Rhode Island, Lead Paint & Echoes of Dominick Dunne

Intentionally or by default Dominick Dunne established the new role of Greek Chorus in America's court rooms.  That all began, of course, with the O.J. Simpson case which Dunne commented on from every angle - political, economic, moral, emotional, spiritual.  Since then, the court room has become a good place from which  to observe America.

And that's what I'll be doing tomorrow in Rhode Island Superior Court Room 11.  Opening arguments begin about a case that on the surface is about lead paint as public nuisance.  But, as Dunne trained us well, that is just the vehicle for looking at whatever we the Greek Chorus decide is worth our commentary. 

Already, in this Greek Chorus role (which is sort of new for me) I've covered plenty of territory: Machine politics, death of common sense in law, self-hate, and alternatives to settling disputes in court. 

But I'm not or hope I'm not so taken with this role of Greek Chorus via Typepad that I assume commentary from moi will have impacts on anything.  Of course, that's the age-old debate about if print ("Uncle Tom's Cabin," "Lolita,""The Great Unraveling,") ever really changed anything.  And, in ancient Greek drama, the Chorus would warn the miscreants they were heading into trouble.  But disaster happened any way.

That, of course, raises the more general issue of the role of bloggers as change agents, which blogosphere experts such as David Kline and Paul Chaney seem to believe.  Okay, we in the blogosphere have scored a few good hits like Rathergate and modifying disaster policies post Katrina.  But, I'm convinced, the jury is still out on just how influential we can and will be.