Before I post this collage, I'm just going to say something that I need to say. I've lost a lot of subscribers/followers since I started posting my Michael Jackson art on my blog. I can only presume that some people don't like Michael, because the loss of subscribers always follows my posting of MJ art. I find that rather sad. Not because I'm losing followers, but because there are so many people who seem to buy into the tabloid B.S. and outright lies about Michael Jackson.
Clearly, I am a fan. I'm not in any way ashamed of that fact. I'm also an educated, logical, practical, and open-minded person, who refuses to let the narrow-minded and confused judgments of others sway my way of thinking about him. Michael was a GOOD person. A compassionate person. A loving person. He was not a freak, nor was he the monster so many have labeled him to be simply based on lies and false accusations waged against him. And I will continue to create art with Michael as my subject matter, because he inspires me not only to be creative, but to be a better human being. If that costs me followers, I can live with that.
If you're not a fan, that's fine. We are all free to like whatever and whomever we want to. But if you're not a fan based solely on lies, I can only suggest that you do your research and learn the facts and truth about Michael Jackson before you judge him. Every bit of truth about the kind of man that he was is readily available in books, on various websites, and in court transcripts. The facts don't lie.
Michael didn't deserve the constant ridicule, judgment and hate he was subjected to in the media and by the general public. He was different, yes, but he was also human...with real feelings, real emotions. And he hurt, just like anybody else.
And that's what this digital collage is about. Its text is from a handwritten note by Michael himself. And the photo I used is one of my favorites of him. With June 25th marking the 2nd anniversary of his death, it seemed like an appropriate way to remember him...and to remember that we should never judge people until we've walked "two moons in their moccasins."
I've also entered this into the 3 Muses Written Word Challenge. And I'll just end this post with a variety of favorite relevant quotes.
When you judge another, you do not define them, you define yourself.
The more one judges, the less one loves.
Do not judge and you will never be mistaken.
To sit in judgment of those things which you perceive to be wrong or imperfect is to be one more person who is part of judgment, evil or imperfection.
Very often when you look at the moon, you see only a part of it, but you know there is a much larger object there. Very often we look at a person, and we see or are aware of only a small sliver of their life, and we may think that is all there is. But there is always more than meets the eye.
Before you judge me, try hard to love me. (Michael Jackson)