The Freak Show of Anna Nicole Smith

It's a relief to see that our local newspaper, the Daily Press, has chosen not to cover the Anna Nicole Smith freak show that is consuming television news and other programming.

Smith's tragic death notwithstanding, this is simply another indictment against our society, news media and entertainment industry, already stricken by a culture of political hostility, social aggression, shallow behavior, and superficial extremes.

We should demand better from them and ourselves. Indeed, as Edmund Burke wisely observed, the only thing necessary for evil to exist is for good people to remain silent...