“There's no revenge so complete as forgiveness,” a sage once wrote. Michael Jackson sought no revenge against anyone; he always took the high road. He issued no public statements against any of the people who chose to become his enemies or who tried to ravage him, even though he could have commanded a public platform and free publicity in an instant if he had chosen to do so.

As a society, we … love to destroy our heroes. We enjoy it even more when they destroy themselves. The political arena and the entertainment industry are replete with individuals who have obliged our generalized lust for the downfall and disintegration of those who have been catapulted to a pedestal of admiration and devotion....
Michael Jackson was at the top of this list. An innocent victim of rapacious individuals in authority positions and media jobs, Michael was savaged for fun and profit. His predators ensured that his perceived idiosyncrasies eclipsed his amazing talent, stratospheric musical accomplishments, and global humanitarianism. This was—and is--a travesty and a tragedy.

The real man, however, had to deal with not only that dreadful, painful reality ... but with other onslaughts and ordeals that were hidden from public view. Defending A King ~ His Life & Legacy presents the torturous life of Michael Jackson with an emphasis on his triumphs over the unique adversities and challenges that came with his double-edged fame ... and his fate.
Through the good, the bad, and the ugly of his life, Michael Jackson maintained a nobility of spirit and a dignity of the soul that are amazing victories in his life-long fight for normalcy and a slice of happiness. He continued to choose love and forgiveness when most people would succumb to hatred and bitterness. The child in Michael Jackson, the part of himself that he cherished, saw the good, the possible, the divine on this earth. He decided to become a … prophet and messenger … of unity and love.

Admittedly, it sounds corny to say that Michael Jackson was the king of love, the champion of children everywhere, with deep passion and missionary zeal. The unsettling response to hearing or reading this assessment that we feel is more a reflection of our jaded society than anything else. It's just not okay to attribute an all-encompassing love for children to a man in this culture; it seems suspicious or even dirty. If and when we suspend this learned, quick and harsh judgment, however, we can begin to understand the real man ... Michael Jackson.

Defending A King ~ His Life & Legacy represents an attempt to place a pebble, perhaps a boulder, on the end of the playing field that has been so tilted against Michael Jackson for so many years by jaundiced, self-serving, greedy media. Supported and assisted by many people who really knew Michael ..., this author ardently hopes that this book will cause a major tilt in the right direction. Michael Jackson deserves no less.
Today, in spite of volumes of printed material, toxic airwaves, and a world of cyberspace about Michael Jackson, there is little published information available about the real, flesh-and-blood man from first-hand witnesses. This is a man who deserves ... to have his humanity rightfully bestowed and restored as a glorious, enduring memory.

Imagine what Michael Jackson experienced during his remarkable life, one that was literally unlike any other. He saw the richest of the rich, the poorest of the poor, the sickest of the sick, the highest of the high, and the lowliest of the low. He interacted with royalty, heads of state, celebrities at the top of stardom, the rich and famous. He made it his business to interact with the suffering, the orphaned, and the dying on every continent, praying with them, giving them his money and his love, and offering them hope. He traversed countries of every size and shape; he left his lasting impact upon people of every walk of life, religion, and shade of color; he reached out to everyone, ... quietly, passionately, and reverently.
Along the way, a few fortunate individuals were able to accompany Michael during part of his journey; … they glimpsed the heart and soul of this ... pervasively misunderstood man. They came to view Michael Jackson's “eccentricity” as the man's survival techniques....
Michael Jackson felt the same feelings as any human being. He experienced the gamut of joy and suffering, ... achievement and failure, marriage and children, love and betrayal. The difference is in the sheer scope, scale, and magnitude of everything related to Michael Jackson and experienced by him. He made it to the Guinness World Records twenty-three times; he should be in Ripley's Believe It or Not! for the incredible richness, complexity, and absurdities in his life. It could be argued that, in his fifty years, Michael Jackson experienced the equivalent of many lifetimes....
[This book] allows a peek into the Michael Jackson world from his perspective, his unique personal journey, and his deep humanity.
It is time for a paradigm shift.... Neither a “tell-all” book nor sensationalistic, Defending A King ~ His Life & Legacy focuses on the normalcy in a man who was turned into a caricature, on [his] creative genius ..., and on [his] extraordinary coping mechanisms ... in his … struggle to survive. Michael Jackson wanted what most people want—a chance at happiness, the opportunity to raise his kids and watch them grow into adulthood, to be loved, and to make a difference in this world.

Bizarre circumstances demand bizarre behavior. Michael Jackson lived in the most bizarre of circumstances … like no one else on earth.
Defending A King ~ His Life & Legacy emphasizes the goodness of this man … in addition to his generally acknowledged greatness.

This book was put together by people who love him. If you say those words after reading [it], we will have done our job.
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