Cain Slaying Abel
The nation has been riveted to the Casey Anthony case this week and Dr. Gregory Jantz doesn't like it. I saw his column on the Huffington Post and found myself reacting aloud to the computer screen. Dr. Jantz says those of us watching the investigation into the disappearance of 2 1/2 year old Caylee and the trial of her mother, Casey, are like citizens of ancient Rome: bloodthirsty, detached and eager to thrust our thumbs down on the life of another human being. Jantz says we need to "take back our individual humanity."
As a writer of true crime books, my world is filled with victims of crime, defendants, and with the people Dr. Jantz would liken to bloodthirsty Romans, the readers. Let's do the first two first. The victims of the crimes in my books have hugged me, thanked me, brought me deep into their lives. Public attention, from my books and other media, has made them feel their suffering did not go unnoticed, that the world cares. Defendants have been flattered by the attention and grateful to have a voice which, as Americans, we never deny to anyone, especially when one's liberty is at stake. If there is any innocence still on the table for defendants, the bigger the audience, the more chance for new witnesses to come forward.
Now, as for the readers, Dr. Jantz claims they have become "removed from the terrible truth" of the death of a little child.
Nothing could be further from what I know as the real truth. The most basic function of humanity is life. Our earliest story, in the Western tradition, is the creation of life followed very quickly by the taking of life, when Cain slew Abel. Further East, the ancient story of Gilgamesh is deeply concerned with questions of life and death, civilization and assignment of responsibility.
Gilgamesh and Enkidu with Humbaba
I say when we tune into the Casey Anthony case, we are hearing the ancient cry of Abel and of Gilgamesh: death is fearsome, make this right, help us make a better civilization. We are Enkidu, the wild man, feeling the savage brambles of our lost barbarism scratch at our heels and threaten to drag us back in.
I can make a direct connection from Casey Anthony's case to this desire to push back our brutish tendencies and create civilization. Within hours of the young woman's acquittal on all charges relating to little Caylee's actual death--murder, manslaughter, child abuse--I saw internet petitions circulating asking to create a law making it a felony to fail to report the death of a child within one hour. By the time I saw it, it already had 50,000 signatures.
This, to me, is the real answer as to why people are following the Casey Anthony case. It is our deep desire as humans not to have murder in our midst. It is encoded in our collective mentality as a species, unfortunately termed "groupthink" by Dr. Jantz, to see to the survival of the next generation. Nothing could tap into our spiritual and genetic foundations more profoundly than the face of a sweet toddler, hideously cast into a swamp.
And that, I say, says something very good about us, it is the very opposite of making us sleazy "voyeurs."
I have many more thoughts on this topic and will post a companion essay shortly.
ADD--it has now been posted. Someone making you feel guilty about your interest in Casey Anthony or any other case? Try this answer.
Dr. Jantz is entitled to his opinion. It has been reviewed and summarily dismissed.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sounding off!
ReplyDeleteIf anything, viewers of the trial have gained a greater knowledge into the inner workings of the legal system. It's big, sometimes messy, but offers anyone the right to a fair trial. It's not like an hour long TV show where the authorities always get "their man." This is far from a crowd celebrating debauchery.
ReplyDeleteThe Internet petition is a good example of how people may not like a verdict but are taking a positive action to try to prevent similar deaths in the future. They are challenging the system.
Well said, Ken. I think many people are wishing the jurors had spent more time watching InSession (CourtTV) and less time watching the fictional CSI shows. Learn what court and forensics really are, don't require slick actors and special effects when you end up in a real jury box.
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting how Ms. Kimball approaches issues in such a neutral manner. She recognizes the importance of the press to inform, the individual’s right to have and verbalize an opinion, but also points out the value of our judicial system. Our government is a balanced system and one we should all be thankful for. Thank you for pointing this out and Dr. Jantz would be well served reading this blog posting.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Anon. I'm so glad you found us here.
ReplyDeleteHaving served on juries I watched with interest part of the Anthony trial when I had time. I did not know if she was guilty or not and wanted to let the evidence convince me. In the end the media is the culprit who distorts the evidence presented because they editorialize their reporting in such a way to make us think the accused party is guilty or innocent. I wholeheartedly agree with you when you say that we watch real cases like this because we want to make the world a better place. In all humans it is either a conscious or subconscious desire to give meaning to our short lives.
ReplyDelete"...[a] desire to give meaning to our short lives." I like that. Very good insight. Thanks for stopping by, southsideirish. I myself have never made it onto a jury. Been called many times, but I usually never make it out of the big room where they hand out the numbers. :)
ReplyDelete