Disillusioned With Michael Jackson

Re: “Jackson Will Re-Record ‘Care’ Lyrics (Calendar, June 23):

For my whole life (even though I haven’t lived that long) I always wanted to be like Michael Jackson. I memorized his dances and his songs. I dressed up like him, and I bought all of his albums the day they came out. I defended him to my parents, sister and friends when he was accused of molestation.

But this past weekend, when “HIStory” came out and I went to the store to first pre-listen and buy the new album, I was shocked when I heard the lyrics to “They Don’t Care About Us.” It was basically just bashing the Jewish community. A lot of people will say, “Well, at least he’s changing the lyrics,” but in reality the damage has been done. His album is out with 2 million copies that are not going to be recalled. That is equal to 2 million people who will listen to this album, along with all of their friends. As a Jewish youth, I found this song degrading and extremely anti-Semitic.

In my lifetime I have seen both synagogues that I have belonged to desecrated with swastikas and other hate symbols.

I don’t understand how somebody who has just spent so much time clearing his name would do something so prejudiced and not realize all the people he will reach and influence, people who do not know any better but to hate. I don’t know what his reasons were for doing this. And as such a big influence on the world, he should have known how this would hurt so many loving fans.

I think this will change the way people view Michael Jackson forever. So I am asking anyone who reads this letter, who has already bought his tape, to return it and ask for the new version. And I think that the stores that carry the current tape should take it off their shelves and wait for the new album.

MATT ELLMAN

Age 13

El Cajon

Michael Jackson’s anti-Semitic lyrics have generated enormous publicity for his new record and Sony. Now he’s reissuing a new version of “HIStory” without the inexcusable words, which creates not only more publicity but also makes an instant collector’s item of the 2 million copies of the original version. All of this, of course, translates into huge profits.

The emperor might be wearing a lot of makeup and shiny gold shinguards and espousing love, art and purity, but it looks like naked greed to me.

BARBARA ABERCROMBIE

Hermosa Beach