Scripting our racial morality plays

There is nothing the cable channels love more than a good murder trial, especially if the violence is spiced with the irresistible seasoning of race. But you don’t understand much about America if you don’t know that only some racial recipes are newsworthy. If the victim is white and the killer is black, it’s not interesting (unless the killer is a celebrity). If the victims are both white, it’s only interesting if the victim or the murderer is a comely blond female (preferably a nymphomaniac). If the victim and killer are both black, it’s a yawn. If the victim is black and the killer is white — make way for sweeps week!