Keller @ Large: Hollywood's Disgraceful Spin On Tonya Harding Story

BOSTON (CBS) - One of the more appalling aspects of our culture is the tendency some have to blame the victims of crime as much as - or even instead of - the criminals. What did the rape victim do to incite the assault? What was that teenager doing out late at night when he got shot? And so on.

It's an unfair, distasteful social habit that you would think the compassionate progressives in Hollywood would avoid. But you would be wrong.

Movie award season has already been good to the movie "I, Tonya," a reportedly sympathetic account of figure skater Tonya Harding's life. Harding, you recall, pled guilty to hindering the prosecution of the 1994 attack on competing skater Nancy Kerrigan of Stoneham, who was assaulted by a thug hired by a crony of Harding's ex-husband. She was banned from the U.S. Figure Skating Association for life.

But this movie apparently portrays Harding as the victim. Her mother was abusive, we're told. The guys behind the kneecapping of Kerrigan were idiots, comically so. According to the movie industry, these are the elements worth emphasizing about this sad story, not the physical and professional damage done to an innocent woman.

Tonya Harding has been lapping up all the favorable attention generated by this film, but a few interviewers have called her out on the topic of who the real victim is.

Good for them.

And shame on the greed heads turning a profit over this gross distortion of the truth - the real truth, that is.

Talk back to me about this via email at keller@wbztv.com, or you can reach me on Twitter, @kelleratlarge.