Breeze Perspectives: If he did it…
At the very best, O.J. Simpson’s latest foray into the public sphere is in remarkably bad taste
By Travis Clark, contributing writer
Posted on November 30, 2006

A few weeks ago, when I first heard the news of O.J. Simpson’s latest endeavor into the public eye, I was shocked. I didn’t believe what I read. I couldn’t. My jaw hit the floor. It had to be a joke. No self-respecting person could (or would) write something like this, I said to myself. It seemed so cruel. Writing a book titled “If I Did It” and expecting no public outcry does not seem like a good career move. But he was possibly paid a large sum of money that he isn’t supposed to get, being indebted to the families of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman.

So much more can be said, however, on the way this represents the character of Simpson and Judith Regan, the two main parties involved (Regan working for the publishing company that spearheaded the idea). Simpson is dragging his name through the mud once again, and this time voluntarily. Clearly, Simpson must not have thought this move through. He apparently had not talked to his lawyer about this, or anyone who might have talked some sense into him. If he wanted to make a claim of innocence, I would have advised him to write a book called “I Didn’t Do It.” That would not have offended as many people and asserted that he is truly innocent and not raise questions of guilt.

Reading articles and reviews of the book, apparently the “hypothetical” details of the murder are quite suspicious and gruesome. This carries a certain level of suspicion. Simpson claims to be innocent and was acquitted of those murders (as everyone in America knows). Who knows what actually happened or how it can be explained, but whatever the answer, I’m sure a lot of people would like to know.

Another product of this fiasco is bringing the victims back into the public eye. Their families suffered an unspeakable tragedy when they lost their loved ones, and here Simpson is once again, trying to make some money off of it. My sympathy goes out to them and the pain that this must have caused. To have to relive any of those moments, even in memory, cannot brighten your day in any bit. Judith Regan, the mastermind behind this series of blundering errors, must sleep well at night, knowing that she hatched this brilliant plan. I hope she gives herself a well-deserved pat on the back.

To come to Regan’s defense for a moment, she claims that the book was written to try to raise awareness of domestic violence. I am in full support of that, because there should be little tolerance for those caught in spousal abuse. But there are several better ways that I can think of to go about doing this than publishing a book about a hypothetical murder. Start a foundation. Write a different book about it. Anything but dig up a case that has been closed since 1995.

Fortunately, my faith in humanity was restored at the conclusion (at least I hope) of this nutty affair. This seemingly tragic escapade has a slightly happier ending, thankfully, with the cancellation of the interview that O.J. Simpson had scheduled on top of the book. Oh, and the book will not be published either. That brings up another interesting question: I’m pretty sure that a lot of those books may have been printed. eBay had a run of people trying to sell them. Only time will tell if they start springing up on the black market.

Travis Clark is a senior English major.