Chris Stevenson - Is Michael Insane?: 2 factors that prevented him from growing up in peace
/By Chris Stevenson
A simple yes would make this the shortest essay in the history of this editorial page, but why should I tell you what you already know without elaborating on the why? Given his recent behavior, it looks like the wagons are circling around whom is arguably the most heralded personality in the history of music; Michael Joseph Jackson, and he may not be able to moonwalk his way out of this one.
The beginnings of Michael's latent insanity can be found in the influence of two forces, the obsessive/abusive behavior of his father, and the religion of choice of his mother. Most of us can agree that some self-hatred is manifest in Michael's life, first chiefly through that of his outside appearance, and then his behavior. I will go out on a limb and say that his self-loathing is not just due to his being Black, the other 50% of him doesn't like being a Jackson. I came to that conclusion while watching a special on Michael on VH1 a few weeks ago, that was the documentary that-among others-most strongly inferred that Joe sexually molested Michael while Micheal was still very, very young. This was said to be based on some deep jealous feelings on the part of Papa Joe. While growing up in the black community I can say that it is entirely possible that a Black father can be jealous of his own son (or daughter), to the point where he can sabotage that son's potential from the use of subtle suggestions to manifesting outward hostility through either physical or sexual abuse. It's not rocket science, it's mostly ghetto scheming based on an old southern slave mentality that dictates, 'you ain't nuthin' 'cause I ain't nuthin.'.'
That Joe was also noted by several interviewed eyewitnesses from the era, for coercing his sons' groupies to have sex with him in order to meet his older boys, gives you a clue that suggest a no-holds-barred conscience. Joe taught his boys to be great entertainers, which makes for good cover that can hide a concurrent resentment towards his youth because he knew the young record buyers were no longer listening to the music of Joe Jackson's old band, but were getting into Motown, James Brown, and the Beatles. What there needs to be is an effort to interrogate Joe, but the forces out to get Mike, wink at Joe.
The religious factor is a pivotal and potent ingredient, Mrs Jackson's faith-the Jehovah's Witnesses (JWs)-plays the fundamental angle so hard, that they can safely be considered radical. Not an easy feat, but costly. According to an essay by John Spencer "intense religiosity is a symptom-complex indicative of psychiatric disorder." In other words, the more strict and/or encompassing the sect, the greater the risk of a mental disorder within the parishioner. This correlation is nothing new, the psychiatric community has been keeping an eye on the JWs for several decades now. Whenever an organization or even an individual asks for unusual things in one aspect, it's bound to produce unusual behavior from another aspect. Thus no Christmas, no Birthday celebrations, no blood transfusions, no premarital sex, no divorce (except when one party commits adultery), no adultery, no voting, and no military service are all a matter of record of them to the world at large, but they are just the tip of the JWs no-no-iceberg, few know the worst outcome.
At what point then does their list of restrictions become a straight jacket? By default a 36 month Australian study from 1/71 to 12/73 shows that out of 7,546 in-patient admissions to the West Australian Mental Health Service psychiatric hospitals, 50 were active JWs. The total number of JWs populating Western Australia at that time was 4,000, the total population of Western Australia was 1,068,469. Of the 50 JWs diagnosed, 22 had schizophrenia, and 17 had paranoid schizophrenia. These were 3 and 4 times a higher percentile than the general population respectively. The study points out that either the sect attracts an excess of pre-psychiatric individuals who later break down, or belonging to them is a stress itself which may precipitate a psychosis, or both.
Any question of the sanity of the JW requirements must begin with it's founder, a man seen by many as a suspect character himself, Charles Taze Russell. Russell was simply a former Adventist who left this sect due to failed prophecies (simple jealousy actually, Russell just wanted his shot at doling out wrong "end times" dates, he could only do that by starting his own faith).The offspring of a rich family line whose various members were either connected to, or founded powerful well known secret societies most notably the Masons, and the now-famous Skull & Bones respectively. With so much baggage dogging him from his family and religious ties, Michael has more to overcome than child molestation charges. While all evidence still seems circumstantial, even if he is found not guilty, there should be a court order restricting children under-age from visiting Neverland. His case should also mark the start of psycho/religious dialog.
