Like many others to follow, this post will offend some, humor others, be valuable and be ignored. Do with it what you will.
The national fixation with Caylee Anthony, as judged by recent and constant coverage on major news shows, is sickening. Just like the prior obsession with Natalee Halloway, who's mother is now the main subject of an upcoming film. Apparently the American public is so starved for terribly sad stories of missing young women that we are importing such stories from Britain.
Callous? Yes. Totally insenstive? Yes. On point? Yes.
These events are surely tragic and awful, not to be wished on any family. That is not up for debate.
The problem fixating on these events creates is removing public focus from much larger issues of much greater import that should be on the news. We ignore them at our own peril.
Consider these 3 tragedies in context of the following short list:
- An ongoing all-out war on our southern border has claimed more deaths than the Iraq War. Superbly covered by the Los Angeles Times. 12 beheadings yesterday.
- Bernard Madoff scandal costs investors $50 billion, or 3 times the size of the federal bailout of the domestic auto industry. Madoff is former chairman of the NASDAQ. What does this say about our stock markets?
- New Orleans remains basically a third world city in our own backyard.
Other posts will be more cheery. I promise.
"It takes a great man to be a good listener." - President Calvin Coolidge
