The death of beautiful 6-year-old beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey was a tragedy that spread throughout the nation rather quickly. It's easy to see why. The little girl was precious, well-kept, and seemingly adored by her upper middle class family in Colorado. The case quickly became a national story.
In fact, it was always a private tragedy. Two parents -- John and Patsy Ramsey -- lost their beautiful baby girl. That would have been horrific and tragic enough on its own to last a lifetime. But then came the speculation.
John and Patsy weren't "acting" the way grieving parents should act. They weren't sad enough or cooperative enough or whatever enough. So much so that most people and the media began to suspect them, dragging their names through the mud in the process. Now, nearly two decades after that cold morning when JonBenet's body was found, it was revealed that a grand jury wanted to indict the Ramseys. But the DA said no.
According to the DA, there wasn't enough evidence. Because guess what? You actually need EVIDENCE to convict people.
The culture of convicting in the public arena isn't new. But it's highly disturbing. My heart breaks for the Ramseys who spent their lives (Patsy has since died) trying to stop people from thinking they murdered their own child.
Whether you think they did or didn't commit a crime isn't really the point. YOU are not the judge or jury. Just because you think you know something doesn't mean you do. Smart people know this. But most people aren't smart. And so they go with the mob mentality to hate and persecute and assume.
My heart goes out the Ramseys because they lost their daughter. No one should ever have to live through that. But then the lynch mob started in on them. The amount of hate and vitriol and judgement hurled their way over the years is sickening.
They weren't indicted for a reason. So let's try to remember that. Losing their child was a tragedy no parent should endure and, unless it has happened to you, you have no right to judge how someone SHOULD react. Let's have some respect for the law and assume that if there had been enough evidence, they would have been convicted. The end.
Do you think John and Patsy knew something more?
Image via Robotclaw666/Flickr
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Comments 56
If you understand the legal process at all, a grand jury basically is a committee that reviews information to determine if their is enough evidence or questions to continue the legal process and most likely a trial. The fact that a DA rejected this, almost always means that there was little or no evidence to use in convicting the parents, hence that they more than likely were eliminated as viable suspects. This case is so sad and an example of extremely poor police work that more than likely elimiated the ability to determine or at least convict the killer. Before you comment you should knwo that at least one police officer quit his job over the treatment of the Ramsey's and the lack of real effort to find the killer as the police department/media rushed to judgement. What happened to their daughter was horrific enough, they added pain was just totally unfair.
I agree with you about the Ramseys, but I am absolutely appalled at your statement that "most people aren't smart". Not only is it breathtakingly arrogant (because, of course, you are one of the smart minority), it's completely ignorant.
Wait. You spend an entire article defending the Ramseys, indicting the media for creating a circus and a 'lynch-mob mentality', and saying that "most people aren't smart. And so they go with the mob mentality to hate and persecute and assume."
And then you round out the piece by asking the very question that you are condemning???
PonyChaser, I was wondering essentially the same thing...
Anyway, an interview of JonBenet Ramsey's soul was posted on the blog ChannelingErik and Elisa (who runs the blog) also received information about who murdered JonBenet which she hinted at in the post "More Information on JonBenet's Murder."
I must be stupid because I do judge any parent who's first response to their child's disappearence or murder is their defense not justice for their child.
The title of the article and the content of this piece have no correlation. You are just rehashing the same old spin; there is nothing new about anything that is written here.
I have to agree with the majority here and say that your statement is about yourself. You, indeed are not smart.
O.k It sounds like you just wanted to blow off some stream, because the headline said Ramseys News makes parents look worse then ever. I didn't get the news just your rant! Headline should have read my opinion.
I'm just confused as to why this is a topic right now? lol Nothing better to write about?
I've always felt so badly for that family, including the older brother, Burke. That poor child was even accused by the sainted and sanctimonious media of molesting and murdering that baby. This world, man. *sigh*