Jul 6, 2011

Step away from your television...

The Casey Anthony trial is over. The verdict is in, and whether you agree with it or not, it cannot and will not be changed. We will probably never know how or why Caylee Marie Anthony died, and that's probably the saddest part of all this.

But why is all the hating going on? After the verdict was read yesterday, I had to turn TV and my computer off. Reading comments on FaceBook and Twitter, hearing the media's reactions on the television -- full of hatred for anyone and everyone connected to the trial.(Except Judge Perry. We all heart Judge Perry.) I saw death threats, death wishes, revenge statements -- from people who had no connection to the trial, other than watching it on TV or the Internet.

Now the Circus begins ("Let the Royal Rumpus start!"). The media folks will never admit they might actually have been wrong in their criticism of the Defense Attorneys, or in their very early statements that the only possible verdict was "guilty". Instead, there will be attorneys as guests, jury members as guests, and eventually, Casey Anthony herself will do the talk circuit. Books will be written. Movies will be made. I guarantee that next week's magazine covers will be either Juan Baez, Casey Anthony, Caylee Anthony or all of the above. Millions of dollars will be spent by sponsors of commercials/advertisements to get in on the trial aftermath craze. Photos will be sold, footage will be sold, people connected with the trial will be stalked by the paparazzi and why? Because it makes MONEY. Because it increases RATINGS. And because they are planning on YOU watching and/or buying it.

Yesterday's crazy knee-jerk reaction to the verdict (in addition to all the hate comments), was "Turn your porch light on for Caylee". I saw post after post, comment after comment, telling me to turn my porch light on. Why? What good does that do? What will that change?

But here's a thought... DON'T FALL INTO THE MEDIA HYPE now that the trial is over! Don't turn on the TV shows, don't buy the magazines, don't buy the books, don't go to or watch the movies and specials that will be made ad naseum. Don't respond with comments on FaceBook and Twitter. Don't spend one more minute of your life hating people you have no connection to, and who really don't care how you feel.

So I say, instead of "Turn your porch light on.." that we turn all the media hype OFF. Don't watch the Tot-Mominator and all the other trial-oriented talk show hosts who are going to try and convince you the verdict is wrong (because otherwise, they'd have to admit they are wrong -- and we know that's not going to happen) thus keeping your wrath (and ratings!) going. Don't watch the talk shows, don't watch the specials and the docu-dramas, don't buy the magazines or books, and don't buy a ticket to the movie.

Caylee Marie Anthony is dead. We can't change that. Casey Anthony was found Not Guilty. We can't change that. But what we CAN change is OUR reaction to it.

Step away from the television and the computer. Do something nice for a child today. Hold your own children and grandchildren close and be thankful  you have them in your life. Let the hatred and the vengence go... it serves no purpose. It will not bring Caylee back, and will only ripple out to those you truly love and care about.

It's time to move on.

5 comments:

Verna G said...

I did not follow this case as I don't watch much TV and I live far away in Canada. I did happen upon it in the last two days (it was hard to avoid) and I was amazed at people's reactions! Here at the local radio station they had a phone in this mornign asking people to comment on the case.
You make a great deal of sense and the best we can do is to ignore the hoopla and be kind to the children that we know. That is what will make a difference in the long run.

NanaDiana said...

Great post- I, too, am sick and tired of all the hype. And, although those of us on the "outside" might have thought her guilty those on the "inside" found her innocent based on what they saw, heard, felt. So non-guilty it is! You are right- let's move on because not one blasted thing we do will bring that precious child back! xo Diana

Simply Maye said...

Well said. Folks need to remember that there is a higher authority out there who knows EXACTLY what happened. Justice will be served - if not in this life, certainly in the next.

Na Na said...

You can get some of the people to agree some of the time but you can't get all the people to agree all of the time.

The media controls too much of our lives already.... why keep giving them with more control? I did not watch anything more than what was given on the evening news so I really had no opinion one way or the other about the tril and verdict.

I preferred to watch other things happening in congress while everyone was busy keeping up with the trial. It's when we are busy (occupied) that congress tends to sneak things past us.

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful, thoughtful, post. I'm so glad I'm able to comment on people's blogs again because I would've been really sad if I couldn't tell you how much I liked, and so agree with, this post.

I read somewhere that the opposite of love is not hate. It's indifference. I think that statement can be bent a little to apply here. We all, as mothers, know that we don't reward bad behavior with good OR bad. We ignore it. Because some kids will do anything for attention of any kind. These kids grow up and they continue to do things for attention.

Will Casey and her attorneys make big bucks on the death of this child? Yes, because Americans love the gorey details. It all comes down to the almighty dollar. But at the very end of it all, money means not one thing.

I will not be reading articles, books, etc. about this topic. I know more than I want to know and it hurts my heart.