The reporting on and hysteria created by the media surrounding this case has been appalling. I have been really shocked by the number of friends and relatives who have been sucked in by the yellow journalist circus.

I have close relatives who live and work and have children attending Montgomery County schools. I have a close friend who's family lives in Baltimore & VA, work in the area, etc. None of them has been sucked in by the circus. A friend of my daughter's home last weekend from George Washington U said the same thing--utter hysteria that they themselves hadn't bought into. Our close relatives who live in Montgomery County are both professional TV people (both used to work for DC network affiliate stations). They were the first to tell us not to worry, and just turn off the news.

So this is what we've come to as a society--the lowest common denominator--ambulance chasing, pulling over to watch the car wreck, and racing to follow the fire engine to watch somebody's house burn down.

I'm so proud to be an American.