| "He's still a mystery man to me and he may always | | | | Jackson 5. "I remember singing at the top of my voice |
| be one," Michael Jackson said of his father in his 1988 | | | | and dancing with real joy and working too hard for a |
| autobiography. | | | | child," Michael Jackson wrote. "I wasn't formed to be |
| So here we have Joe Jackson, MJ's father who has | | | | Michael the lead singer." |
| been in the limelight as well during the height of his | | | | To explore the other end of the argument, if Joe |
| son's popularity because of his questionable parenting | | | | would not have been as harsh as he has been, his |
| when Michael was just a child. It was comparable to a | | | | family would have starved to death and be exposed |
| rollercoaster ride because throughout the years, | | | | to the harshness of the world if he had continued |
| Michael's relationship with his father has been one | | | | relying on his failing job in a mill. |
| which is very enigmatic. | | | | However it did a lot to the psyche of Michael and we |
| Again in the 1988 autobiography book edited by | | | | don't know if that is enough justification for violently |
| Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Michael recounts that | | | | hitting a child as a means to discipline. |
| one of his earliest memories of his father was of him | | | | In an interview with BBC, Joe Jackson admitted that |
| coming home from a hard day's work from a steel mill | | | | he did whipped MJ with a switch and a belt. However |
| with a bag of glazed donuts for all the kids. There was | | | | according to Joe: "I never beat him. You beat |
| also some time at the theme park. | | | | someone with a stick." |
| "My brothers and I could really eat back then and that | | | | Joe is now speaking in hindsight since he has attended |
| bag would disappear with a snap of the fingers," | | | | the funeral of his child instead of the child naturally |
| Jackson recalled. "He used to take us all to the | | | | burying the parents. He believes that his son Michael |
| merry-go-round in the park." | | | | was not crazy and is actually smart. |
| However, most of his earlier childhood trauma was the | | | | MJ once said that he would have nightmares about his |
| physical torment his dad would sometimes put him | | | | father and that he would regurgitate every time he |
| through for a wrong dance step or a bumbled musical | | | | sees Joe. |
| note. Jackson shared that they would always get a hit | | | | To this Joe replied: "He regurgitates all the way to the |
| with either a switch or a belt whenever they do it | | | | bank. That's right." |
| wrong during rehearsals. | | | | Joe has been criticized by some people in the |
| "My mother told me I would fight back even when I | | | | blogosphere for shamelessly promoting his recording |
| was very little, but I don't remember that," Michael | | | | label in spite of the death of his son. Somehow it didn't |
| wrote. "I do remember running under tables to get | | | | seem right. Joe did say that he and Katherine will take |
| away from him and him getting angrier." | | | | care of his grandchildren with MJ - Prince, Paris and |
| In hindsight, MJ recalled that they were always | | | | Blanket. |
| rehearsing - frantic rehearsals. | | | | Definitely, Joe Jackson has a huge hand in the |
| Come to think of it though: did this discipline contribute | | | | development of our King of Pop. Somewhere, |
| to the immense talents of Michael? It probably did but | | | | somehow, MJ's decisions have been influenced by |
| undeniably it had a psychological effect on Michael. | | | | these experiences with his father, for better or for |
| If anything the violent discipline methods of Joe might | | | | worse. |
| have been justified with the rise to fame of the | | | | |