The dangers of victor's justice

Barring a celebrity earthquake of unforeseen proportions, Jade Goody will be evicted from the Big Brother House this evening. This will be the second eviction in her life, two more than most people ever experience.

The media/celebrity/political storm she and her side-kicks have generated this week is quite remarkable. Maybe it speaks of the shallowness of the media agenda and of those (myself included) who follow it.

That Jade's behaviour has been a national embarrassment and her treatment of Shilpa Shetty, truly unpleasant seems almost universally agreed. The debate of "is she or isn't she" racist is less clear cut and no view seems likely to predominate.

However Jade has become the focus for all those disappointed with Britain's international profile, all those despairing of yob culture, of "chavism", of ignorance and of the breakdown in previously certain social orders. Jade is also the focus of many who are against racism. To be such a focus cannot be pleasant.

Jade the hater, has become Jade the hated. Former Tory MP, Edwina Currie last night referred to Jade and her two henchwomen as "those three slags". (people in glass houses, Edwina ?) This was not on a celebrity programme but on the usually more sombre "Question Time" on BBC1. Jade has become fair game for anyone.

If, as is expected, she is evicted tonight there is unlikely to be any eviction crowd allowed to be present. "Media sources" imply she will be kept indoors, given a short interview by Davinia McCall and then taken to a "safe house". This sounds more like the treatment of Suffolk Strangler suspects before Christmas, than appropriate for the Big Brother dimwit. One almost wouldn't be surprised if her agent was asked to collect her belongings before a 6am hanging tomorrow morning.

Things seem to be a bit out of perspective. However I don't think the damage to Jade will be quite as lasting as the media makes out. Sections of the media are exhibiting a crude form of victor's justice before the story is even over.

Maybe some of us need reminding this is only a game.........

Time is a great healer and I doubt the three will be scarred for life by the brief storm they will experience on leaving the house. They are all young enough to have plenty of time to work through this and recover careers etc.

True, it will be a tough time for them but I don't think they should be shielded from the very real feelings and upset they have caused. They may even learn something as a result.

While the Edwina Curries of this world together with some in the media are stoking the fires a little too gleefully, I don't think the same can be said for the public at large.

We are intelligent enough to realise Jade and the coven are not monsters. However we are right to be embarrassed by their ignorance and sincere in the belief that the 3 should be made aware of how their behaviour is perceived by a substantial number of people in this country. If loosing contracts and some income is an inevitable consequence of that, so be it.

None of the 3 will have their lives ruined in the way some are alluding too. However if a pause in their careers gives them and us a pause for thought on the issues raised, we will all be the better for it.

In meantime, end the embarrassment of all concerned and get Jade out of there..............