The American Spectator

p> WEEPING FOR DOLLARS br> Re: George Neumayr’s The Crying Game : /p>

Since the United States is a nation of victims, and over half is taking medication for one mental disorder or another, it goes to show the rest of the people who are at least somewhat sane and not a victim of something that pity pays big bucks. It’s like a child who cries and looks up to an adult with those big pitiful teary eyes and quivering lips; who can say no to such a pitiful scene? The only twist to this is that adults have now perfected this on demand emotion.

This nation has turned into a nation of jelly-kneed whining wimps, on-call clinical psychologists, 24-hour pharmacies, and crisis centers. There was a time when Americans were tough, independent, hard charging, and possessed of nothing-is-going-to-stop-me mentality, but now that Americans realize that, “Hey, this crying have pity on me thing, really does pay big bucks.” The bigger the tears, the bigger the payday is now the rule of the day. Former vice Presidential candidate John Edwards from North Carolina has perfected the, “doe-eyed stare” to such a fine art there is no jury in this country that could refuse such an expression of emotional anguish, and it has paid handsomely.

Look at the Katrina soap opera; it was a complete open field to see mainstream media trying to out-victimize each other. One reporter would say that there was sporadic looting, then a different reporter would report all of downtown New Orleans was on fire, and at least 10,000 dead were stacked like cord wood along the boulevards, and then the next reporter would further report that babies who took refuge in the Super Dome were being ravaged by rapists. It is as if they were monitoring each others’ broadcasts, playing the game of victimization one-upmanship.

Fox News reporters Shepard Smith and Geraldo Rivera were laying the crocodile tears on so thick that the viewers just needed to go to the bathroom and wretch from the pathetic made-for-TV emotions. “General Hospital” couldn’t have even made this stuff up. But, we must remember that it’s all about TV ratings and TV ratings mean big money.

p>Madison Avenue, drug manufacturers, clinical psychologists and the media have turned a private emotion into a billion dollar a year industry. Excuse me; my palm pilot is reminding me to take my Prozac now. br> — Melvin L. Leppla br> Jacksonville, North Carolina /p>