My final word(s) on the Benoit tragedy

Skip this if you've reached LD=50 on this issue.

As I've said elsewhere, I'm having a hard time with this issue, and I've done some exploration, internally and externally, and I think I've narrowed it down to some bigger global issues.

1) I'm appalled at what translates as "journalism" nowadays. It's clear to me that, to be a reporter, all you have to do is specialize in op-ed writing and attack dog rhetoric. I haven't been this interested in "news chasing" since September 12, 2001. And in this quest - now, as it was then - I have stumbled across some of the most asinine connections, assumptions, and blatantly inflammatory half-truths.

According to various "newz" affiliates:

• Benoit must have applied the "crossface" to his child to kill him;
  
• "Roid rage" is to blame for deliberate murder;
  
• Benoit must have had steroids in his system, because there were steroids in the house (but this is in the absence of a toxicology report);
  
• the WWF intentionally celebrated the life of a double murderer; and,
  
• Benoit was pumping steroids into his 7 yr old son (who, apparently, was "mentally retarded")

Whatever happened to journalism being based on reporting the facts, exposing the truth? Mostly, all I've read is leading speculation; I have yet to see a totally impartial report of just the facts. I'm disappointed with the inability of the once-reputable institution of journalism, if this is the best that they can do; the Benoit tragedy isn't an earth-changing event, but if even this event can't get a professional level of objectivity, then bigger issues are pretty damn destined to receive at least the same shoddy treatment, if not far less.

2) It also amazes me, how quickly a person's achievements are forever marred by negative behaviors or activities. Benoit was a great wrestler, and nothing will change that, whether he was a murderer or kind to dumb animals. But ... well, here's a "review" of the "Hard Knocks: The Chris Benoit Story" DVD:

(one star) Please take this down, June 26, 2007
By Kevin Donahoe Nealon

You are promoting a dvd for a double murderer...it is embarrassing
that you would actually keep this dvd on here...please take it down. That man deserves nothing but hell. Amazon is only hurting themselves by keeping this up.


Before the Benoit thing happened, the last review of the DVD was on May 31, 2007. There have since been 21 reviews, most of which are "one star" (out of 5) and condemn Benoit to hell for his actions. The problem I have is, these aren't reviews of product, these are reviews of the man and his actions (which are not, last time I was aware, for sale on Amazon). The logic of the douchebag above is equally great, because by his rationale, Amazon should also discontinue selling, say, a biography of Ted Bundy, because it is "promoting" a book for (sic) a serial killer.

I often make this criticism to my clients, when I'm attempting to illustrate how our society yields to unfairness: I could be the greatest therapist ever. Then, one day, say I drive to Wal-Mart, drive straight through the front doors at the maximum speed that my car will reach & not stop until I reach the part where they keep the milk. Then, when all the repercussions of my behavior have been dealt with, I could go back to being that same great therapist that I always was.

Before driving through Wal-Mart, no one (except the clients & colleagues) would ever know what kind of therapist I am. However, after the Wal-Mart incident, I'd be known as "that therapist who drove through Wal-Mart ... he must have been 'crazy' ... he has no business working with the mentally ill ... he's probably just as crazy as the people he works with," and I STILL wouldn't be known as the therapist that I would have proven myself to be. And more people would know about my mistake, than would people know that I'm good at what I do.

I believe that some people fail at being rational human beings; our priorities are continually being dictated in the fucking wrong direction. And I don't pretend to assume that I know what direction "our" priorities should be, but I know the direction we're going doesn't make sense. Sometimes, when we as a people are getting bombarded with tragedy and terror and destruction on a global scale, I wonder if we don't in some way deserve it.

Or maybe I'm just tired and bitching. Thanks for reading, anyway, if you made it this far.