The Martha Phenomena

My 91-year-old mother has been traumatized by Martha Stewart's situation and is continually cheerleading for her cause in an attempt to win me over. Yesterday she actually broke down in tears at Martha's plight, wondering how I could have such a hard heart.

In truth, I have no feelings one way or the other about Martha. I don't know the woman. I don't own her stock. I have no boat in this race. As an accountant, I look at it with cold, simple logic. If she's guilty, fine. If not, fine.

One thing does occur to me. It gives one pause to consider how a person can be convicted of lying...and yet not be convicted of the crime that would prove the lie. Perhaps I haven't been paying close enough attention.