The Letters to Michael Jackson

Sometimes we are chosen by God and led to help one another in life. It does not matter whether we are rich, famous, or poor. A human being is a human being. Sometimes we look at the rich and famous as a world of people that should have it made. They have everything, but sometimes they don’t have what is the most important. Something could be missing in their lives. They have love from screaming fans loving them as entertainers. Sometimes famous entertainers isolate themselves from the world. Fame and fortune is sometimes more than they can handle. When fans stop loving them, they are sometimes hurt, and want to hear the love of the screaming crowd again. For some, that may be all the love that they have. Some entertainers turn to drugs and suicide.

When we see these famous entertainers, we do not see the troubles and trials that they carry to Hollywood. Like ordinary people, some of them started out in life very poor, some of them from broken homes, and abuse. When they get to Hollywood and become famous, those problems are still there and more are added on. Sometimes I’m left thinking that some of them were better off living in a shack house working at Burger King.

Becoming a Fan of Michael Jackson

I was always a fan of Michael Jackson. I was born in 1971 and remember hearing his music and beautiful young voice as I learned to walk and talk. When I was too little to know what life was really all about, I loved the music of Michael Jackson. I will never forget the school dance show in 2nd grade when I had to dance in front of the whole school. The teacher made the whole class learn a dance routine off of Michael’s song, “Rock With You”. People loved us, and they loved that hit song.

Years went by and that’s when I really became a fan of Michael Jackson. I remember seeing his video, “Billie Jean” on America’s Top Ten with Casey Kasem. I had a deep crush on Michael in the 80‘s. I had seen him perform on Soul Train with the big afro. But that time, he had the Jheri curl. It was a hairstyle I think that was noticed more when he had the style. When my mother saw the video of Michael she said, “He is very good looking, but he is not happy.”

I asked my mother, “How can you tell, watching a video of him performing?”

She said, “I can see the sadness in his eyes even when he smiles for pictures.”

Later on, there was a Motown 25 special of the Jacksons. I remember when we had our first VCR. I watched the whole Motown, but only recorded the Jacksons. I think my mother’s favorite song that he performed was, “I’ll Be There”. There was something spiritual about it.

My Mother Inspired to Write

My mother said to me one day as Michael made more hits, “Gail, I was inspired to write Michael. I do not care to write him, but something told me to write him. I felt the spirit of God moving me to write.”

I said to my mother, “Write him. I know that you can help him.” My mother wrote and told him about Godly things. She gave him our phone number to call when he needed a friend. After that, we felt that Michael was receiving the letters that mother had written. There were clues but Michael Jackson never really reached out. People called my mother crazy for writing him, but she kept on as she was led.

One day my mother told me about a sad dream she had about Michael. She told me that he was going crazy in her dream, and he had to be rushed to the hospital. The dream worried my mother for a long time even after Michael’s hair was caught on fire. My mother had written and told Michael about the dream.

More years had gone by and my mother became very ill in 1998. The dream of Michael going crazy almost happened to her on Chemotherapy. She went through a lot of pain and the chemo made her feel so bad. My mother said, “I don’t see why people want to do drugs.” When she got her strength, and before she was really down, she tore up all of the letters that she ever wrote Michael. She saved copies of them. My mother said, “It’s no use.” She had stopped writing him anyway. I think my mother saw that Michael lived in a fantasy world, and though he needed a friend, he was getting worse. My mother saw things ahead as if she could predict the future. She knew she had done the best that she could in writing Michael Jackson, and she also knew that she was going to leave to be with the Lord. She died in May of 2001.

Michael’s Death

The day before my birthday on June 25, 2009, I was working in a factory. Someone yelled across the building to me, “Gail, Michael Jackson is in the hospital.” It was my friend Annette Jones that told me. I knew then that something was wrong that time. I knew in my heart that Michael was dying. I remembered that he said, “This is it.” I think somehow Michael could feel that he was going to die. I remembered my mother’s dream that he was going crazy and in the hospital.

When I got home from work, I turned on the television in the dining room. That’s where I watch cable. I was listening at the cable news and the regular news in my bedroom. They were not sure if Michael was truly dead. I heard the news on television in my bedroom saying that he was truly dead, and then I was hearing it in the dining room saying that he was truly dead.

The Lessons I learned

There is one thing I learned from Michael Jackson. Do not get caught up in the woes of life. Try to live your life the best that you can and live happy. Life is already short, and sometimes we can make it shorter. Sometimes it is just our time to go. We fight and struggle in this life. Sometimes we suffer because of others. God knows when we are tired, and he knows and understands what we are going through. He knows when we accept him, and he knows when we are misguided. God is the best judge. He knows each and every soul.

Another thing that I learned is I see the human being of an entertainer. My mother always told me to never look up to entertainers, but to look up to God. She told me what was good and right. My mother was taught and led by God himself. I give my thanks to God.

My Remembrance of Aaliyah

It seems like just yesterday when I was riding from work with my friend, Monica. She was nice about taking me to work when I didn’t have my license to drive. Monica had the radio on singing Aaliyah’s hit song, “Try Again”. I didn’t know anything about Aaliyah during that time which was about the year of 2000. I was a big critic when it came to music, and was familiar with songs from Aaliyah like, “Age Ain’t Nothing but a Number”. To be honest, I was not an Aaliyah fan at that time. But, when I heard, “Try Again”, I was starting to like that particular song a little bit. Monica made the song sound nice blending her voice with Aaliyah’s.

When my friend Monica dropped me off to my house one day, I saw Aaliyah on television. My mother was sitting in a recliner chair on Chemotherapy. I was switching channels and saw Aaliyah on the Rosie O’Donnell Show. Aaliyah was throwing down singing, “Try Again”. My mother asked me, “Who is that girl?”

