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It Always Happens In Three’s
By Bob Chochola
Wednesday, July 1, 2009 Issue
National Examiner
Michael Jackson’s death took the nation by surprise. Within hours of initial cloudy news reports that he had slipped into a coma and was not in fact dead, reality set in and the ripple effect of pubic reaction to the official announcement thundered across the airwaves. The King of Pop was dead at the age of 50.
In a matter of hours rabid fans began to grab-up whatever they could find in the way of memorabilia; CD’s and merchandise disappeared from store shelves and the internet was on fire with people looking for anything at all Michael Jackson. But the search wasn’t the only frenzy sparked by the pop icon’s death.
Almost immediately, rumors began to spread about drug addiction and “unanswered questions” surrounded staff doctors and their “responsibilities” while tending to Jackson. The recording star’s management was immediately under a microscope of scrutiny. Family members wanted “answers” and Jesse Jackson (no relation) was conveniently on hand to issue a public announcement that, in spite of the fact that law enforcement authorities would routinely perform a formal investigation and autopsy, the family would be seeking a second independent autopsy. The circus was in town and it began to look like the nasty aftermath of another celebrity’s death not so long ago: Ana Nicole Smith.
Undoubtedly the most repulsive of all predictable reactions to such a well known personality leaving this world came in the form of jokes and criticism from those who were not fans of Michael Jackson. Viscous cartoons, doctored photographs, and sadistic gleeful banter from critics about this man’s death cut like a knife the soul of humanity in need of something good to come out of something bad. But in this case, as so often happens with any public figure, there is always a dark side waiting to pounce; the death of Bush era Press Secretary Tony Snow is a good example of how much hate truly exists.
Nothing good would come out of this cruelty either. Jackson’s critics (some even calling themselves Christian) watched with obvious delight the grotesque onslaught of news coverage to “make sure” Jackson was in fact dead, as if he were inclined to fake such a performance to gain publicity. But Jackson’s popularity would shine even on the day of his death given the throngs of saddened fans that emerged by the tens-of-thousands to mourn him, there would be plenty of sadness to go around too.
Just hours before Jackson’s death, on the same day, another star died.
Charlie’s Angels’ star Farrah Fawcett, at age 62, had finally lost her courageous battle with cancer. Of course, news of Farrah being “in her final moments” and “given last rites” came over the wires early in the morning, but it wasn’t until early afternoon Central Time before she was pronounced dead.
News of Farrah’s passing was dwarfed a short time later when Jackson went into cardiac arrest. So it goes, the 24-hour news cycle, Farrah disappeared into the abyss - the one glowing exception being a very well timed Barbara Walters’ special aired on ABC later that same night which included interviews with Fawcett’s mate of 30 years Ryan O’Neal, co-star Angel Jaclyn Smith, and several close family friends covering her career and long personal health struggle.
A third celebrity death in a very short period of time went virtually unnoticed. The day before Jackson and Fawcett had died, late night television icon Ed McMahon, age 86, also passed away. Of course, being the first of three celebrity deaths, the obligatory “it always happens in three’s” comment was bound to accompany Mr. McMahon’s passing. How prophetic would that observation be just 24-hours later?
Like Farrah, Ed McMahon died quietly in the news coverage. Unlike Fawcett and Jackson, however, Ed McMahon had an American story that wasn’t all about pop sensation and fan praise, but rooted by service to his country. He was a United States Marine – retired a full-bird Colonel in 1966. He served in two wars (WWII & Korea). Few people, even long time fans, knew these details – only that he was a jolly, assumed to be a little tipsy at all times, sidekick for host Johnny Carson many years ago (when late night comedy was actually funny – remember?).
In the end, the legacy for each of these stars will be whatever the bio writers put to print. Gut reaction to the American pop-culture loss will become a sad record of the human condition. This 24-hour news cycle will forever be scarred by sensationalism and cruelty. How typical.
Christians tread on some very thin ice when they openly and viciously attack those they do not like – with whom they disagree. They dive into the deep end of an ocean of hypocritical activity when they act contrary to what the Living Word of God teaches. They, in turn, open the door for enemies of Christianity - its adversaries - by acting and speaking contrary to these teachings. They leave open to debate whether what is preached is actually put into practice.
Some will say, “Christians can talk-the-talk, but cannot walk-the-talk!” And in this case, they will be right.
It is important to remember that we are all God’s children. “We” and “All” mean everyone in this case – not just Christians. If God indeed made the sun, the stars, and the planets, to serve mankind, then He too made all living things – He created mankind. The Living Word makes no distinction and commands Christians to “make disciples of all nations.”
Of course, some erroneously believe this to mean make converts out of non-believers. Still more believe they themselves are on a fast-track to the Almighty by virtue of the declaration that they are a Christian and no further work or self-evaluation need be done. This is at the very root of the problem for those who say they are a Christian in one breath and then poise like vultures over the corpse of Michael Jackson in the next.
This phrase - “make disciples of all nations” - is the very Word of the Living God and it means to lead by example. It commands us to continue the work of Jesus Christ in His absence, until He returns.
Jesus Christ was slow to judge, slow to anger, quick to love, and quick to help. Grace, mercy, and truth were His greatest character traits. Does this describe the reaction of every Christian to the death of Michael Jackson? If not, then there’s work yet to be done.
If death indeed “always happens in three’s” then it may serve Christians better to remember the three men on a mountain that died upon Calvary more than two-thousand years ago. As the song goes, “The man in the middle was Jesus. He died for you and me.”
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