The Beatification of Victims
Posted: Wednesday, November 17, 2010
by Terry Mitchell
http://commenterry.blogs.com
Is Elizabeth Smart on the verge of achieving sainthood? Maybe not, but one might be led to believe such a thing by the way in which the media is covering the trial of her kidnapper right now. In addition, one might suppose that people like Natalee Holloway, Nicole Brown Simpson, Ronald Goldman, Laci Peterson, et al. were necessarily the cream of the crop, the way certain TV commentators have carried on about them. However, this is a fairly common occurrence in our society.
In our pursuit of justice and in our rush to memorialize the dead or console a survivor, we often forget that victims were/are human too, with flaws just like the rest of us. Jesus was only perfect human, but He was only able to accomplish this feat because He was also God. Otherwise, there has never been a perfect person. There are none now, and there never will be regardless of how any of them ever become victimized.
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Top-level comments on this article: (3 total)I think it must be absolutely ghastly for victims of crimes to have to deal with anything that comes at them from the media. I saw a news clip of a couple released from captivity by pirates, and they actually refused to talk to the press. I was so impressed.Jennifer, I wish more people would follow their example.
I think to have to blame this on the media, who will do anything to make a great story and sell and newspaper.David, that's exactly who I am a blaming.
I agree, something terrible happens and selfish people wallow in the attention and lap it up like milk. The victims are made out to be something they're not to the point of having out-right lies told about them, just for media coverage. The media does deserve some of the blame, but most of the blame falls on people who lap the attention up from the media and condone what the media does. As long as people encourage the media to do it, they'll do it. There's so many people who use the media and by doing so make the media worse that it's going to be a long time, assuming it will ever end, for the media to stop playing up tragic events and the victims of them.
Excellent article, very nicely written.Sydney, I'm glad you liked the article. You make some excellent points yourself. Unforturnately, victimhood has a become a profitable industry. And that's a sad commetary on our culture.
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