As everyone knows, George Zimmerman was found not guilty. His controversial case has brought up a number of issues within the United States. In recent days, however, a new one has surfaced before my eyes and it doesn’t have anything to do with race. It does have everything to do with who we are as Americans.
A fundamental problem that has become the norm in America is our obsession with the spotlight. We know from celebrities like Charlie Sheen, Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears, and most recently Amanda Bynes, that they are a spectacle and their meltdowns are just slow moving car-wrecks for our entertainment. But what happens when an event captivates a nation? Well that’s where George Zimmerman comes into play.
The Zimmerman trial was highly publicized and dissected by the media. I will venture out to say that on each side of the argument, the debate was highly skewed and coverage was twisted to say the least. Zimmerman was found not guilty and has since been trying to lead a quiet life as he now deserves.
The issue that arose was immediately after his trial ended and the public discontent pacified slightly, the jury began to speak. By jury I specifically mean juror B-37. B-37 represents the problem with our media and our national psyche. We are obsessed with fame, and B-37 wants her fame. I can’t say I was surprised when she came out and began speaking about the trial after it was over. It was an easy thing to do. It’s an easy book deal, an easy TV movie to sell.
What should be focused on instead is George Zimmerman himself, but only briefly. Zimmerman has returned home. He has been quiet. He is no longer patrolling the neighborhood. The only thing he has done as of late was help pull a family out of an overturned car. Good for him. He didn’t seek out his 15 minutes of fame, or the easy book deal, or even the easy TV movie. Take a lesson from him America. Put down the remote control and the tabloids and wake up.
GOOD BUSINESS 