Hating O.J. Simpson (or Just Hate)?

Why is O.J Simpson still in the news 13 years later? Racism.

Most blacks know there is racism in the American society and the U.S. criminal justice system (even if just intuitively). Whites deny it, get defensive and say blacks need to stop “playing the race card.”

I don’t think most black people were big O.J. fans (I sure wasn’t) at the time of all the media hoopla in ‘94 and ‘95. The support displayed during that time was a reaction to a system blacks knew was flawed and could be very racist. Blacks did what we do too often. React when an event occurs. Come out in full force, signs and all. Then forget all about it until the next event.

Blacks are over O.J. So why is he still in the news? Somebody is still holding on to it. The media know there is still passion about this case. They know white people hate O.J. or at least something he represents. So when O.J. tried to publish his crazy “hypothetical” book and then got arrested again, the media jumped all over it.

If it is not racism or bias, why is this case so inciteful and not others? Why is there such interest in it? They might argue it’s because he is a celebrity. Well, Robert Blake (from Baretta) got off for murdering his wife. Then, just like O.J., Blake was found liable in a civil case and ordered to pay restitution. Just like O.J., he is finding every way possible not to pay it. Nobody cares. The case was minimally covered in the media. Most people probably don’t even know what ended up happening with it.

Now Phil Specter, a famous music producer who worked with the Beatles, Tina Turner, the Righteous Brothers and others, is on trial for killing an actress. I’ve seen O.J. on every news show this week because the Goldman’s have decided to publish his book. Specter’s trial is going on right now. Nobody cares.

I’m not implying that Simpson is some victim of racism who got a bad rap. I think, to put it in Big Mama speak, he needs to go somewhere and sit down. I’m saying the attention that is being paid to this case when there are plenty of injustice cases we need to focus on, is a reflection of racist attitudes. Those who are focusing on it (besides the Browns and the Goldmans who this case immediately affects) need to ask themselves why it is important to them.