In Other News..

The World waited with bated breath for "THE VERDICT" yesterday at 2:15 ET. I'm guilty of clicking on CNN to watch the results unfold like so many other people. In moments the decision was revealed, gasps were heard around the world and FB was blowing up (I'm sure Twitter too, but I don't 'tweet" so I can't verify that). Comments of outrage were plastered on all news stations, social media networks and around water coolers. People were surprised and angry at the jury for " not doing their job", for "being lazy", for "not giving a shit {saw that one on FB}". Was I surprises at the outcome...not really. The case was stuffed full of circumstantial evidence that could put the smoking gun in hand, but there was nothing that proved the 'trigger' was pulled by the defendant. The jury deliberated and came out with the only decision they could come to. Does it mean they that she is innocent? No, it means they couldn't find her guilty without a reasonable doubt.  Was justice served? It was served the best it could be given the details of the case that were provided...but, for a little girl gone, it will never be served.

Alas, soon the horror of the case will become a fading memory and something else will take the media attention. We've seen it happen time and time again: OJ Simpson murder trial, Michael Jackson molestation case, The Oklahoma City Bombing....something always replaces these high-profile cases and the attention shifts to what's happening NOW. Sad...yes...but true.

Another truth...children are murdered in horrible ways every single day. Women have their lives snuffed out over not having dinner cooked. Men are murdered while taking their children on a walk. The elderly are abused and killed by their loved ones because they are 'too much' to care for...social security money, or because they are old. Our Troops are still dying....every single day. Where is their justice? Where are their stories? Where is the media attention for those silenced voices? Who stands for them? They are the forgotten ones when high-profile cases take center stage.

We, the Public, choose what we will sensationalize (teen pregnancy (Teen Mom), addiction (Celebrity Rehab), even getting your property repo'd....the score of the Super Bowl...the list of reality news/TV goes on and on), and then we (the Public) are'let down', disappointed and even angry with whatever outcome that is opposite of whatever we want or expect "should" happen. Then we go on to protest, post anger-fueled messages in social media outlets (for days on end), spend hours and hours talking about 'the outcome' until it consumes our only thoughts.

At the end of the day, the trial is over, the decision was pulled and everyone can go back to their lives. There's nothing we can do about it. Something new will come along in just a few hours and we will put the case behind us and move on.

Move along.

I'm saddened that someone killed a little girl and threw her out like garbage and the prosecution could not prove the guilt of the guilty. Under the circumstances, I'm glad that our judicial system works the way it's supposed to and that the jury was not swayed by public outcry and pressure to return a decision they could not 100% stand by. Just like me, I'm sure all 12 jurors felt in their guts that she was guilty, wanted her to be convicted, and tried to find a reason to convict her. They couldn't, not because they didn't want to, but because they couldn't. There is a thing called 'doubt'. It is moments of 'doubt' that go on to free truly innocent people...just as it's public pressure that convicts the innocent. 

I had fought internally about posting my thoughts on this situation, but my fingers took control and here you have it.

(taking my soapbox and walking away)