It was last week Thursday, around midnight, that I logged onto my Facebook account, before tucking myself into a four-layered cave of warmth, and found myself gaping at one of my friend's status updates. It simply said, "Michael Jackson is dead. WTH???" Six hours later, 95 of my Facebook friends had updated theirs statuses in honor of Jackson, either confessing their love, expressing their condolences, or simply stating their level of shock.

This blog post is not about Jackson's sudden death because (like Elvis Presley, Kurt Cobain, Tupac Shakur, and Shakespeare) Michael Jackson will never truly die, no matter how much some people wish that he would. Still, MJ's death saddens me; he reminds me of Edward in Tim Burton's Edward Scissorhands, a lonely innocent corrupted by the world. That's just my opinion. Jackson tried to change the world with his music and now that he is dead, he has become yet another commodity. The world wants everything that they can get of him now that he is gone — CD and DVD demands have increased, soon there will be new books on the "life and times of Michael Jackson," along with t-shirts, stationery, costumes, and sweets. Eventually there will be a movie, then Happy Meal promotions and Michael Jackson dolls…Because that's just the way that the media works.

The workings of the media is what inspired this post. No matter how much you may think that you hate the media, it is everywhere and all you can do is find a way to use it without letting it use you. The Internet changes communication completely, allowing communication to exceed boundaries in a way that was unimaginable a few decades back. People now communicate to the masses from behind their computer screens, laptops, or mobile phones, making the world one gigantic Hyde Park. Relationships form with a joint cause, attracting support across physical borders so that the world can be heard as one voice and, hopefully, that voice will finally be big enough to bring about change for the better.

Within a couple of hours, the news of Jackson's death spread across the world…Therefore, a couple of hours would theoretically be all one needs to heal the world. The world is not as big as it used to be; with our connectedness there is no excuse for the continuance of war, famine, human rights violations, and intolerance. All one has to do is care.

Tharuna Devchand

But in a lot of other cities that isn't the case. Even after some streets are named Mulberry Street or Circle Drive or what have you, they are then again renamed in tribute and honor of someone important to that neighborhood or community. This makes sense right?

Now, I don't know the logistics of street naming and how it's decided on or denied by, but I do know of a few streets around here (Staten Island) named after firefighters lost in 9/11 and soldiers killed while on duty in the Middle East. A suggestion like that probably wouldn't get much backlash, if any. I mean, if someone did object, that would probably automatically paint a target on that person's back as an inconsiderate, unfeeling bastard. At least, I feel like that would be the case. 

According to NBC Los Angeles, there is a street in California called Moneta Avenue that might be renamed after José Rizal, a Philippine historical figure and national hero who helped fight against colonial Spain (to learn more about him, refer to Wikipedia for the quickest facts). Right away there is controversy over whether it would be appropriate to name a street after him because supposedly barely anyone in the community knows who he is. 

In addition, it's not as though that community is predominantly made up of Filipinos. Reports out of LA say that the area is pretty evenly divided in terms of ethnic enclaves.

But I wonder…what's the harm? Is anyone so against such a thing? The article says that people don't want to go through the hassle of changing their "addresses and identities." Excuse me, what does a street name have to do with your identity? Is there something that I'm missing? 

If people here can honor the life of a soldier or a firefighter, why can't people honor the life of someone who, too, fought for freedom and justice? Besides, aren't people naming buildings and institutions after past presidents and Martin Luther King, Jr.? Could it be we have a problem recognizing the accomplishments of people who aren't American?

I don't really know what the big deal is, but maybe you do? 

Michelle Geslani

Until, that is, I spot a familiar face on the street carrying a baby and realize that the little girl with wild hair and who always walked on her tip-toes, the one I used to ride bikes with and lived a few streets away from, is now a mother, has a husband, a house, and a career. She’s all grown up, or at least, she’s come a long way since we were ten.

It’s incredible stuff. I suppose it’s easy to get lost in the everyday momentum of life; enjoying each moment means that there isn’t always time to realize what’s changing. For me it’s about living in the present. I don’t want regrets or excessive reminiscing holding me back from moving forward. The past is there inside me, but I try not to dwell on it too much.

So when someone asks, "What’s new?” I have trouble finding an answer. It’s all new, but being in the thick of things can make that hard to remember.

Old friends are a good reminder. It’s a taste of the past with a surprise of how things have changed. I’m amazed at what people achieve and how much they’ve grown. And when they ask me, "how are you doing?" I actually stop and realize that yeah, a lot has happened since we’ve last met.

Anyhow, that’s what’s on my mind. Old friends and the way life moves on. Things always change, and I have no regrets over that. But it’s nice to look back occasionally, catch up on a street corner while the light turns green to red, stay for a drink after saying hello at a bar, or whatever it is that brings people together. It’s good to realize how far we’ve all come.

In The Fray Contributor