ex matters

Posted on May 11th, 2008 by Scraps.
Categories: Words, Badness.

ESPN's website has a headline on their front page right now that reads:

Ex-O.J. friend: Simpson admitted killing his wife

Leaving aside the small matter that the source would be better described as "O.J. ex-friend":

It is irritating that ESPN regularly refers to "his wife" rather than "his ex-wife". The distinction isn't trivial, and muddying that distinction has been one of the ways that some of Simpson's more repellent defenders have sought to manipulate emotional response to the case.

But it is doubly irritating when ESPN takes care to refer to the source as an ex-friend, yet still refers to Simpson's victim as his wife.

1 comment.

Vicki

Comment on May 11th, 2008.

The scary thing is the reminder that there are a significant number of people for whom "she was his wife" would be a justification.

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