America Is Michael Jackson

You ever have an idea just come to you out of nowhere? It just hits you from out of the blue?

The lightning bolt that hit me on the F train is the following: Michael Jackson is America.

Let me explain.

America burst onto the world scene with the most improbable revolution in world history. It beat a world empire. It was like Buster Douglas knocking out Tyson, but even more amazing. It would be like if Douglas was a double amputee and still knocked out Tyson.

Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 similarly burst onto the world scene out of nowhere. "I Want You Back" "ABC" & "I'll Be There"- how could a little kid sing and dance like that?

America and MJ were both at one time young and invincible. And both beat incredible odds: George Washington would have been hanged if the British captured him; Michael made it out of the urban decay of Gary, Indiana.

Both had great words or lyrics that defined them: Just as only Jefferson could have written that Americans have certain inalienable rights including the right to "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness", only Michael could have sang "Girl, when you dance, there's a magic, that must be love".

But both were not perfect.

America had the original sin of slavery. Young Michael's problem was when they let Jermaine sing lead.

America fought an unspeakably brutal Civil War to eradicate slavery; Michael solved his problem by ditching his brothers by going solo. (It turns out when Michael sang "Never Can Say Goodbye" it did not apply to his brothers.)

As they both matured, America and Michael did great things. You know how people would say that Michael was the ultimate entertainer because he could sing and dance like no other?
America was the ultimate nation as well. After winning a World War, we rebuilt a destroyed Western Europe and Japan. Just like Michael could sing and dance, America was strong and kind. America used her power not for empire, but for the protection of sovereign nations from Soviet aggression.

As President Reagan said at Normandy during the 40th Anniversary of D-Day:

The Soviet troops that came to the center of this continent did not leave when peace came. They're still there, uninvited, unwanted, unyielding, almost forty years after the war. Because of this, allied forces still stand on this continent. Today, as forty years ago, our armies are here for only one purpose: to protect and defend democracy. The only territories we hold are memorials like this one and graveyards where our heroes rest.

Just as Michael had the biggest album of all time with Thriller, America could match Michael hit for hit: the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965 was a just America reaching out and doing the right thing, our space program showed America's imagination was limitless, and the fall of the Soviet Union showed that we were on the right side of history.

But Thriller came out in 1982 and the Soviets fell in 1989.

As Michael's sister sang: What Have You Done For Me Lately?

Nothing good, it turns out.

Michael could have been a U.S Congressman the way he spent money the last few years, tittering near bankruptcy. Our own Congress has the discipline of a kleptomaniac let loose in Macy's on the day the security guards are on strike.

While Michael lost his ability to have hit records, America lost its ability to defend itself, ignoring attacks on our embassies in Kenya & Tanzania, our barracks at Khobar towers, and a Navy ship in Yemen.

It took direct flights into Manhattan buildings before America realized that we had an enemy that thought nothing of blowing themselves up as long as American blood was shed as well.

Michael lost his mind with endless face lifts that ultimately made him unrecognizable when compared with the kid from Gary, Indiana.

Nowadays, modern America is unrecognizable to me. The relationship between the governed and the governing has undergone too many face lifts in too short a time.

Government bailouts of banks and car companies. Salary caps on Wall Street. Cap & Trade. And now, the ultimate face lift: socialized medicine. All being rammed down our throats faster than Rickey Henderson stealing second.

And what is with this cash for clunkers program? What's next, turn in your hand guns for low fat yogurt?

Michael Jackson died a sad and lonely death.

What is America's fate?