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Earnhardt photos could help drivers
Lawyers for The Orlando Sentinel and Teresa Earnhardt have been ordered to meet in Florida on Thursday in a final effort to iron out their considerable differences on the subject of Dale Earnhardt's autopsy photos. The two parties, presenting their arguments to a mediator, have until the following Monday to come to some sort of an understanding. Lost among the thousands of irate e-mails sent to the Sentinel, lost among Teresa Earnhardt's sympathetic and dignified pleas for privacy, lost among the vitriolic attacks on the soulless media that would sensationalize any event for its own gain and lost among the innumerable and all-too-easy broadsides on a First Amendment seemingly run amuck and turned against the very individuals it is purported to serve, is a very simple and very real truth: On any given weekend, there are close to 75 Busch Grand National and Winston Cup drivers who could benefit immeasurably from any and all information that might possibly be gleaned from a careful evaluation of those photos. Earnhardt's lawyers can cagily attack the First Amendment till the cows come home, as they did Monday on CNN's TalkBack Live -- let's face it, other abuses carried out in the interests of "the public's right to know" make it all too easy. The investigation into the president's private life for example ... oops, let's not go there. Anyway, taken as just another sickening example of the media concerning itself only with itself, the Sentinel's efforts to view the photos are, sure enough, gross. However, how many ways to Sunday does the Sentinel need to say it before people begin to understand? The paper has made it abundantly and perfectly clear that it and its representatives, primarily in the form of a nationally renowned trauma doctor, is willing to simply look at, that is, not even touch, said photos, all while under the studious observation of the court. Please, could any of those opposed to said compromise explain to me how they imagine this restricted access will lead to the widespread publication? Me, I'm still not gettin' it. But say you're still not with me here and have already begun crafting your own spirited rebuttal -- let's consider the debate from a slightly different perspective. Just for the sake of argument, let's say a major automobile company was in possession of information that could shed light on a potentially fatal flaw in the construction of its vehicles ... now, I might be wrong here, but I'm just not thinkin' there would be too many people lining up to defend said multinational corporation against the intrusive practices of the American media. If anyone in my immediate family should happen to die tragically and unexpectedly, I hope, however I might be feeling, that I will be able and willing to look beyond my own sadness if there is anything whatsoever that might be gained by examining their death. For the sake of the guys still strapping themselves in every weekend, here's hoping that the entire NASCAR community comes to feel the same way. Stephen Thomas covers NASCAR for CNNSI.com. The opinions expressed here are solely those of the writer.
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