“Factions, Factions, Everywhere A Faction! Who Really Pays the Price?” by AllForLoveBlog

It is well known that MJ Truth Now abhors the bullying of writers, academic writers, in particular. Raven, writer of AllForLoveBlog, is also in the academic world and teaches young college students about Michael Jackson’s art and cultural impact at the university level. She has written a great piece called “Factions, Factions, Everywhere A Faction! Who Really Pays the Price,” that addresses this topic. This is a very controversial subject in the MJ Family but MJ Truth Now would like to give our support to AllForLoveBlog for trying to address this difficult topic.

The article can be found here.

Joe Vogel’s “‘I Ain’t Scared of No Sheets: Rescreening Black Masculinity in Michael Jackson’s Black Or White”

In recent weeks, Joe Vogel, noted author on works about Michael Jackson, has been cyber stalked and bullied in a blatant effort to censor his work. Dr. Vogel is an Assistant Professor at Merrimack College whose Doctoral thesis was on the work of Michael Jackson. His works in include Man In the Music: The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson. Earth Song: Inside Michael Jackson’s Magnum Opus” and numerous articles on Michael Jackson and other popular music and literary figures. Dr. Vogel contributed an essay on “Thriller” for the the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress. “Thiller” is the only music short film to be added to the National Registry of the Library of Congress.

Dr. Vogel’s essay for the  National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress on Michael Jackson’s Thriller can be found here:

http://www.loc.gov/rr/record/nrpb/registry/essays/Thriller–FINAL.pdf.

An individual falsely accused Dr. Vogel of plagiarism for his article “‘I Ain’t Scared of No Sheets:’ Rescreening Black Masculinity in Michael Jackson’s Black Or White.” The complaint was made to Academia.edu and the article was taken down on August 9th pending investigation. In the words of Dr. Vogel, “Academia.edu is not a publisher; they don’t hold the copyright; they are simply a platform (think, the academic version of Facebook). My article remains available in its actual journal (where it was peer-reviewed) and publisher website (Wiley).” We are happy to report that the article is back up on Academia.edu’s website as of Aug 12 and can be found here:

“‘I Ain’t Scared of No Sheets: Rescreening Black Masculinity in Michael Jackson’s Black Or White”

https://www.academia.edu/11493559/_I_Ain_t_Scared_of_No_Sheets_Re-screening_Black_Masculinity_in_Michael_Jackson_s_Black_or_White._Journal_of_Popular_Music_Studies_27.1_March_2015_

We highly recommend a blog by Willa Stillwater and Joie Collins called “Dancing With The Elephants.” They provide fascinating academic insight, along with many special guests, into the creative life of Michael Jackson. Their most recent publication, “Causing Grief in Human Relations,” addresses this particular incident of bullying and attempted censorship of Joe Vogel. We urge you to read this latest blog and don’t miss the comment section. There are some incredibly thoughtful and well written comments recording this difficult time in the MJ Community. The comments will give you a really good understanding of the harassment experienced by those who write about Michael Jackson, both academics and others in the MJ Community.

“Causing Grief in Human Relations” by Willa Stillwater and Joie Collins.

https://dancingwiththeelephant.wordpress.com/2015/08/09/causing-grief-in-human-relations/

This is a serious case of cyber stalking and harassment that is literally an attempt to ruin the career of Joe Vogel. Although this is a serious example of what some in this community are doing to discredit those who are writing positive and meaningful work on Michael Jackson, he is by no means the only one that is targeted. We need writers like DB Anderson, Joe Vogel, Zack O’Malley Greenburg, Susan Fast, Willa Stillwater, Raven Woods, Armond White and others who have taken on the challenge of writing serious analysis of Michael Jackson’s creative work.

We are heartened by the increase in academic works related to Michael Jackson. We are encouraged at the increase in Michael Jackson related study being added at universities around the world. It is important that this work continues for the impact it has on Michael Jackson’s legacy and its reach to new generations.

We need to discourage the harassment and destruction that many of us feel when we are trying to change the tabloid narrative that persists. We all have opinions and we must share them constructively and with civility if we do not want the tabloid narrative to succeed.