MEDIA LYNCH MOBS - DOMINIQUE STRAUSS KAHN AND CASEY ANTHONY

The lynch mobs that spring up to salivate and knot the noose whenever there is trial of a salacious or shocking nature not only include but are led by the media.  Rather than follow a story to its natural closure they instead whip the public into a frenzy and attempt to manipulate the story into whatever direction produces the most garish headlines and consequently advertising revenue.

Case in point is Dominique Strauss Kahn a man who has been publicly labeled as a serial rapist and sexual harasser.  All of which may be true.  If you asked me a month ago about the case against Strauss Kahn, I would have said he was a Grade A scumbag and most assuredly guilty.

The scumbag part is most likely still true but it is not necessarily mutually contradictory that he indulges in inappropriate behavior with women but is not guilty of the charge that he raped a maid in the hotel in which he was staying.

While the media lynch mob had already tarred and feathered Strauss Kahn, justice took his course and his accuser was also investigated.  The end result was the discovery that she was a.) Some sort of drug money launderer holding large sums of cash in multiple bank accounts for a boyfriend in prison who is a convicted drug dealer b.) Had lied about being raped on her immigration asylum application c.) Had also lied about other issues – how many children she had, her phones etc.

While none of those directly contradict her claim of being raped, what’s more troubling is that a.) She was also caught on tape seeming to relish that fact Strauss Kahn had a lot of money and implying blackmailing him b.) She has also been accused of being a prostitute while working as a maid at the hotel.

I no longer believe that Strauss Kahn is guilty of rape.  I believe it was more likely a paid for sexual encounter followed by a blackmail attempt gone wrong.  Again, this doesn’t excuse any other predatory male behavior Strauss Kahn may or may not have engaged in before.

The news media almost always gets it wrong in the days immediately following a newsworthy event not just in this case but from the Lindbergh Baby kidnapping to the trial of the Rosenbergs to the Kennedy Assassination to even more recent pop culture phenomenon such as the death of Phoebe Prince. The original story turns out not to be true at all.  Rather it’s the story that sells papers.

Now after a relentless call for blood spanning the whole trial, a jury has remembered its original function and decided that due to reasonable doubt (and the prosecution not proving its case) Casey Anthony is not guilty of the more serious charges leveled against her.  This is the right decision IMO based on what evidence was presented.

We are already hearing the howling of media vultures(I know vultures don’t howl but wolves seems too complimentary a term for them maybe hyenas would be better?)….