The Back Alley Archives

Can someone explain to me why this trial is national news? I hear about it on my local news, on the Today show and CNN Headline News. I am sorry that the little girl is dead, and I hope her killer is fried. But I don't care about this story or the details of this trial. Not trying to be a jerk, I just don't think this type of stuff is national news.

Why do we as a nation always obsess about this kind of stuff? There are real issues that aren't being discussed because of media attention on this trial. I would refer to this as a Weapon of Mass Distraction.

Oh, and I would pay good money to get that twit Nancy Grace to shut her freaking pie hole!

Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

I started a thread on this four hours ago, with a far less helpful thread title. It's on national news because we're morbid, and we've always been morbid. A little outrage is good for the blood, I guess.

I didn't see your thread, Toothy. Sorry.

The sad thing is that when this case is over, we just move on to the next one.

No apology even remotely necessary.

Yeah, our news is so far from useful or enlightening. I turn on the TV almost never anymore. I watched three quarters of Game 5 in the finals and two of the three Triple Crown races. Otherwise, nothing since football ended.

Once again...I agree with slider on something. And I agree it is in our culture to just be fascinated with this stuff. This is why there are so many shows like Law and Order, CSI, etc. This is just a real life version of that stuff. I remember when I had jury duty a couple of months ago, they said that we would NOT be seeing any kind of trial like you see on TV. The only trial like that in the whole state in the past umpteen years is this Casey Anthony one.

That said...I am not all too interested in it either. And it is on 24/7 in Central Florida. I still can't get over the lines of people at 4 in the morning lined up to get in to see the trial. It is sad really....the state of humanity that is.

While I agree that the media circus is a little much, it's not too surprising that this trial is national news for a few simple reasons:

1. Casey's attractive.
2. She came up with outrageous stories to cover up her crime, going so far as to accuse a woman she didn't know of kidnapping the child.
3. After the girl "disappeared," Casey spent a month partying rather than mourning or "searching for the real killer," as OJ would say. That kind of callous indifference to the plight of her daughter who was claimed to have been kidnapped made it pretty clear that Casey wasn't telling the truth and gave the public a pretty good reason to hate her.
4. Casey's defense absolutely sucks balls. The incompetence of her attorney ought to be a fairly big story in itself.

But really, it's all about number 1.

See Allison, we are not that different. Glad we agree.

Doc, I think you are right about all of this.

The thing that really annoys me about this whole thing is that it takes away from real news that actually has an impact on their lives. And it's not just this case - OJ, Michael Jackson, etc. I really just want to slap some people for being morons when during the OJ trial it was published that more people knew who Judge Ito was than their own Congressman. And under the comment of Weapon of Mass Distraction, look at what happened when Michael Jackson died. There was a revolution situation in Iran when that asshole pipsqueak of a "president" stole that election. THe whole world was focused on that and the assahollas who run Iran could have been overthrown. Then MJ dies, and the whole media focus becomes Michael Jackson 24/7. I think we can all agree on which story was more important.

The media in this country is a fucking joke! They just move from one Weapon of Mass Distraction to another while avoiding anything like real news. Meanwhile, the Daily Show actually does better coverage on some of these stories than traditional media does, and that is sad too. The truly sad thing is that the media is also giving the people what they want to some extent. I wish I could just smack some sense into people to wake them up from their stupor. I can't watch Jaywalking for the same reason as I wonder how some of those people can walk and breathe at the same time.

Getting off of my soapbox now.

I would still contribute money to a fund to get Nancy Grace to STFU though.....

I hate it when a stupid local story ends up getting national attention. Seriously, any cute white girl goes missing or is found dead and it's a media frenzy. It's so sickening.

Similar reason why Weiners dong pics were a big story.

Don't even get me started on that. My guess is that the media will try to keep that story alive for at least another week, possible two. The idiot bobbleheads on the Sunday talk shows will waste a great deal of time on this too.

Well stop sugar coating it and tell us how you really feel.

