Pictures Show that Michael Jackson's Fans' Writings on His Tomb Not 'Crude'
As with Many Stories Concerning the Late King of Pop, the Facts Are Distorted.
In recent days, a flurry of news reports have described alleged 'vandalism' at Michael Jackson's mausoleum in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.
The reports say that fans of the late King of Pop have used black marker to write personal messages on his tomb. Some reports
have described the messages as "crude", and noted that the management of the cemetery is working to "clean up" the walls where the messages were written.
It seems a large percentage of news stories surrounding Michael Jackson, both before his passing and in the year since, is surrounded by ambiguity and, many would say, a bias towards reporting facts in the worst possible light and context.
While headlines have screamed that his tomb was 'vandalized' and the messages left 'crude', the messages themselves that were left were, by all accounts, messages in support of
Michael Jackson and his message.
Pictures published by celebrity news website TMZ.com showed messages saying, "Keep the Dream Alive" and "Miss You, Sweet Angel".
While technically the messages might be considered graffiti or vandalism, and are against the rules of the Forest Lawn Memorial Park, the reality is that the messages themselves are hardly crude. It would seem, too, that the intention of those writing the messages was not to deface nor vandalize as a sign of disrespect for Jackson, but rather to pay homage to him and express their grief over his passing.
Michael Jackson's legacy and memory have, in the nearly thirteen months since his passing, actually grown and strengthened. While in his later years he needed to fend off accusations and inneundo, his memory, his message and his music have grown in stature in death and media reports have seem to grown more balanced and fact based.
But the description of his fans' actions in
Glendale is puzzling as none of the messages seem to be the least bit 'crude' and the intention of those writing them clearly were not to 'vandalize'.
A case could easily be made that no messages should be written; after all, allowing people to do so could open the door to others who would write inflammatory comments that would disparage Jackson or others who were laid to rest there. But rather than making that case, some have choosen instead to report that the messages left weren't supportive and clean messages by Jackson fans, but rather crude vandalism.
Saw this photo on Facebook. Seems like there has been some cleaning taking place in Holly Terrace.
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