The Advocate Social Responsibility
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The Advocate BY Robert Moran Social Responsibility and the Disabled Titan Editorial Providing insight, analysis and perspective since “Fresh Squeezed O.J.” OPINION March 14, 2007 4 e Lincoln-Sudbury school board has blood on its hands. John Odgren, a 16-year-old with Asperger’s Syndrome from Princeton, Massachusetts, is cur- rently on trial for murdering a 15-year-old classmate. Odgren is autistic. For years Odgren’s parents had pleaded with the Lincoln-Sud- bury School district to get him the services he needed. In his case, it was the behavior modi- fication therapy that needed to avert his aggres- sive behavior. Odgren had on several oc- casions stated that he wanted to kill some- one and could commit the perfect mur- der, and even brought knives and screwdrivers to school that were confiscated by teachers and school officials, although mem- bers of the school board told the Boston Globe they knew noth- ing about it. People who are autistic are sometimes feared simply because they are not understood, but the things people fear are those which must be discussed. In or- der to dispel such ignorance, it is necessary to further examine cases like Odgren’s, whose story is more of a testament to the fail- ure of the educational system, and how the problems associated with not getting services from public school systems can lead to tragedy. People with Asperger’s, be- cause of their intelligence, can be mainstreamed. I was. Still, some behaviors have to be dealt with. Unlike California, other states, such as Massachu- setts, don’t have a Regional Cen- ter system, and the burden of treatment rests on the schools. While Odgren’s actions were extreme and not the norm, schools across the country should take heed. Inappropriate behav- ior is one of the trademarks of Asperger’s. It is important for schools to be able to serve their students’ needs. Most autistics would never kill any- one, violent behavior is very rare and we are not psycho- paths. But if disturbing be- havior is being ignored, there is a problem in the system. Now with Odgren’s trial ap- proaching, his attorney is trying to put a new spin on a classic defense that, if successful, would practically excuse Odgren from his culpability. is is also wrong, however, because it would open up a Pandora’s Box of problems for this country’s legal system and send the wrong message to the public. Being disabled does not ex- cuse such behavior at all. Odgren is ultimately responsible for his actions. But the school system also failed to act. A straight-A student was killed and now another’s life will be destroyed as well. “ ... violent behavior is very rare and we are not psychopaths. But if disturbing behavior is being ignored, there is a problem in the sys- tem. BY SHAELAN BOWERS Daily Titan Staff Writer [email protected] We certainly do love serial kill- ers in this country. If we aren’t to busy researching every gruesome detail of a certain killer’s crime spree or getting bom- barded with profiles that seem to run in a constant loop on MSNBC, we are piling into our local theatres to see these horrible people get im- mortalized on film. With that being said I’ll be the first to admit that I, like many Amer- icans, am completely fascinated with the criminal mind. I can’ t even count the hours I have spent in front of the TV watching profiles on the Night Stalker, Jeffrey Dahmer and Son of Sam. And during the past couple weeks in anticipation of “Zodiac” I have spent an inordinate amount of time doing exactly what I described, researching every little thing about the cases so I could be the first one in the door when the film finally opened. Although I enjoyed the film, as I do with most films that tread simi- lar ground, I left the theatre feeling strange. As I began asking myself why I felt the way I did I realized it was because I just spent $10 to watch the murders of a group of innocent people get sensa- tionalized. I really can’t say that I’m sur- prised since Hollywood has been making movies about serial killers for as long as I can remember, but with “Zodiac” there was a new ele- ment that really hadn’t been explored before. is is the fact that in one o f the infamous letters the Zodiac Killer sent to the San Francisco Chronicle, he specifically asked that a movie be made about him. Again, many criminals do what they do because they want to get their names in the paper, but I couldn’t help but feel uneasy about the fact that the Zodiac Killer got ex- actly what he wanted, “a good film” made about him. By packing into the theaters to see films about known serial killers, aren’t we as a society simply validating what these people have done? ey want fame and we give it to them on a silver platter . is prob- lem is also compounded by the fact that almost all of the major movie studios seem to have a hard-on for movies about made-up serial killers. Films like the “Saw” franchise and Hannibal Lecter saga do what they can to kick it up a notch and can af- fect some truly disturbed people in their wake. It’s one thing to chronicle the ex- ploits of someone who is already a part of history; it’s another to give troubled people good ideas. Call me crazy but I think it’s pretty horrible to make money on the pain and suf- fering of innocent people and to turn their killer into a household name. I’m sure almost everyone knows who Jeffrey Dahmer is, but I challenge anyone to name one of his victims. I don’t mean to get on my moral high-horse here since I have seen just about every serial killer movie ever made, and no matter what I say, se- rial killer movies and slasher flicks will still be gold at the box office, but I really think we need to stop turning murderers into celebrities. ey belong in the electric chair, not on the silver screen. