Casey Anthony II

One point I wanted to make about Casey Anthony—a trial I didn’t follow, and gladly didn’t follow.

In this country, bad shit happens to children every single day. Beatings. Abductions. Kidnappings. Murders. Rapes. You name it, there are police blotters throughout the 50 states that tell the horrific stories of childhoods lost.

Yet for reasons we all know too well, the media only gets geared up when the kid is:

• White and cute.

Or the parents are:

• Rich and famous and/or powerful.

Seriously, it disgusts me—but it’s inarguable. How many times do these stories take place in the projects? In black/Hispanic neighborhoods? Never, ever, ever. Because the tabloid news media—and the people who follow the tabloid news media—don’t pay the poor any mind. Not when good things happen, not when bad things happen. Never.

Here’s a great post from Andrew Sullivan on this very topic.

7 thoughts on “Casey Anthony II”

  1. Amen.

    Was so tempted all day yesterday to update my FB status along the lines of- What is more upsetting- that Casey Anthony was found not guilty, or that there have been thousands of children that suffered the same fate THIS YEAR that get no TV coverage or outrage? Just because Nancy Grace and the rest of the media didn’t tell you to be upset about them, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be upset about them.

  2. Bill James’ new book (Popular Crime) has some interesting theories on the subject as well. One point: don’t blame the media. They’re just responding to the public’s interest. And the public isn’t interested unless the victims are rich/attractive.

  3. My thing has been with the reaction people have. The “I am so ANGRY! I am OUTRAGED! CURSE WORDS!”

    I’m sorry, it’s horrible, but WHY? As you pointed out, these horrible things and worse happen every day and all over the world. Verdicts come down every day, and injustice happens regularly. But THIS is the thing that drives you over the edge?

    I wrote a bit more here – – but this thing on the whole was just sad, and unfortunately not just for the tragedy that spawned it.

  4. I agree, it disgusts me. Not only because of the chosen subjects but more so because of the crime drama aspect of the segments and what seems to be a thinly veiled drive at entertainment for ratings or readers.

    What I have noticed locally, is more local news outlet same day coverage of abductions or other crime that includes brief interviews, suspect photos or drawings and tip line info, y’know, actually useful and timely information. That’s heartening, more so is that this type of coverage isn’t predominately in Newport Beach or Malibu but from the Commerce, Compton or Corona less-advantaged type areas.

  5. This sh*t has been happening for decades and will not cease until we the people decide to TUNE IT OUT. Stop watching Nancy Grace. Stop clicking on links to the stories. Stop commenting about it (like I am now).

    I can (sort of) see the appeal (for lack of a better word) when the accused/deceased is a celebrity. But my god people, get a friggin’ life and take care of your own rather than worrying about this drivel. Yes, it’s tragic, but it happens every day (which is actually the bigger story that never gets covered).

    And while I don’t believe in heaven or hell, if I am indeed wrong, may Casey A. have a room waiting for her below.

  6. Rusty Shackleford

    Casey Anthony is hot. I’m glad she’s not guilty cuz maybe she’ll make a porno or pose in Playboy to pay back all those expensive lawyers that got her off.

  7. As Dr. K mentioned, Bill James’s Popular Crime does an excellent job explaining why some crimes garner the public’s intention and others do not. James lays out a number of different elements. For this particular case, the elements that make this a sensation are: (1) innocent victim elements; (2) missing person story; and (3) tabloid elements regarding the mom’s behavior. The public’s interest in the Anthony Casey is no different than the attention of the public over a century ago in the Lizzie Borden case or in the 1910s in the Leo Frank case.

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