August 30, 2006
Colorado authorities have decided not to charge Jonathan Karr with the murder of JonBenet Ramsay because his DNA did not match that found on the child’s clothing. No surprise there. This guy is a certified weirdo who had already selected someone to play him in the movie of his life and reportedly wants a sex change.
Here is why this story has endured so long. The media love pedophile stories. They can replay video of the child dressed and made-up as an adult and claim they are just covering the news. In fact, they are catering to the prurient interests of a large segment of the public, which apparently gets their kicks out of this stuff.
And it’s not just dead little girls dressed up as baby doll women. Too much of the media – especially cable television – spends too much time on missing women, abused women and weepy women. The emphasis is on emotion and feelings, not substantive things which touch most of our lives. In doing this, the media are more reflecting our sick culture than informing. And by behaving in this way, they are shirking their fundamental responsibilities.
Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist based in Washington, D.C.