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Gerald Rosen- berg ruled yesterday that all of the profits derived from O.J. Simpson’s latest creative endeavor, “If I Did It,” will be allocated to the family of murder victim Ron Gold- man. e family is still owed in excess of $38 million on the re- ceiving end of a wrong- ful death lawsuit. We say justice has been served. “If I Did It” was a virtual confession for hire by the former Buffalo Bill, as Simpson was to explain how he would have com- mitted the double-murder if he had commit the double- murder. e project was 86’ed last December after it was flamed by the media and public upon initial release. It’s quite amazing that a guy like O.J., who had virtu- ally disappeared into the in- famy abyss, would reemerge with a brazenly disrespectful slam to the victims of the double-murders he eluded punishment for. He very well should have stayed out of the limelight, but ulti- mately, the mon- ey and fame drew him back in with no expense spared to what was left of his dignity. Now the Goldman family gets what- ever comes of O.J.’s guilt – what comes around goes around and Orenthal sold the last piece of his soul for the benefit of the victims’ bank account. e Daily Titan welcomes letters to the editor. Any feedback, positive or negative, is encouraged, as we strive to keep an open dia- logue with our readership. e Daily Titan reserves the right to edit letters for length, grammar and spelling. Direct all comments, questions or concerns, along with your full name and major, to executive editor Adam Levy at [email protected]. Hollywood Glamorizes Criminals in Film “ Now the Goldman family gets whatever comes of O.J.’s guilt – what comes around goes around ...
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8/3/2019 The Advocate Social Responsibility
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The AdvocateBY Robert Moran
Social Responsibility and the Disabled
Titan Editorial Providing insight, analysis and perspective since
“Fresh Squeezed O.J.”
OPINION
March 14, 20074
e Lincoln-Sudbury schoolboard has blood on its hands. John Odgren, a 16-year-old
with Asperger’s Syndrome fromPrinceton, Massachusetts, is cur-rently on trial for murdering a15-year-old classmate. Odgrenis autistic.
For years Odgren’s parents hadpleaded with the Lincoln-Sud-bury School district to get himthe services he needed. In hiscase, it was the behavior modi-fication therapy that needed toavert his aggres-sive behavior.Odgren hadon several oc-casions statedthat he wantedto kill some-one and couldcommit theperfect mur-der, and evenbrought knivesand screwdrivers to school that were confiscated by teachers andschool officials, although mem-bers of the school board told the
Boston Globe they knew noth-ing about it.People who are autistic are
sometimes feared simply becausethey are not understood, butthe things people fear are those which must be discussed. In or-der to dispel such ignorance, itis necessary to further examinecases like Odgren’s, whose story is more of a testament to the fail-ure of the educational system,and how the problems associated with not getting services frompublic school systems can lead totragedy.
People with Asperger’s, be-
cause of their intelligence, canbe mainstreamed. I was.
Still, some behaviors have to
be dealt with. Unlike California,other states, such as Massachu-setts, don’t have a Regional Cen-ter system, and the burden of treatment rests on the schools.
While Odgren’s actions wereextreme and not the norm,schools across the country shouldtake heed. Inappropriate behav-ior is one of the trademarks of
Asperger’s. It isimportant forschools to beable to servetheir students’needs. Mostautistics wouldnever kill any-one, violentbehavior is very rare and we arenot psycho-paths. But if disturbing be-
havior is being ignored, there isa problem in the system.
Now with Odgren’s trial ap-proaching, his attorney is trying
to put a new spin on a classicdefense that, if successful, wouldpractically excuse Odgren fromhis culpability. is is also wrong,however, because it would openup a Pandora’s Box of problemsfor this country’s legal systemand send the wrong message tothe public.
Being disabled does not ex-cuse such behavior at all. Odgrenis ultimately responsible for hisactions. But the school systemalso failed to act.
A straight-A student waskilled and now another’s life willbe destroyed as well.
