|
January 15, 2008
Posted: 09:45 AM ET
NEW YORK — Before you start throwing peanuts at your screen, let me tell you why I, for one, am NOT sick of O.J. Simpson.
Ashleigh Banfield
Sure, he makes for good ratings. Sure, there’s an element of Schadenfreude that’s associated with him. But every move he makes delivers one more ounce of justice to the people who have suffered the most by his actions. For the last 13 years, the families of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson have lived with pictures of a carefree O.J. Simpson golfing his way around America, while hundreds of thousands of people applaud him, pay for autographs, and buy into his innocence. Thanks to one of the worst examples of American jurisprudence in history, Simpson was found not guilty of murder. But with every miss-step caught by the press, with every chapter penned about How He Would Have Done It Had He Actually Done It, with every sordid character he befriends, and with every snub to the bail system, public support for OJ Simpson has been hemorrhaging. Back in October of 1995, a survey reported in the NY Times showed just 12 percent of black people said they believed Simpson was guilty of murder. Fast forward to this past September, post book deal and post arrest. The Washington Post conducted a poll showing that disdain for O.J, Simpson had ballooned within the black community A whopping 45 percent of black respondents now said they believe OJ was guilty of murder. Is hindsight 20/20? Or has the spotlight on a reckless criminal revealed his lack of contrition, his propensity for violence, and his sordid lifestyle? Thanks to relentless coverage of Simpson’s travails, a window has been provided into this man’s true soul. You might call it a little clarity for those who were once blinded by his Heisman. – Ashleigh Banfield, In Session anchor Filed under: Ashleigh Banfield O.J. Simpson |
Contributors
Related Links
Categories
|
|
CNN Comment Policy: CNN encourages you to add a comment to this discussion. You may not post any unlawful, threatening, libelous, defamatory, obscene, pornographic or other material that would violate the law. Please note that CNN makes reasonable efforts to review all comments prior to posting and CNN may edit comments for clarity or to keep out questionable or off-topic material. All comments should be relevant to the post and remain respectful of other authors and commenters. By submitting your comment, you hereby give CNN the right, but not the obligation, to post, air, edit, exhibit, telecast, cablecast, webcast, re-use, publish, reproduce, use, license, print, distribute or otherwise use your comment(s) and accompanying personal identifying information via all forms of media now known or hereafter devised, worldwide, in perpetuity. CNN Privacy Statement.
|
|