Death of an Icon, Marilyn Monroe
By Shelby Merriman
Background
On August 5th, 1962 at 3:50am, Norma Jeane Mortenson, or more commonly known as Marilyn Monroe, was pronounced dead in her own home. Her housekeeper was worried because Marilyn wouldn't respond to her knocking on the bedroom door. She then called 911. When the police and doctor's arrived, they found her face down, lying nude, in her bed with the phone in hand. They noticed her empty bottle of depression pills close by, while some of the pills were scattered around the room. In the end, Marilyn's death was ruled a Barbiturate overdose.
Conspiracy
The only conspiracy is that she was murdered. A lot of people do believe that Marilyn Monroe was killed by the Kennedy brothers or by someone that they hired. It is believed that the Kennedy's wanted her dead because while she had affairs with them both, she knew a lot of government secrets. The brothers were affraid that she may spill them after she threatened to do so. Therefore, they either hired someone to kill her or Bobby killed her himself while in LA that night.
Media Portrayal
Newspapers believed more in the conspiracy. They believed the Kennedy's were scared that Marilyn would spill some pretty deep secrets about them and the government. Television and radio news believed more that she was just a very depressed women because men would always deny her after the affairs they had had with her. They believe that she killed herself because she couldn't handle the men, fame and money any longer.
Bias
News reports only reported two possible situations, suicide or murder. There were a couple articles that had also reported it may have been an accident, but those quickly died out. New York Times stated it was a sucide. Soon after came the idea she was killed by the Kennedy's. Because of her having affairs with the brothers and knowing confidential things about them, it's said that she threatened spilling their secrets. Which can easily show why they would want her dead. In fact, Bobby Kennedy was in LA the night of her death. Also, decades after the death, the housekeeper of Marilyn came out saying how Marilyn had a man over the night of her death and they quarelled a bit beforehand.
Criticism
Feminist and marxist are the main two criticisms in this whole ordeal. She was a sex symbol to all men which made them believe that all women were expected to be the same way as her. John and Bobby Kennedy both had taken advantage of her, which is why the media brought up the conspiracy of them murdering her. Most women were jealous of Marilyn Monroe as well because she had money along with her beauty. If they weren't like her, they didn't feel as beautiful.
What Do I Believe?
I strongly believe in the conspiracy. I don't believe that Marilyn killed herself at all. I feel like it was a murder by the Kennedy's, or someone that they hired. I think that the Kennedy's didn't want her spilling their secrets so they had her killed to keep their secrets secret. The brothers had loads of money and easy access to anything they needed. They had many people sworn to secrecy that could've easily helped, as well. Marilyn is such a huge icon to me and a lot of other women. She always has been and I believe that she was just in the middle of a very bad ordeal, which in return got her killed by some very bad people. It may have been a short life for her, but she will always be an icon around the globe.