others. There is always the curiosity, the impulse to unmask…

Many people have met the definition of Monstre Sacre` and most are artists with genius whose contributions impacted history in a way that is often not recognized in their own era. Many were ostracised and ridiculed in their own time, and yet others were considered such treasures that despite their larger-than-life presence and fiery passions, they were left alone by the mockers and opportunists. Not so Jackson who was hounded and hunted by opportunists trading off his fame for his whole lifetime. And that is most unfortunate for his contributions to culture are yet to be completely tallied. Nor has the real cost to humanity for the hysterical mass mob mentality that piled on him without (critical) thinking and without checking the veracity of the information and sources and their potential and probably motives ever been added up.

The greatest loss is to humanity both individually and collectively; for it is the poorer for not having the full truth of Michael Jackson and his legacy. And it’s impoverished in not benefiting from the full gifts of this Monstre Sacre` and monumentally so for the unknowing of the wilding that surrounded him. The unknowing leaves humanity vulnerable to present and future manipulations for gain or profit. To assimilate the truth would take open-mindedness and a willingness to listen to a new story and examine some assumptions heretofore unexamined, and it would take wrestling with the dissonance and disillusionment that would necessarily follow a discovery of the truth. Sometimes ignorance is bliss. But a dangerous bliss.

What was true in his life continues in his death– some now pick the bones and seek to profit. The name for that is even uglier than the name for the “journalists” who cut him up for consuming on the front pages of their “publications.” Either way, it’s the consuming of flesh- live or dead. They will eventually pay for that treachery on their own front pages– the script of the soul.

But there are those whose motives aren’t suspect, whose desire is not to purely profit off their association with Jackson, but who truly yearn to set the record straight. Those ventures, while somewhat commercial, have benevolence as incentive. It is up to the observer to calibrate the motives and make the decision whether or not to support projects featuring the life and work of Michael Jackson. Not everyone is profiting off his legacy for selfish reasons.

To assume all are profiteers and all profit is evil is naive and unrealistic. Artists should be compensated for their gifts and gifting to the culture. In that spirit, I bring to light a project that I believe to be benevolent in nature: Jennifer Batten worked closely with Michael Jackson during three of his worldwide tours. A musician herself, she knows the music intimately. And her close proximity to Jackson afforded her a view of the man and the artist few have every had perhaps with the exception of Jonathan Moffett.

Jennifer Batten dreams of a Michael Jackson legacy tour based on her experience and memories from the decade she spent on tour and performing with him. I find it particularly refreshing that she has not approached “Hollywood” for funding because of the price that comes with that kind of support– the scripting of Jackson in a way that feeds the caricature and perpetuates the public meme of a disturbed man. This production requests the involvement of fans and Jackson advocates instead. She has asked fans to fund this venture.

Taken on face value and on faith, Inner Michael offers the opportunity for fans and advocates of not just Jackson, but of public funded instead of Hollywood funded and jaded “documentary” to support this venture by Batten and Rilely et al. It’s a leap of faith that you must determine for yourself– is it right and will you support it? Here the links for your decision:

Project Website:

http://www.foreverdangerous.com/forever-dangerous-crowdfunding/

Where to contribute (Kickstarter Campaign):

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/forever-dangerous/forever-dangerous-honoring-the-legacy-of-michael-j?ref=home_social