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Wrong title for O.J.'s book

Contributed by: Erin Di Paolo on 11/18/2006

I still remember to this day where I was when it happened. Just like people recall exactly where they were when they heard that John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. were assassinated, the details of this particular day remain just as vivid to me. All I have to hear is the person's name -- O.J. Simpson -- and I relive it all over again.

On October 3, 1995, I was in a Target store, somewhere in Aurora, shopping for my son's first birthday party. My husband and two sons were with me, as we stood in the electronics department, watching the television, praying for a just outcome. I had watched the coverage from the beginning, starting with the infamous white Bronco chase and ending with this cliffhanger in front of me, the day the verdict was to be announced.

I had read everything I could get my hands on regarding the case. I was, like millions of others, a bit obsessed. There was something about an ex-football star on trial for the murder of his wife and her male friend that was compelling. I mean, this was O.J. Simpson, an icon for those who grew up during my generation, a man who rose above his humble beginnings to accomplish remarkable feats.

Even as I watched the tragic events unfold, I hoped against hope that O.J. didn't do it and it was some misunderstanding. You see, like so many others, I grew up watching and worshipping O.J. Simpson. When I was young, I worshipped at the altar of professional football with O.J. being one of my patron saints. I remember simply seeing his Hertz Rental Car posters at the airport and nearly going ballistic. Juvenile, I know, but I was only like 12 at the time. I had an excuse.

But now, as an adult, I had no more excuses. It was time to grow up. I had to simply force myself to see the truth staring me in the face: O.J. Simpson was guilty as sin. Another fallen hero. Another imperfect person. It was painful to see one of my childhood heroes go down before my very eyes. But, in time, the pain turned into anger. I was outraged by what he had done and even more so that he was seemingly getting away with it all.

As I waited for the verdict, I listened as the television commentators said, as a rule, when a verdict comes back quickly, as it did in this case, it typically means the defendant is found not-guilty. I refused to believe it in this case. I told myself that this time the facts were so clear there was no way anyone could find him anything but guilty. I was sadly wrong and the commentators were right. When the verdict of not-guilty was read, I joined a shocked world. I felt devastated and dejected. I felt like there was no justice in this world. And now, ten years later, I still feel that way.

But why write about this now? Unless you have been living under a rock, you know that O.J. has now written a book entitled "If I Did It" in which he reportedly discusses how he would have committed the crimes, if he had been the murderer. What does he mean if? Didn't he mean to say when? Though the book does not go on sale until November 30, some are predicting it to be a Bestseller. There hasn't been this much buzz over a book since it was discovered that James Frey's A Million Little Pieces was more fiction than fact.

Even though I am curious about its contents, I will be boycotting O.J.'s book. I am appalled that any publisher worthy of its weight of salt would publish such trash. I heard the publisher, Judith Regan, justifying her decision last week on national television, claiming that she made the decision to publish the book because she, too, had been a victim of domestic violence, thus wanting the book published so she can have closure in her own life. She also said she sees it as O.J.'s confession, pure and simple. PLEASE. What she sees is dollar signs, lots and lots of them. That has got to be her primary motivation, if not the only one, for publishing this filth.

O.J. is said to be receiving $3.5 million for his book, which, of course, he did not write himself. And the Goldmans, who filed a civil suit against Simpson, will likely not see a dime of his profits, if he has his way. Even though O.J. was found not-guilty in the criminal trial, afterwards he was found liable for the death of Ronald Goldman in the civil proceeding on February 4, 1997 and ordered to pay $33.5 million in damages to the Goldman family. Since then, he has not paid a cent to the Goldmans while he continues to live the high life, supposedly scouring golf courses and strip joints across the country, searching for the real killer. He need not look any further than his own mirror.

As Fred Goldman, father of victim Ron Goldman, said on Larry King Live Wednesday night, every right-thinking person in this country knows that Simpson is guilty. Goldman pleaded with the public to boycott the book and FOX Broadcasting's (not to be confused with Fox News) two-part interview with Simpson on November 27 and November 29. I could not agree with Goldman more. I would like to see the book fall flat on its face, though I am not so naive to think that will happen. I have learned that whenever O.J. Simpson is involved in a crime, anything can and will occur.

To think that two lives were cut short by Simpson is a tragedy. That he gets to remain free is unconscionable. But the writing and publishing of this book is a travesty. When will it ever end? God help us all, but especially the families of the victims in this case. May they gain a sense of closure, somehow, someway.


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CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

Erin Di Paolo

Denver , CO

Erin Di Paolo has posted 61 stories and 6 comments since joining on 3/18/2006. Erin Di Paolo 's average story rating is 4.81.
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