Michael Jackson [CFP]

By William Curtis

Michael Jackson is the man with a great legacy, one with high highs and low lows, but through it all he seemed to keep his head up high. Michael Jackson's legacy is filled with: his music, music videos, hanging his child over a banister, and the famous trial of Michael Jackson vs. Gavin Arvizo. For me Michael Jackson will be remembered for his moon walk, tip-toe, and his "Thriller" video.

Michael Jackson spent most of the 80's revalorizing the world with his catchy music: "Thriller", "Bad", "Black or White", and, also with his unique music videos that accompanied them. His music video "Thriller" had such an impact on me as a child, I would go to a friend's house just so I could watch MTV and dress up like Michael Jackson did. Once the video was done, my friends and I would go to his basement and dress up in "zombielike" clothes and dance to the infamous thriller. Even while I was at school I couldn't escape Michael Jackson's grasp; we would go to the play ground and try and pull off the moves we saw on TV like the moonwalk or the toe stands. I didn't grow up during his prime time, but no outside visitor could have guessed that if they had passed by my school.

Even with all of Michael Jackson's success in the 80's he wasn't able to avoid the long arm of justice. He spent most of the late 90's and early twenty-first century going in and out of different Californian courtrooms, always finding a way to slip through the cracks. He hit an all time low when the police raided his Neverland Valley Ranch home on Nov. 18, 2003 for evidence against him on the child molestation case. Unfortunately, that wouldn't be the last time that Neverland Valley Ranch would come into question for Michael Jackson. On October 22, 2007, his home was being foreclosed due to back taxes.

As I look at everyone's Facebook and Myspace reactions to Michael Jackson's death, I am pleased to see that people looked at the positives of his life and not the negatives. When I look back to his life it was filled with both the good and bad moments but in any case he was, Gone Too Soon: "Born To Amuse, To Inspire, To Delight, Here One Day, Gone One Night".

(China.org.cn June 26, 2009)