Journalism in the 21st Century

I'll admit that I've been fascinated by the progeny of Prince William and the Duchess, Kate Middleton, but now that he's born and we know the name, enough. In Syria, an estimated 6,000 children had died as of June, according to the UK's Guardian newspaper. Who knows the real number or how dramatically that number has grown; and the figure obviously swells when one adds their parents and other adults. I realize that since the world is full of heartache, it's uplifting to focus on the future King (unless he abdicates), but neither should we ignore the pressing humanitarian issues plaguing the world today. Ditto the impact of climate change on the very children we are trying to protect. And while the so-called royal baby doesn't deserve the hype, most certainly Anthony Weiner et al (somebody Leather) doesn't either. As journalists, let's focus on what matters. It was painful to see Wolf Blitzer interview Miss Leather on his CNN program last night. ...

This isn't the first time I've felt this way. On Oct. 3, 1995, OJ Simpson was found "not guilty" by a jury of his peers in Los Angeles. I was craning my head around an open window to watch the one television at work in nearby Burbank. There in LA, the trial was not only sensational but it was hard to think of much else during it. I feel similarly today, when an unjust verdict was decided in the George Zimmerman trial. While I respect the jury -- a phrase that's becoming pat to say -- I don't respect a system that allows a defense to hire better lawyers, or draw ineffective witnesses for the prosecution. While we all sympathize with poor Rachel Jeantel , it's fair to say she didn't do her dead friend many favors. Throughout her testimony, I wanted to hug her and say, "It's all right; just tell the truth." But in the U.S. justice system, as with many the world over, truth is subordinate to clever lawyering, polished witnesses and a l...