It is with reluctance (well, not really) that we're refraining from the O.J. Simpson feeding frenzy. Oh, you'll find some of the stories in our paper, just not prominently. We can't ignore something entirely that's happening in Nevada.
But we're thinking people can get their O.J. fill from the approximately 1 million TV outlets, radio stations and Web sites that are playing this like the start of World War III. Even though we hear that Simpson may spend decades in prison, it's hard for us avoid the feeling that this story has already been told and its outcome is predetermined. Let's see, thinking back to his first trial, the lesson was that if you've got fame and money, you can get away with nearly anything no matter how much evidence there is. It was a trial that turned the dial way up on a nation's skepticism over its judicial system and on its mindless celebrity obsession.
And, who knows, if we focus on stories that really have an effect on our readers rather than the O.J. thing, maybe they'll decide to relocate the trial here in their quest to find a non-biased jury. Imagine the revenue that would pour into our city. It would dwarf Hillary's and Barack's visits to the capital city. And some savvy entrepreneur would surely harness the atomic-strength power of celebrity it would bring to our quiet town ... an O.J.-themed casino and museum would surely follow.
Now if only the TV stations would cooperate with our low-key approach ... what are the odds?