Casey Who?

Did I miss a memo?

I have to wonder, because I'm still trying to wrap my head around the Casey Anthony story.

Like, was I supposed to care?

Because it turns out a lot of people did care about this case happening in Florida. Enough that people were crowding the courthouse in larger numbers than some minor league baseball games.

For this case? Don't these people have lives?

Michael Jackson's case in Santa Maria, I understand. There's the celebrity of it all. And all of those people had a personal investment in his music.

But the singular case of one not-guilty-but-certainly-not-innocent mother in Florida? Really?

You know where I'd like to see crowds like that at? The upcoming court cases involving corruption among San Bernardino County officials. Or at your local city council meeting.

Can you imagine how much better our communities might be if we were engaged in them as much as the people were in the Casey Anthony trial? Showing up and learning about the issues that will affect their daily life rather than getting caught up in tabloid fodder that some television show told you was important can't be a bad thing, can it?

Don't get me wrong, this was amazing tabloid fodder. But was it really worth the emotional investment? Will you be as transfixed the next time a case like this comes along ... maybe as soon as tomorrow. And then the next day. And the day after that.

Cases like this aren't isolated incidents. Casey's not the first to beat a murder charge, and she won't be the last. And even though she's not going to jail, she's going to be in one of her own making for years to come, having alienated her own family and having been judged by the court of public opinion.

She'll do some interviews with organizations willing to pay large sums of money. Probably write a book and end up on some sordid "reality" show. And the outrage will begin anew.

But why should it? Can't we all just let it go and get back to things that are more important?

You know, like helping our community?