JonBenet and the Media Media Spin

When JonBenet Ramsey was murdered, the whole nation went into a tizzy. Many talking heads excoriated Patsy Ramsey for turning her daughter into a little showpiece (and the JonBenet pageant videos did leave us looking askance). Others accused the police of incompetence, demanding the immediate arrest, conviction, and execution of both of JonBenet's parents.

The big problem I had with the whole case wasn't with the handling, but rather with the presentation. The JonBenet case became a national shocker, because she was a sweet, compliant, and above all cute little girl. If the victim had instead been an adolescent genius on the verge of schizophrenia, would the mass media have been all over the case? Not bloody likely. Children die every day, and the news producers barely gives them a passing glance.

Unless a pro-Hiz'b'allah propagandist calls their attention to it. Then we get to see the corpses, from several angles, posed like vases at an auction.

Bastards.

Posted on Aug 17, 2006 at 11:34:20 AM EDT.

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1

massachusetts republican
Aug 18, 2006 at 12:33:11 AM EDT

I try so hard to avoid watching media circuses. I was (thank GOD)in Korea (s) at the time of the whole OJ thing. To me news of a tragic death isnt entertainment. To make it so is almost as evil as the act.Its like selling tikets to a car crash. I agree with you!

2

Jenny
Aug 25, 2006 at 11:02:41 PM EDT

So, I'm not sure if you've heard about this, but in Detroit about three or so weeks ago, a little girl was abducted from her yard. Several days later, police found the burned body of a child (near the airport, I believe). About a week later, DNA confirmed the obvious. National news coverage? No. Why? She was black.

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