I said to my mother, “I don’t know, but I heard Monica singing her song.” Then later, after Aaliyah’s wonderful performance, Rosie O’Donnell gave the name of Aaliyah. It was not long after that day when my friend, Monica, gave me the video to watch of Aaliyah in the movie, “Romeo Must Die”. My mother was very sick but strong enough to watch the movie with me. It was the last movie we watched together, and she died in May 2001.

When my mother died, Aaliyah did not cross my mind. I was busy trying to get over my mother’s death. I felt a spirit and heard a voice that sounded just like my mother’s voice saying, “You were right, child. Stay in that Bible now.” The spirit patted me on the hand, and I don’t know what I was right about. Me and my mother had talked about so many things before she passed away.

To keep my mind occupied, I would visit my Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins with my father. I found out that Aaliyah was killed in a plane crash from them in August of 2001. My father helped me get cable television so I could have something to watch trying to get over my mother’s death. That’s when I learned more about Aaliyah and her death.

I thought to myself, “Lord, I know that Aaliyah is gone now, but I hope that you let Aaliyah into your kingdom.” I thought the thought and forgot about it. However the Lord heard me, and he did not forget. Then I began to see Aaliyah in visions for some reason. She knew nothing about me when she was alive, and I never met her. All I knew about Aaliyah was that she was a singer. I knew nothing about her life away from the stage. I will not tell everything, but I will say that her image was used in my vision to let me know that the dead in Christ will rise again.

Here is a song and story that I wrote about Aaliyah titled, "My Aaliyah Haughton Story:

Marvin Gaye_Troubled Man

The song Marvin Gaye wrote, What’s Going On, means a lot. If Marvin just could have seen what was going on in his own life before his end, he might would have been living today. He was talented and gifted and had to find his way in music. There was so much in music that he could do, and he had so many styles. I think Marvin was unsure of himself because he needed his father to be proud of him. He needed his father to say, “Yes, Son, it’s alright what you are doing. The music business becomes a sin when you have too many women, drugs, and sex. Stay away from it.” I think Marvin Gaye had a jealous father, and he hated his son. No matter what Marvin did, Marvin did not seem to please him. Parents back then seemed angry when their children didn’t do things their way. They were hard and sometimes mean. Maybe that’s how they were brought up. I don’t believe it was always right.

Marvin Gaye's father was a minister. According to Marvin's sister (Jeanne Gay), Marvin was a free spirit, and he didn't like to be told what to do. It is also said that Marvin's father always told him that he didn't know where he came from, and that Marvin was not his son. He told Marvin that he had too much of the devil in him. It is also said that Marvin's father was a strange man and wore female clothing. I think that Marvin's father thought that Marvin was going to be a better man than himself. Marvin's father would often beat Marvin when he was naked. Marvin and his father were not close, but Marvin loved his mother. She was there to defend him and encourage him. That is what Marvin needed from his father. He also needed his father to love him. Marvin's mother is probably the reason he became a great star. She told him he would be one day. 

To me, Marvin was a great Gospel singer. However, he had talent singing love songs too. His father did not like it because he felt that Marvin was leaving his calling. I think Marvin's father and his beliefs had a hard effect on Marvin's life. Marvin had a struggle inside about good and evil. Marvin said, "I think we have two sets of gods in us. We have to decide which power we are going to serve."

  

As far as Marvin singing the blues, I really don't think that he has done wrong. A love song is simply a song telling someone how much you love them. I do not think that it is a sin unless you do it through lust. Lust is a sin and not love. Love comes from God. He meant for us to fall in love, to marry, and have families. The way Marvin was taught is that he was a devil. Marvin probably thought that he was not loved by God or his father with guilt inside that he was doing wrong. I think it got to the point that Marvin just started doing wrong. If you tell a child over and over again that they are bad, then they are going to be bad.

Children need some freedom to grow and enjoy. They must be children until they grow up. Becareful what you say to a child and show them love. Teach them what is right the right way. Explain to them what they are doing is wrong and how it is wrong. Teach them that God will always love them. God always loved Marvin, and I believe he is great in mercy. Sometimes the things that happen in our lives is not our fault. Maybe Marvin's father needed help in his life somewhere down the line. God knows all about each and every one of us. He's the one to talk to. Let God be your strength and guide. When you are weak, he will make you strong. Never stop seeking God. Marvin became weak and tired and his life was taken. I have learned a lesson from Marvin Gaye. The sad thing is Marvin was killed by his own father.

Inventing LA Times

Posted By: PBS

When I hear the story about the Chandlers and their Times, I admire them. They really wanted to achieve their goal, and they did something about it. If they had let jealousy, greed, and control stop them, they would have never been able to make their dream happen. We read their dream today. It is called the LA Times.



Nixon sounded as if he had something against the Chandlers and their LA Times. When you have a gift to come up with something powerful, there are people in the world that can become afraid of you. It happened back then with the Chandlers, and it is happening now. Sometimes if you are not careful, you can become a threat to others. People will try to stop you. Maybe the LA Times told something on Nixon that he did not want the world to know. Maybe the LA Times was a news paper that was giving away too many secrets.



The Chandlers looked like a very smart family that tried to enjoy life and lived a successful one. They reminded me of the Kennedy Family.



Unionists exploded dynamite at the Times Headquarters during Harrison Gray Otis' reign as publisher. The LA Times must have been a big threat to some people. They wanted the Times destroyed and wanted Harrison killed. When you write news or speak out, you have to be careful what you say, although we have freedom of speech. There was nasty name calling in Otis’ editorials. There were people I’m sure were offended by this, and some employees were killed.