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Issue No. 267 | 10 June 2005 |
Rivers of Gold
Interview: The Baby Drought Industrial: Lies, AWAs and Statistics Workplace: The Invisible Parents History: Bruce’s Big Blunder Politics: All God's Children Economics: Spun Out International: Shakey Trials Legal: Civil Distrubance Review: Crash Course In Racism Poetry: You're Fired
The Locker Room Parliament The Soapbox
All The Way With The USA Expensive Door Charge Teen Years in Detention Court Cases are Media’s Drug Lang Is Right Legalising Unfairness Hertz Meenz Hurtz
Labor Council of NSW |
Letters to the Editor Court Cases are Media’s Drug
Who is Schapelle Corby? What's that you say? You don't know? How could you possibly not know? Every Australian knows who she is. And why is that? Because the media, always eager to pander to the appetites of the masses who demand sensationalism, gossip and gore, have saturated the airwaves, the TV and the printed media hour by hour, day by day, week by week for the past several months. The media may yet outdo its gargantuan achievement in the trial of Lindy Chamberlain. Thanks partly to the media, catering to the unbridled lust of so many Australians who wanted Lindy to be proven guilty, this poor woman spent three years in jail, giving birth to a child whilst incarcerated, and had her life almost destroyed, along with her marriage and the vocation of her husband Michael. After three years in prison, unexpected new evidence proved beyond doubt that she was innocent and all convictions against herself and Michael were quashed. Two years later when she received $1.3 million in compensation from the Northern Territory Government for wrongful imprisonment. Now that Schapelle Corby has been sentenced to 20 years in prison, there will be appeals and appeals to fill the media and the empty minds of the masses for possibly years to come. Did Karl Marx say religion is the opiate of the people? Perhaps so. But nothing seems to be as powerful an opiate as an extended court case - massively over-reported by the media - of some quite insignificant individual who has fallen foul of the law. But there is a difference this time. So many people, especially women, wanted Lindy Chamberlain to be found guilty. Now those people who lust for gossip and gore want Ms Corby to be found innocent. But it matters not. The fate of one individual will no doubt continue to be reported ad nauseum. Julian Hancock
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