If I Did It: Beneath Contempt
In a statement released this past Thursday, Esta Soler, President of the Family Violence Prevention Fund, expresses her disgust at the O.J. Simpson interview to be aired on Fox during Thanksgiving Weekend:
Family Violence Prevention Fund President Esta Soler today called “beneath contempt” the decision by the Fox Network to air a two-night “event” featuring O.J. Simpson talking about how he would have murdered his ex-wife, Nicole Brown, and her friend, Ron Goldman, “if he did it.”
“Disgust and revulsion are the only possible reactions to the special,” Soler said. “Two families suffered an unimaginable loss 12 years ago, and two children lost their mother. Now those children will see their father discuss or recreate the crime for entertainment and profit. It is beneath contempt.
We urge Fox to reconsider its decision to air this program. Affiliates should refuse to carry it, if the network proceeds with its plans. Advertisers should refuse to support it. Viewers should refuse to watch. And no responsible person should purchase the book on which it is based.
Violence against women is a costly and devastating problem in the U.S. On average, three women are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends each day and nearly 500 females over age 12 are victims of rape, attempted rape or sexual assault. We must stop treating violence as entertainment and instead redouble our efforts to stop it.
A decade ago, a mother of two and a vital young man were brutally murdered. It’s past time to stop exploiting this tragedy and instead put our energies into keeping women and children safe.”