Learning by Example

Im really amazed at how people new to the fan community have come to have such influence and people lap up their every word, while those who have been active for many years and have alot of experience are ignored, ridiculed and their stories and photos are made out to be lies!

How did this happen? Where is the respect for those who had the courage and self confidence to make their support of Michael public, to be the ones who represented the wider fan community and the ones who made Michael smile and know that no matter what , the fans still cared for him?

I grew up in a world with no internet, no mobile phones. All I had were newspapers, magazines and what I could tape from the tv. I was not part of any fan club, I didnt know any other people like me. For over 15 years I kept my love of Michael private. During those years, I watched in wonder and amazement all the fan footage and documentries of the Bad and Dangerous tours. Over and over I watched the fans outside Michaels hotels, at the barriers. My dream was to be one of them, to know what it felt like to be outside a building that Michael was in. Back then, I thought it was impossible. How could a lonely child like me, with no friends, from a poor area of Dublin, whos family didnt understand modern pop culture even get to see Michael in concert , let alone be part of the groups of fans at the hotels?

All I had was this deep burning need inside me. Somehow year after year I kept dreaming, kept wishing. Finally in 1997, after being a fan since Thriller era, I made it to the Dublin History concert. I was on my own, soo soo scared. I was 21 yet, I was a young 21. I had no clue what I was doing, yet somehow I made it to the queue as early as I could. When I got there, my heart was in my mouth. All round me were faces I recognised from the fan documentries. Suddenly I was part of the world I had wished for. I began talking to the fans around me. I never felt jealous when hearing their stories. Instead they gave me hope and confidence. If they could do it , so could I.

Talking to those fans in the queue, gave me the push I needed. When I got home that night, it was like a new me awakening. I decided to write to MJNI, whos address I had seen in Adrian Grants book , The Visual Documentry.

In the beginning, when I was just starting out, I loved hearing the fans stories. I never felt bitterness or jelously, I never made fun of them. It felt like by hearing their stories, I was able to connect with Michael in a way I never felt possible. When I heard stories from fans who had travelled around Europe in the summer of 1997 for the History tour, I felt privileged and honoured that I was sharing in something so special. When they showed my their photos, I never once doubted they were real.

Hearing the stories from the more experienced fans, I learnt soo much. They were my mentors, taking me under their wing, passing on their experience and knowledge to the new crop of fans like me, who were just starting out on this magical adventure.

As the years passed, and I became more experienced, I started doing the same. As those who had helped me when I was started out had done, I began helping the new crop of fans. I began taking people under my wing, sharing my stories and experiences, teaching the new crop , like I had been taught.

Thats why I cant understand the mentality of the fans new to the fan community since June 09. All they do is ridicule, pour scorn over and pass on mis information. How will the next generation, the babies born since June 09 learn about Michael, if those who met him, were close to him, experienced things first hand are pushed out of the fan community? Soon all the fan stories will be lost, the magic of Michael will fade and all that will be left are the bitter and jealous rantings of those who have no clue who the real Michael was and what he stood for.

My views on Taaj Malik

Over the last few months she has shown herself to be a person who has total disrepect for long term members of the fan community. She does not do proper research and spreads false and misleading information. When fan research from 2008 posted on a forum was made public and shown to her she called it bulshit! Fans new to the fan community hang on her every word cos she is in LA, goes to court and knows members of the Jackson family. She refuses to listen to advice from experienced fans and causes nothing but conflict and drama. I am not anyones "fan" or "supporter" , I am a fan of Michael and I support ONLY Michael. After having TAAJ on my facbook and twitter for the last year, as well as meeting her in LA,I have seen that she enjoys the attention of being a so called "fan group leader". All the drama and conflict surrounding her is damaging the worldwide fan community. Due to the actions of Cali fans, not just Taaj, but TOMJFSC aswell the UK fans are having problems with the Police in London. They have heard about the Restraining Orders, the graffetti at Neverland and Forest Lawn, the arguing outside court and as a result are reluctant to have ANYTHING to do with MJ FANS!!

Now Taaj is trying to latch on to MJVIBE!

MJVIBE is NOTHING to do with Taaj. It is a UK based website, created and run by UK fans, who are the organisation team behind the London Justice for Michael demos, MJJSTREET forum and on TWITTER @1direction4MJ and @Mjvibe.

My fan History

SOOOO people are wondering about me, well have a look at all this.

I first joined MJNI in 1998, and travelled with them to see Michael in Munich for the MJ and Friends concert. Then in May 2000 I went to Monaco for the World Music Awards and then 2 weeks after that to London, for The Elizabeth Taylor Tribute in The Royal Albert Hall. In 2001 I went to New York in February for The Heal The Kids Speech in Carnegie Hall, London in March for Adrian Grants MJ DAY 10, and Oxford Union Speech, New York in September for the MSG concerts and New York in November for the Invincible cd signing. In June 2002 I went to London for Exeter Football grounds, Sony Demo and MJNI's Killer Thriller fan party. In November 2002 I went to Berlin for The Bambi Awards. In January 2004 I went to Santa Maria. In March/April 2005 I went to Santa Maria. In November 2006 I was in London for the World Music Awards. In March 2007 I was at The Carlton Towers Hotel. In march 2009 I was at The Press Conference and outside the hotel.

