Kitty Genovese and the Conservative Media

Who was Susan Catharine "Kitty" Genovese?

A victim who was brutally murdered over a long period of time. Neighbors heard her cries, but did not contact police.

They didn't want to get involved.

The case became notorious, especially for the syndrome which took the victim's name -- the "Genovese Syndrome," or "The Bystander Effect."

Put shortly: It is very easy to decide "this isn't any of my trouble" and permit vicious behavior.

Easy. Perhaps understandable.

But hardly ethical. And certainly not heroic.

Who wants to get involved? Easier, and surely safer, just to duck one's head and hide, and hope the danger visits someone else.

Perhaps the alligator will prefer to eat someone else first. Perhaps his belly will be full.

And why should you stick your neck out?

Hey, it's not like the Conservative Media is supposed to cast a spotlight on injustice, stick up for the common man abused by bullies, or fight leftist outrages.

It's not as if we're supposed to fight the fights that others shy away from, right?

We're all just supposed to sit back and let the traffic money roll in.

Right?

It's easier that way. A few victims here and there aren't our concern. We've got bigger things to worry about. We've got to keep focused on The Big Things, which just happen to be, felicitously enough, the things that won't draw any heat.

There are a lot of smaller bloggers who've heroically covered this. And one big blogger. And another big blogger is very interested (and I imagine that blogger will post soon; I just don't want to commit this blogger to anything).

I will note them later. Right now, I'm just disgusted. Disgusted at my allies, disgusted at myself.

Cowards die a thousand deaths.

I already died 40 cowards' deaths this past week. That's enough for me. I will die no more of them.

Am I to understand only the smallest, least-well-financed bloggers are going to be covering this? While large media franchises with lawyers on retainer all decide "we'd rather let tiny one-man blogs take the lead on this?"

Does that make sense?

If that's the case, maybe we could do with fewer large media franchises. Perhaps we need more of the little guys, who actually cover important, outrageous newsworthy stories.

Oh: And hit Stace McCain's tip jar.

posted by Ace at 08:09 PM

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