I’ve just witnessed something truly extraordinary on MSNBC. It was also ghoulish and stomach turning.

The authorities have finished going over the apartment of the San Bernardino terrorists, presumably clearing it of all the evidence they need for their investigation. The apartment was cleared by them, and the landlord opened it to the press for inspection.

I watched live video from a mobile camera and listened to audio commentary from a reporter as he, and what appeared to be a dozen or more media news crews, poured into the place with all their lights, cameras, microphones and other paraphernalia. They were shoving and pushing as they fanned through the place and groped through its contents.

Don’t get me wrong, these killers have forfeited all right to privacy, respect, or modesty, and I’m sure the FBI has already cleared the place of everything they want (the computer was missing), but it was a truly revolting spectacle The press were like sharks on a feeding frenzy, and they were elbow to elbow, crowded in, desperate to look at and photograph all the detritus of these people’s lives. The place was full of what you’d expect from a young couple’s apartment, family photographs, albums, children’s books, Korans, toys. On a bed were spread what appeared to be credit cards, IDs (fake or genuine I don’t know). There were furnishings, appliances, clothes hanging in the closets, an Arabic primer (the suspects were not Arabs, but as Muslims would be expected to learn the language for religious reasons). But mostly it was just the ordinary debris and possessions we all accumulate in our lives; not even an uncashed check escaped their scrutiny.

It was a disgusting display. Again, I could care less if the killers’ privacy was violated, but the behavior of the press was truly foul. Andrea Mitchell, in touch by audio with her reporter on scene, had to keep cautioning him not to film people’s (especially children’s) faces, addresses on letters,
card numbers and other information that might affect people who were only marginally connected with the terrorists.

It was a disgusting episode.