Online I first joined MJIFC chat in 1998/1999 where my name was D33. I was also a member of MJNI messgeboard, when it was red and then blue. Other fansite from that time I used to read were PLANET JACKSON, ANGEL and MJWN and the original KOP board when it was ezboard and run by MJSBUNNY, also SONYS site mj.com, when it was BOTDF theme, then INVINCIBLE theme and had a chatroom and KINGOFPOP FANATICS run by Donna Green and MJFANCLUB.NET run by Deborah Dannelly. During the trial, it was MJNO, MJJFORUM ,MJEUROPE and KOPBOARD. When MJNO closed in 2008, MJJCOMMUNITY, MAXIMUM JACKSON and MJJBOARD.

Thats me in the top corner of the photo, holding the camera, photo taken outside Benhani's Restaurant, Kings Road London, 14 November 2006, The night before The World Music Awards

^^^^^^ My profile information from KOPBOARD Join Date January 2005

My profile information from MJJCOMMUNITY Join Date September 2003

Camp Michael Jackson (British TV Documentry made in March/ April 2005 , about the fans in Santa Maria

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwGQ3ASQ9Ck

At 3.57, thats me, dressed in white , wearing a fedora, with a green flag (Irish Flag) wrapped around me, taking a photo of the roses.
Thats me again at 4.21 and at 6.31 to 6.53 thats my reaction to the inviation into Neverland

Michael Shopping in Berlin November 2002

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ID0zx83H1Y0

Thats me at 2.28 at the bottom of the screen taking the photo, and thats me at 3.11 running down the UP escalator

This is just what I had saved, Im sure I could find alot more if I spent longer looking!

Dear Bonnie Cox

It has come to my attention that you continuely spread FALSE information regarding certain photos of Michael with fans. Now while I have never met or had any interaction with Sam DG, I have met and travelled to see Michael with the OTHER fans who had photos taken the same day as Sam DG. I knew those fans LONG before TINI, LONG before they were called follower fans. Those photos are 100% REAL, why is it soo hard to believe that fans met with Michael on a regualr basis, for over 10 years. Just cos YOU didnt know about them, dosnt mean shit. Those fans NEVER put their stories or photos online, only those who knew them in real life heard their stories, saw their photos, they were discreet and extremely private about their times with Michael,so so much happened in real life that NEVER made it online, fans meeting Michael all over the world, you really have no clue!

Let me tell you some home truths Ms Cox

These fans were the fans that Michael trusted. These fans were the LAST fans Michael had contact with. These fans are the ones Michael invited into his home. These fans are the ones who sat in the courtroom in Santa Maria day after day. These fans are the fans who organised SONY DEMOS in London and New York which Michael attended. These fans are the fans who are in the crowd footage of the Madison Square Concerts in New York in 2001. These fans are the fans who are in the crowd footage of the History tour in 1996 1997. Some of these fans are in the crowd footage of Dangerous Tour in 1992!

THESE FANS ARE JUST THE HIGH PROFILE ONES, there are many many more around the world who did the same as them, travelled country to country to see Michael, support him in his darkest times, when the world turned against him.

There are hundreds of fans who have photos with Michael, why do you continuley say that Sam DGs photos are photoshopped?? Why is is soo hard to believe that they met him??

Like hundreds of fans, I have been a member of the Michael Jackson fan community BEFORE the internet became mainstream. The other fans who were with Sam DG that day are well known faces in the fan community. One of them used to be the American Correspondant for British Fanclub Michael Jackson News International until around 2002, writing for their fan magazine KING. Two of the other fans are from Europe and are two of the most recognised faces in the real life fan community.

The photos which you take great delight in spreading FALSE info about, were posted on forums the day after they were taken. Those of who knew the fans in the photos in real life never for one second doubted that they were genuine. Everyone knows that these fans ALWAYS get close to and meet Michael!

Since History era, there have been around 100 to 200 European fans who travelled on a regular basis to see Michael. Most fans like myself, travelled to see Michael once or twice a year. We would go to see Michael when he made a public appearance for an award show or event. Every time Michael did something, it was always the same people outside hotels, year after year and we all knew each other. We are the fans you see in the crowd shots of The World Music Awards in London 2006, we are the fans you hear shouting " fcuk the press, Michael is the best" in Germany on the Bashir documentry, we are the fans who you see in the documentries CAMP MICHAEL JACKSON and THE TRIALS OF MICHAEL JACKSON.

People like you, new to the fan community who spread FALSE information are just eaten up with jealousy that WE did what you couldnt be bothered to do and now its too late.

Whatever your opinion about Sam DG and her behaviour online, the fact remains, HER PHOTO IS REAL, SHE MET MICHAEL AND WAS ONE OF THE LAST FANS TO HAVE CONTACT WITH HIM.