Since Michael Jackson’s shocking and un-timely death 3 years  ago,  the skin disorder known as vitiligo still continues to be one of the lead conversations at the dinner table. Should vitiligo be renamed? If so, should it be renamed in memory of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson? Will a name change bring more attention especially from the media? If so, what kind of attention, negative or positive? These are a few questions that are still pondering the minds of those who are force to live daily with this skin disorder.

Replying with a logical answer is like a long drive in the country on a beautiful afternoon. There are many side roads and short cuts available when we want to get to our destination faster. In doing so we will miss exploring all the views and our decisions may be thwarted

We may decide to take the long scenic route. This route may take longer to get there, but, you will be able to see more and hopefully understand the surroundings better in order for you to come to a more thought out reply.

Before we can even consider to name anything after a person, the individual in question should be 1. Well known, 2. Loved and respected, 3. Want their name associated with the cause.

Let’s take a moment to explore all avenues :

Well known?
Unless you had your head stuck in the sand for the last 30+ years, you should have heard of Michael Jackson at least once in your life time. His album sales and MP3 downloads both, before and after his death reached an all time high. During the 1980’s and into the 90's, most children learned to moon walk before they learned to crawl. Through either good or bad publicity, Michael Jackson was well known, if not always well received, in every home across the globe.


Loved and Respected?

You would think this would be an easy yes. However, this area can get quite sticky and nasty. In his adolescence years many could not resists how cute and adorable he was. As he reached his teen years, girls from all over fainted when they heard his name. Many more trampled each other just to touch him or be photographed with him. As time passed by and all the news articles that was circulated about him, his fans still proved to be loyal. Fans remained loyal to him during his darkest hour when he was accused of child sexual abuse in 1993. Even though he was found innocent on June 13, 2005, some fans that once loved him and thought he could do no wrong , chose to fill their hearts and minds with hate and disgust towards the King of Pop. By no means am I questioning the right or wrong of it. I realize and respect that everyone has a right to their own personal feelings. It’s those bad, unhealthy feelings that can get scaled out of proportion that can have a negative affect on a positive cause. If you would take the time to think of all the disrespectful names Michael was called, do we want those names associated with vitiligo? When we look back on the individuals that once lived and now have diseases or procedures name after them , for example: Dr. Joseph Lister, Dr. Henry Heimlich, Dr. Burrill B. Crohn, Dr. Richard Bright, Dr. George Huntington, Dr ,Alois Alzheimer, Dr. Thomas Hodgkin , Dr. James Parkinson, and one famous baseball player Lou Gehrig , were all well respected. No one mocked or made fun of the disease that was associated with their name. Can we be sure this will be the case with Michael? If vitiligo is renamed MJ syndrome or condition, will it be respected like the others?

Name Association?
We are known by the things we associate our name through. This is not as much the case with Michael Jackson. He was well known before any talk about vitiligo ever was discussed at this high rate. Sadly, this will be the one area we will never know the exact answer to. Have any of us actually sat down and think about how Michael really felt about his skin condition and having his name associated with it? Some may choose to argue the point he didn't because he done nothing to help educate and promote awareness when he was alive. Others may feel yes he would want his name associated with it but chose not to do so personally because how he felt the media might portray the condition.
Maybe he chose to remain quiet believing the media might use him as someone not satisfied with his race and sought other means to change it. He may have reasoned with his self saying before I bring a negative light already on a very sensitive and heartbreaking condition with no cure for it at this time, I will remain silent. Who can surely answer with a positive yes or no
and risk not being incorrect?
In this article I have highlighted the good along with the bad. Regardless of the name, if you believe Michael had it or not, the skin condition remains the same. If your an african-american or any other ethnic background with medium to dark skin, it strips away that layer of your racial identity. But you still who you are inside. Michael did what he felt he had to do regardless how any of us may feel about it.
R.I.P. Michael Jackson.

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