I am loath to bring up the former president, but here we go: at a rally this weekend in Austin, the disgraced former leader of the U.S. announced (per The Week) that he was “writing” a book called The Crime of the Century, about his false and repeatedly debunked claims that the 2020 presidential election was tainted by widespread voter fraud.
I’m not going to read that book, assuming it ever actually comes to fruition (doubtful). But when Sarah dropped the link to the announcement in our Slack, presumably to punish me for something, I had to wonder: What is the crime of the century?
It feels sort of jinx-y to announce a crime of the century when you’re only 22 years into said century, sort of a “top this, universe” that feels especially unwise given the last couple years. So let’s just say the “crime of the century (Jan 1, 2000-May 17, 2022)” to avoid manifesting anything especially horrible.
So, what is it? The opioid crisis (HBO called that one already)? The disappearance of Gabby Petito? The storming of the Capitol? The violent kidnapping of Lady Gaga’s dogs? Let’s hear it. — EB
May 18, 2022·edited May 18, 2022Liked by Best Evidence
Jeffrey Epstein and/or Harvey Weinstein, I think, although obviously their crimes started well before this century. Or maybe Bernie Madoff? The opioid crisis is too diffuse a subject for me to really get behind that choice; I categorize books about the opioid crisis as "social science" rather than "true crime".
Not a crime, but the solve of the century is the Golden State Killer. It's sort of amazing that crimes that were "unsolvable" when they happened, are now wrapped up because the future caught up with him. And will be the start of more to come.
Mass shootings (too many to chose from, but Sandy Hook comes to mind for the sheer horror), Bernie Madoff, husbands murdering their pregnant wives (not a new phenomena but wow has this been all over the media in the last 22 years...Chris Watts, Scott Peterson, Mark Hacking, etc.)
I love listening to Amber Hunt’s Crimes of the Centuries podcast because it constantly reminds me that - like a soul mate - there’s always more than one. What about the unchecked spread of COVID-19? Or maybe that was stupidity of the century.
What's the *real* crime of the century (so far)?
Jeffrey Epstein and/or Harvey Weinstein, I think, although obviously their crimes started well before this century. Or maybe Bernie Madoff? The opioid crisis is too diffuse a subject for me to really get behind that choice; I categorize books about the opioid crisis as "social science" rather than "true crime".
September 11th?
Enron
Paul Ryan’s tax cut for the .001%. This will fuck up America for decades to come.
Not a crime, but the solve of the century is the Golden State Killer. It's sort of amazing that crimes that were "unsolvable" when they happened, are now wrapped up because the future caught up with him. And will be the start of more to come.
Mass shootings (too many to chose from, but Sandy Hook comes to mind for the sheer horror), Bernie Madoff, husbands murdering their pregnant wives (not a new phenomena but wow has this been all over the media in the last 22 years...Chris Watts, Scott Peterson, Mark Hacking, etc.)
Wikileaks?
His election. (No, even I know he won that election.) The war on drugs would be my real answer.
I love listening to Amber Hunt’s Crimes of the Centuries podcast because it constantly reminds me that - like a soul mate - there’s always more than one. What about the unchecked spread of COVID-19? Or maybe that was stupidity of the century.
Apparently I'm incapable for remembering which century I'm in.
I'd have loved it to be the Panama Papers, but that was a damp squib.