Masscrastination

R.I.P. Michael Jackson

I wanted to wake up today and type away at my Blackberry about the JP Morgan 5K. However, since the death of MJ is on everyone’s mind right now, allow me to digress and ruminate about the King of Pop, R.I.P.

When now President Obama was running for the oval office last year, I remember numerous media members contending that if the American public elected a black president we would have subsequently entered a post-race world. I don’t buy that for a second. I wish it were true but it’s not.  When a black kid is walking down the street with a watermelon and nobody thinks about making a joke – that is when we have entered a post-race America.

However, I think MJ has done more for this social phenomeonal/endeavor than anyone else.  Perfect example was last night at the starting line of the 5K I ran. News/rumors about his death began to circulate amidst the crowd of over 10,000 and from where I was standing, there was a vast range of emotions evoked by this. People were sad, sarcastic and confused but mostly sad. The point is a bunch of white people who chose to run for their respective corporations, who were donating to put inner city kids through summer school, were publicly upset about a man who began his career as an African-American and unfortunatley, died trying to redeem it as a Caucasian. And everyone fucking loves Michael Jackson’s music, even if, like us all, he is completely and utterly fallible. I think this is as close to a post-race world we have seen. Sorry for not taking the low-road and make some sarcastic comments about this. It was too easy and unnecessary. Now put the volume up on “Billy Jean” and give the man a little respect in passing. Peace.