Iraq: Remembering Michael Jackson · Global Voices
Salam Adil

There was some comment in the Iraqi blogs on Michael Jackson. But first…
If you read no other blog this week read this one:
A little late in the posting but essential reading. Sunshine studies for her exams while braving constant explosions, shooting and poor electricity. She writes:
I wish the shooting and explosions will stop , and It will be a miracle, if we can have electricity more often , I'll feel the luckiest person in the whole world, my eyes hurts me when I stay late at night studying with torch light, I can't study more than two hours with poor light! Sometimes I wonder Am I demanding too much??? !!
Michael Jackson
The Narcicyst, an Iraq rap musician, summed up his feelings in MJ titles:
Fight till the end, but I'm only human.
You're moonwalking while we stay living in black and white. You made us all stare at the Man in the Mirror and find a way to heal the world. There was no way we were BAD enough, even a smooth criminal knew he wasn't dangerous enough. We are the world, but the world of music will never be the same without you. We apologize for chastising you, the world is a fucked up place. Rock Rock On my brother.
Miss you man.
Layla Anwar pays tribute writing: “Had it not been for Michael Jackson, the stupid, racist MTV would have not allowed a black man. M.Jackson was the first black man to appear on MTV with his Billie Jean, paving the way for subsequent black artists…” while reminding us to keep some perspective on the news:
While the whole world mourns the pop icon M.Jackson, whose Thriller was the turning point in his career, there is another series of thrillers taking place in Baghdad and which will mark another turning point in the recent bloody history of this doomed country.
Over the past 4 days alone, over 350 Iraqis were killed. And scores of others injured. …
I already see zombies and ghosts rising from the graves just like in the M. Jackson Thriller video, except this Iraqi thriller is no pop video and no one is there to pay their homages and mourn us.
And Attawie reminds us of her favourite Jackson lyrics:
Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me
Maybe the world would stop talking about if he was white or black, good or bad, Muslim or not.
That's all for now
and… Let's heal the world