I've been watching most of the trial. Other than Doc's point #1 - and I think that's just not a factor for me because I'm female - he nailed most of the reasons why I'm paying attention. Others:

- It's local. (Her ex-fiance was actually a friend of mine in high school.)
- I want to see Casey pay for what she did.

I'll admit, I didn't expect to watch this much of it. But the shock of her lies and the absolute incompetency of her attorney is what sucked me in.

[quote=g8rman95]Well stop sugar coating it and tell us how you really feel. [/QUOTE]

LOL! You know me - I am such a shy wall flower.... (eyeroll)

[quote=UFgirlfan07]I've been watching most of the trial. Other than Doc's point #1 - and I think that's just not a factor for me because I'm female - he nailed most of the reasons why I'm paying attention. Others:

- It's local. (Her ex-fiance was actually a friend of mine in high school.)
- I want to see Casey pay for what she did.

I'll admit, I didn't expect to watch this much of it. But the shock of her lies and the absolute incompetency of her attorney is what sucked me in.[/QUOTE]

That is kind of freaky when you know someone involved. And I agree with you - from what little I know, I thnk she is lying through her teeth.

In thinking about this some more, I guess I am a little bit more sensitive to things like this since I lived through the media circus that was The Gainesville Murders in 1990. That was enough for me.

[quote=TheTodd]Similar reason why Weiners dong pics were a big story.[/QUOTE]

Well number one on Doc's list didn't apply in this case. He is NOT attractive.

I will admit, I watched Dr. G's testimony. She was entertaining. And I watched the guy today that talked about bugs (reminded me of that guy on Bones). It really is the only trial in over a decade that is like watching an actual TV drama.

I remember the summer of 2001, when pretty much all we worried about in DC was Chandra Levy. Then September rolled around.

Summer fluff-n-fright news makes me think: someone's gonna drop the hammer on this.

How much longer until this damn thing is over? Yesterday on Headline News, the entire show was devoted to this stupid trial!

Slider, be happy you don't live in Central Florida. I have no sympathy for you. It is on every single local broadcast channel and the local cable news channel. Not just updates mind you...every single thing that happens in the courtroom is on air and THEN when there is recess or court is out of session, we get to listen to pundits go on and on and on about everything that was said.

Anyway, today is closing arguments and then we think the Jury will go out tomorrow and for who knows how long to deliberate. I honestly don't know how it is going to go. There is no definitive answer as to what happened, but the defense has done a really wacky job of defending their client. Whatever did happen there is ONE thing that is for sure...Casey and her parents are a crazy bunch of liars. I don't know how lying comes so easily to some people. It's practically impossible for me.

Yeah, I can't image the circus it is living there. My sympathies, truly.

I agree with you about them. And I will be very happy when this thing is over.

The sad thing is that something else will inevitably come along as another Weapon of Mass Distraction.

OK. Now can we all go back to our lives and hear news that actually makes a difference in our lives?????

Until the next trial of the century.

When will the next Weapon of Mass Distraction happen? And how long will the idiots in the media try to keep this one alive?

Half the people on my FB wall have commented on this. "facepalm"

And this shit is still on air. The news that was on in the Student Union this morning while I was eating breakfast was all Casey Anthony. The actual headline in big bold letters at the bottom of the screen said "Casey Anthony Arrives At Courtroom". Seriously? Who effing cares? I think it was CNN, and all they talked about the entire time I was watching was that trial. Isn't there real national and international news going on? Please get back to the real news that will affect my life.

[quote=G8RKyle]And this shit is still on air. The news that was on in the Student Union this morning while I was eating breakfast was all Casey Anthony. The actual headline in big bold letters at the bottom of the screen said "Casey Anthony Arrives At Courtroom". Seriously? Who effing cares? I think it was CNN, and all they talked about the entire time I was watching was that trial. Isn't there real national and international news going on? Please get back to the real news that will affect my life.[/QUOTE]

AMEN Brother! More importantly, isn't there news on that makes an actual difference in our daily lives?