Black in the Hot Seat Again

One year ago on mcfro.blogspot.com, I finally had enough of inferior sound on my new iMac computer, and hooked up my Bose 201 speakers for a superior listening experience.

There has been a number of things running through my head this week, here is a synopsis:

Conrad Black is being indicted on fraud charges by the United States Courts. He is currently residing in Canada, and may face deportation. What amazes me, is that he is still running free; and what annoys me further is the apparent hypocritic nature of the police system, one that behaves swiftly and harshly to bring down a petty thief that snatched some old ladies' purse, yet treats a crooked CEO, whom embezzled millions of dollars, like he were royalty. In the criminal system, the rich are treated differently than the poor.

Shouldn't the treatment of the criminal fit the crime they've committed? Shouldn't those who commit violent acts be subjected to the same behavior?

Now that I think about this a little deeper, perhaps the police system generally treats their subjects with only enough force that is necessary. What the rest of us see (on television) is not an accurate cross section of police/suspect behavior.

I'm ranting again about the scourge of television. It's all about ratings. The networks want people to tune into their channel, to watch their advertisements, and the portrayal of violence is a guaranteed sell. Thus, the violent stories are broadcast on the nightly news.

But then there are shows, like Cops, that document real police officers, who arrest real suspects for real crimes. And people watch these shows for entertainment. I personally, am repulsed by such trash television, but I realize it's anyone's perogative to watch anything they choose.

What the producers of Cops (and similar programs) won't tell you, is the amount of footage that ends up on the cutting room floor. What keeps viewers tuning back into the show week after week are the high-speed chases, the violent take-downs, the destruction of public and private property, and even the odd firefight.

It is because the producers want high ratings, that our perception is skewed when it comes to the treatment of suspects by police.

I'm not even going to get into racial profiling in this post, even though it is suspected in these types of shows. It is difficult to prove, and I will just open another can of worms if I continue to explore this theme. What I will say though, that a lot of film winds up on the cutting room floor, and what we end up seeing on television is no longer representative of a typical criminal's profile or behavior. The exact same thing can be said about the police force.

I am excited to see the outcome of Conrad Black's trial. He faces up to 40 years in prison; will he be convicted on all charges? Will he receive a fair and just sentence? Conversely, will he receive a slap on the hands, or will he be found not guilty?