“
“
... violent behavioris very rare and we arenot psychopaths. Butif disturbing behavioris being ignored, thereis a problem in the sys-tem.
BY SHAELAN BOWERSDaily Titan Staff Writer [email protected]
We certainly do love serial kill-ers in this country.
If we aren’t to busy researching
every gruesome detail of a certainkiller’s crime spree or getting bom-barded with profiles that seem torun in a constant loop on MSNBC, we are piling into our local theatresto see these horrible people get im-mortalized on film.
With that being said I’ll be thefirst to admit that I, like many Amer-icans, am completely fascinated withthe criminal mind. I can’t even countthe hours I have spent in front of theTV watching profiles on the NightStalker, Jeffrey Dahmer and Son of Sam. And during the past couple weeks in anticipation of “Zodiac” Ihave spent an inordinate amount of time doing exactly what I described,researching every little thing aboutthe cases so I could be the first onein the door when the film finally opened.
Although I enjoyed the film, as Ido with most films that tread simi-lar ground, I left the theatre feelingstrange. As I began asking myself why I felt the way I did I realizedit was because I just spent $10 to watch the murders of a groupof innocent people get sensa-
tionalized.I really can’t say that I’m sur-
prised since Hollywood has beenmaking movies about serial killersfor as long as I can remember, but with “Zodiac” there was a new ele-ment that really hadn’t been exploredbefore. is is the fact that in one of the infamous letters the Zodiac Killer
sent to the San Francisco Chronicle,he specifically asked that a movie bemade about him.
Again, many criminals do whatthey do because they want to gettheir names in the paper, but Icouldn’t help but feel uneasy about
the fact that the Zodiac Killer got ex-actly what he wanted, “a good film”made about him. By packing intothe theaters to see films about knownserial killers, aren’t we as a society simply validating what these peoplehave done?
ey want fame and we give it tothem on a silver platter. is prob-lem is also compounded by the factthat almost all of the major moviestudios seem to have a hard-on formovies about made-up serial killers.Films like the “Saw” franchise andHannibal Lecter saga do what they can to kick it up a notch and can af-fect some truly disturbed people intheir wake.
It’s one thing to chronicle the ex-ploits of someone who is already apart of history; it’s another to givetroubled people good ideas. Call mecrazy but I think it’s pretty horribleto make money on the pain and suf-fering of innocent people and to turntheir killer into a household name.I’m sure almost everyone knows who Jeffrey Dahmer is, but I challengeanyone to name one of his victims.I don’t mean to get on my moralhigh-horse here since I have seen justabout every serial killer movie evermade, and no matter what I say, se-rial killer movies and slasher flicks will still be gold at the box office, butI really think we need to stop turningmurderers into celebrities.
ey belong in the electric chair,not on the silver screen.
Los Angeles SuperiorCourt Judge Gerald Rosen-berg ruled yesterday that allof the profits derived from
O.J. Simpson’s latest creativeendeavor, “If I Did It,” willbe allocated to the family of murder victim Ron Gold-man. e family is still owedin excess of $38 millionon the re-ceiving endof a wrong-ful deathlawsuit.
We say justice hasbeen served.
“If I DidIt” was avirtual confession for hireby the former Buffalo Bill,as Simpson was to explainhow he would have com-mitted the double-murder if he had commit the double-murder. e project was86’ed last December after it was flamed by the media and
public upon initial release.It’s quite amazing that a
guy like O.J., who had virtu-ally disappeared into the in-
famy abyss, would reemerge with a brazenly disrespectfulslam to the victims of thedouble-murders he eludedpunishment for.
He very well shouldhave stayedout of thelimelight,but ulti-m a t e l y ,the mon-ey andfame drew him back in with no
expense spared to what wasleft of his dignity. Now theGoldman family gets what-ever comes of O.J.’s guilt– what comes around goesaround and Orenthal soldthe last piece of his soul forthe benefit of the victims’bank account.
e Daily Titan welcomes letters to the editor.
Any feedback, positive or negative, is encouraged, as we strive to keep an open dia-logue with our readership. e Daily Titan reserves the right to edit letters for length,grammar and spelling. Direct all comments, questions or concerns, along with your
full name and major, to executive editor Adam Levy at [email protected].
Hollywood GlamorizesCriminals in Film
“
“
Now the Goldmanfamily gets whatevercomes of O.J.’s guilt–
what comes aroundgoes around ...
