Comments on: Jonah Goldberg on the Media and Michael Jackson’s death

By: Augustine

Augustine — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 01:43:49 +0000

People in the service choose what they do as adults. They are paid to kill people and break things at the bidding of governments. Michael Jackson did not choose to be a child star. Soldiers can choose to be anything they want to be. Michael Jackson could only ever be Michael Jackson.

By: Jeff E.

Jeff E. — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:40:48 +0000

Michael Jackson’s life and death were both tragic. The video retrospectives and cheesy remembrance specials, while trying to justify all of MJ’s deviant/bizarre behavior, only reinforce the sad obvious facts. Here was a talented young man, pushed on the stage at a young age by abusive parents, iconic yet troubled, and ultimately ruined by the usual demons as he and his celebrity grew older. I’m no great apologist of Michael Jackson and his ways, but there is something undeniably winsome about the young entertainer on the cover of Thriller. And there is something undeniably disheartening about the way his story played out.

By: Texmom

Texmom — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 04:15:07 +0000

Good points to think about. I posted something similar (www.abundant-blessings.com), reflecting on the media attention to celebrity deaths in general, as compared to the deaths of our everyday heroes. In my case, it was my own father, a WWii vet who died Father’s Day evening.

By: Steynian 368 « Free Canuckistan!

Steynian 368 « Free Canuckistan! — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 22:36:35 +0000

[...] ~ ITEM: Jonah Goldberg on the Media and Michael Jackson’s death [...]

By: Remember Michael, but please remember Iran « Jim Blazsik

Remember Michael, but please remember Iran « Jim Blazsik — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 15:39:25 +0000

[...] Jonah Goldberg on the Media and Michael Jackson’s death – Francis Beckwith [...]

By: TW

TW — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 04:02:59 +0000

A Catholic chaplain has recently died of injuries from Iraq. Reportedly, he was the first chaplain to die who was a veteran of Iraq. His photo belongs in the headlines. Better yet, draft all the capable pop and pro-sports stars and send them to Iraq or Afghanistan so they can be real heroes. Brett Favre, I have a real job for you. . .

By: Robberson

Robberson — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:43:17 +0000

I totally agree with Mr. Goldberg. The praise of idol’s by others is fine when not carried to the extreme but most “hero’s” are likely known only to God.

By: The Anchoress — A First Things Blog

The Anchoress — A First Things Blog — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 19:40:34 +0000

[...] aspects is undeniable, but this media-sanctification is really going too far. As Jonah Goldberg writes: …let’s pause for a moment on that word “icon.” It seemed the consensus adjective for [...]

By: The Anchoress — A First Things Blog

The Anchoress — A First Things Blog — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:15:05 +0000

[...] on the excessively pop-minded press by Francis [...]

By: SDG

SDG — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:00:32 +0000

Meh. If his life was tragic, then his death is tragic, since his life was tragic to the end. Was it likely that Jackson’s life might have taken a more positive direction had he lived? Probably not, but there’s still a difference between the open-endedness of a question mark and the finality of a period at the end of a paragraph.