It’s amazing how the African-American culture suddenly re-connected with fallen soldier, Michael Jackson, right after his death. Prior to this major event, it appeared as though there was a significant disconnect between Michael and his African-American fans. The new experience of depression and continued bereavement are both shocking and a surprise to me as a mental health professional. Let’s just review a couple of interesting considerations.

1. Did Micheal have recurrent allegations for participation in inappropriate behaviors with children?
2. Didn’t Michael have an instance where he hung his baby upside down out of a window?
3. Didn’t Michael’s  visual  image go from being a black male to… ?
4. Is it possible for a Black male, by birth and genotype,  to produce 3 kids that look basically White?
5. Have all of  the allegations of inappropriate drug use  suddenly disappeared?
6. Did he not have the drug propofol and oxygen tanks in his home at his time of death?
7. Did Michael have a serious problem with Substance Abuse and Dependence?

This does not take from his musical legacy at all, but as a mental health professional, we should closely monitor who we attempt to make a martyr. After all, Michael was truly loved by many of us but, there were significant changes over the past twenty years that turned most of us off.  He certainly deserves to be given credit where credit is due.  However, we still have to be careful not to cover-up or endorse bad behaviors. Moreover, he had the money and clout to get him out of some pretty tight situations. I don’t want to reign on this national day of mourning, I simply want to keep it real. Michael Jackson’s death is a fact and there were numerous factors that we should not forget.  He left a very strong legacy and the world will never forget him, but we still have to monitor who we make GODS.