Friday, November 17, 2017

Guilt and Innocence







The issue with the statement "ALL women should be believed", is that it insinuates ALL women are good, honest, innocent victims who never lie. Who NEVER do wrong.

It ALSO insinuates that ALL men are predators, and should be presumed guilty until proven otherwise (which is apparently never, if women NEVER lie or falsely accuse). This creates a culture we are seeing in action, where EVERY accused is immediately presumed to be guilty, and presumed to be a monster, and their life should be utterly ruined and their public image trampled, before anything at all can actually be proven or settled in a court of law.

Victims SHOULD be believed. But SO should the falsely accused. Victims should NOT be shamed or silenced, scared to come forward. But people who are falsely accused, and yes it DOES happen and DOES exist (I've known at least three people it's happened to), ALSO have a right to be believed, and presumed "Innocent Until Proven Guilty". It IS a horrible world out there for victims, in a society that has often ignored or silenced them. But it's ALSO pretty terrifying, that we are coming into an age where all someone has to do is ACCUSE you, and the public at large will automatically believe it to be true, and your life is basically over, even if you are 100% innocent. That isn't Justice, or Equality, or Freedom, or any of the other pretty words people like to parade about.

Make no mistake: It IS a good thing that we are seeing a movement where many victims are finally feeling brave enough to come forward, and tell their stories. Rape, sexual assault, etc. are an ugly and horrible thing. But it is ALSO seemingly inevitable, that in the MIDST of this wave, there ARE going to come to light accusations that are 100% FALSE. Lies designed specifically to take advantage of this new situation, specifically to hurt or destroy someone. And that is bullshit, and harmful, both for the falsely accused, as well as ACTUAL victims. People, ALL people, should be protected from being victimized. But amidst the efforts TO protect them, we should NOT forget that the accused ALSO have rights. And that believe it or not, even if it IS sadly a relatively small number, SOME of the accused are BOUND to be innocent. THEY are then victims too, and should also be protected by the SAME laws. Cared about by the SAME society.

Otherwise "Justice" means nothing. Period.

No comments:

Post a Comment