December 15, 2004
I have several thoughts on the Scott Peterson conviction and death sentence.
If ever there was a case of "just deserts," this is it.
With malice aforethought and with premeditation, Peterson killed his wife and baby - not fetus, baby...Laci wanted the child and the boy was fully developed.
He did this while having an affair with a woman named Amber Fry. Peterson told Fry he was single.
This trial received massive coverage, especially on cable TV.
One reason is that it played into the theme of much television today - predatory, lying and cheating male, woman as victim.
If you look at a lot of TV - which I don't - this is all you see.
Men are ugly and stupid, or men are adulterers and abusers.
Women are beautiful, smart and talented and don't deserve to be treated this way.
Think I'm overstating things?
Watch Lifetime or Oxygen or most of prime time programming on the broadcast networks.
Do you think the coverage would have been as extensive if the victim was a man or the killer a woman?
What about if they were black?
This case played into the media's hands.
I'm glad it's over; now on to the next tabloid story.
There are plenty more.
I'm Cal Thomas in Washington.
Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist based in Washington, D.C. Watch his television show, After Hours with Cal Thomas, on the Fox News Channel, Saturdays at 11 p.m. Eastern Time.