A simple yes would make this the shortest essay in the history of this editorial page, but why should I tell you what you already know without elaborating on the why? Given his recent behavior, it looks like the wagons are circling around whom is arguably the most heralded personality in the history of music; Michael Joseph Jackson, and he may not be able to moonwalk his way out of this one.
The beginnings of Michael's latent insanity can be found in the influence of two forces, the obsessive/abusive behavior of his father, and the religion of choice of his mother. Most of us can agree that some self-hatred is manifest in Michael's life, first chiefly through that of his outside appearance, and then his behavior. I will go out on a limb and say that his self-loathing is not just due to his being Black, the other 50% of him doesn't like being a Jackson. I came to that conclusion while watching a special on Michael on VH1 a few weeks ago, that was the documentary that-among others-most strongly inferred that Joe sexually molested Michael while Micheal was still very, very young. This was said to be based on some deep jealous feelings on the part of Papa Joe. While growing up in the black community I can say that it is entirely possible that a Black father can be jealous of his own son (or daughter), to the point where he can sabotage that son's potential from the use of subtle suggestions to manifesting outward hostility through either physical or sexual abuse. It's not rocket science, it's mostly ghetto scheming based on an old southern slave mentality that dictates, 'you ain't nuthin' 'cause I ain't nuthin.'.'
That Joe was also noted by several interviewed eyewitnesses from the era, for coercing his sons' groupies to have sex with him in order to meet his older boys, gives you a clue that suggest a no-holds-barred conscience. Joe taught his boys to be great entertainers, which makes for good cover that can hide a concurrent resentment towards his youth because he knew the young record buyers were no longer listening to the music of Joe Jackson's old band, but were getting into Motown, James Brown, and the Beatles. What there needs to be is an effort to interrogate Joe, but the forces out to get Mike, wink at Joe.
The religious factor is a pivotal and potent ingredient, Mrs Jackson's faith-the Jehovah's Witnesses (JWs)-plays the fundamental angle so hard, that they can safely be considered radical. Not an easy feat, but costly. According to an essay by John Spencer "intense religiosity is a symptom-complex indicative of psychiatric disorder." In other words, the more strict and/or encompassing the sect, the greater the risk of a mental disorder within the parishioner. This correlation is nothing new, the psychiatric community has been keeping an eye on the JWs for several decades now. Whenever an organization or even an individual asks for unusual things in one aspect, it's bound to produce unusual behavior from another aspect. Thus no Christmas, no Birthday celebrations, no blood transfusions, no premarital sex, no divorce (except when one party commits adultery), no adultery, no voting, and no military service are all a matter of record of them to the world at large, but they are just the tip of the JWs no-no-iceberg, few know the worst outcome.
At what point then does their list of restrictions become a straight jacket? By default a 36 month Australian study from 1/71 to 12/73 shows that out of 7,546 in-patient admissions to the West Australian Mental Health Service psychiatric hospitals, 50 were active JWs. The total number of JWs populating Western Australia at that time was 4,000, the total population of Western Australia was 1,068,469. Of the 50 JWs diagnosed, 22 had schizophrenia, and 17 had paranoid schizophrenia. These were 3 and 4 times a higher percentile than the general population respectively. The study points out that either the sect attracts an excess of pre-psychiatric individuals who later break down, or belonging to them is a stress itself which may precipitate a psychosis, or both.
Any question of the sanity of the JW requirements must begin with it's founder, a man seen by many as a suspect character himself, Charles Taze Russell. Russell was simply a former Adventist who left this sect due to failed prophecies (simple jealousy actually, Russell just wanted his shot at doling out wrong "end times" dates, he could only do that by starting his own faith).The offspring of a rich family line whose various members were either connected to, or founded powerful well known secret societies most notably the Masons, and the now-famous Skull & Bones respectively. With so much baggage dogging him from his family and religious ties, Michael has more to overcome than child molestation charges. While all evidence still seems circumstantial, even if he is found not guilty, there should be a court order restricting children under-age from visiting Neverland. His case should also mark the start of psycho/religious dialog.
- Stevenson is a columnist for the Buffalo Criterion, and www.theBrownWatch.com, his column Pointblank can be read at www.voiceoffreedom.com, email comments to him at pointblankdta@yahoo.com
