Love Through A Child's Heart Files

Who'z Bad?! Enough to Live a Life of Peace and Non-Violence?! 

Michael Jackson‘s 18-minute short film "BAD" hit the airways when I was seventeen in 1987. I can remember how empowered I felt by listening to the lyrics, We can change the world tomorrow. This could be a better place. If you don’t like what I’m sayin’, then won’t you slap my face…because I’m Bad, I’m Bad…You know it…You know!  

And when you watched the video, you felt as if Michael was giving you the courage to be yourself. You could be "BAD" even when standing up for what was right and good in the world.    

Michael describes the song best in his 1988 autobiography Moonwalk: "Bad" is a song about the street. It's about this kid from a bad neighborhood who gets to go away to a private school. He comes back to the old neighborhood when he's on a break from school and the kids from the neighborhood start giving him trouble. He sings, "I'm bad, you're bad, who's bad, who's the best?" He's saying when you're strong and good, then you're bad.

Michael was so wise beyond his years, he knew what it was like to come from humble beginnings and what it meant throughout his career to stand for what was right. 

CHOICES

You who are part of the younger generation of MJ fans, are now experiencing moments in your life when you have to make choices whether good or bad. Even as an adult, you must remember that the choices you make in the present will effect the rest of your future along with your children's. Now is the time to make healthy choices and educate yourself and others. 

It’s true: all of us come from a spectrum of colors, cultures and creeds. Yet we are all unique individuals with our own opinions and ideals that live in this same crayon box called Life. It is how we handle our thought processes and reactions that can make a positive or negative impact on others and the world around us. 

Here is how the program works: First and foremost, you make a pledge to live a life of peace and non-violence. Next, you can make a difference by taking part in the article discussions linked to this page. For example, our first topic is about cyberbullying. You may leave comments about the issue of cyberbulling, your stories or encouragement for others who may not have the courage to speak up, under the article for Cyberbullying. 

Periodically, We will add a new topic about certain issues that youth are faced with in today’s society. You may add comments to those articles. (Please keep all comments clean, friendly and encouraging to others. We want to build each other up by showing we care about one another. If you have any concerns or questions, please refer to our site terms of service and FAQs.)        

Below you will find our Who’z Bad?! Life of Peace Pledge. If you make the Pledge to Live a Life of Peace and Non-Violence you will receive a Who’z Bad?! badge on your Profile. You may also share your story about how you are making a difference, whether it is volunteering, helping your friends, the environment or animals. It is very important that you make the pledge by leaving a comment at the bottom of this article in the comment section to receive your badge; please include your dot number in your pledge comment.

Living a Life of Peace and Non-Violence 

To live a life of peace, we first must look inward and make a sincere change in our own hearts. Michael touched on this in his 2001 Oxford speech, “In a world filled with hate, we must still dare to hope. In a world filled with anger, we must still dare to comfort. In a world filled with despair, we must still dare to dream. And in a world filled with distrust, we must still dare to believe.” 

Who’z Bad?! enough to stand up and make the Pledge to Live a Life of Peace?

Who’z Bad? I’m Bad!

Making That Pledge to Live a Life of Peace 

• Learn ways to recycle
• Don’t pollute and pick up litter even if it is not my own
• Save energy by switching off the lights or the TV when not in use 
• Save water by using only what is needed
• Respect and care for the earth because it is my home

• Don’t be cruel to animals
• Don’t harm pets out of anger 
• Educate myself about animal cruelty
• Report animal cruelty to a responsible adult
• Respect and care for animals by being their voice
  

• Educate myself on how to prevent and challenge violence when I encounter it
• Find peaceful solutions to communicate in times of adversity to avoid hateful words, gossip or rumors
• Respect others by treating them the way I would wish to be treated
• Help my friends learn healthy ways to cope with everyday stress and issues they may be facing
• Listen, respect and care about another person's feelings even if I don’t agree 
• Stand with others who are treated unfairly
• Forgive others without holding grudges
• Learn safe ways to express anger (Remember: Anger is one letter short of Danger!)
• Don't harm others physically or emotionally out of anger, rage, jealously and envy
• Work to solve problems peacefully
• Live a life of honesty and integrity
• Be a positive role model for others (always look on the brighter side of life with a smile.)

When you have made the pledge, please leave a comment below to let us know, so we can assign a Who'z Bad?! badge to your profile. (NOTE: You must be logged in to your MJTP account to comment. Once logged in, copy the pledge info, go down to comments, paste the pledge info, fill in the date. Please list your dot number and username along with any other feedback if you'd like. Every single comment is being read by at least two of us working on this project. :) [Please Note *All "Who'z Bad?!" badges have been assigned as of August 1, 2012. This post is now closed.]

Finding Love Through A Child's Heart,

- Heather, Director of Children's Awareness

with Valerie, Director of Philanthropy 

Sources: 

"BAD," Michael Jackson, 1987, YouTube, Vevo

Moonwalk, Michael Jackson, 1988

To learn about Cyberbullying, click the link below:
Cyberbullying: You are Somebody, Not Some Bully!

Special thanks to the contributors of this project:

Michelle, Director of Development, initial idea for Who'z Bad?!

Anne-Sophie, Sophiane Design, Who'z Bad?! badge designer.

Valerie, Director of Philanthropy, for her inspiration, dedication, development and direction for this project.

© Heather Nutt, Valerie, 2011, 2012 Revised. All Rights Reserved. No Reproduction without Permission from Author(s). 

Follow us on