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53 | voice
Jul. 29th, 2012 02:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
osrebornHumor me for a moment, Network. I've been pondering, and I've decided to indulge outside opinions.
Now, I say this as a man who has had first-hand experience with unsavory reputations, so I can already predict a great deal of your answers. I still wonder where the majority stands on the burden of proof:
Should accusations be believed when there is nothing to back them? "Gut feeling," you might say. Yes, you might say, if the accuser is trustworthy. An optimistic, naive answer, but it's a perspective most of us can relate to. Of course, that answer refuses to acknowledge the cases where both parties may not be worthy of trust. Or the cases where the accusing party might have reason -- quite sound, to them -- to lie. To exaggerate. Or simply, they might be wrong.
After all, everyone makes mistakes.
[ A very deliberate pause, then he continues: ]
Obviously, I'm asking about your personal feelings, not about any legal standpoint. If a man could get arrested without legal evidence, I'm sure we can all agree what an insult to justice that would be.
Now, I say this as a man who has had first-hand experience with unsavory reputations, so I can already predict a great deal of your answers. I still wonder where the majority stands on the burden of proof:
Should accusations be believed when there is nothing to back them? "Gut feeling," you might say. Yes, you might say, if the accuser is trustworthy. An optimistic, naive answer, but it's a perspective most of us can relate to. Of course, that answer refuses to acknowledge the cases where both parties may not be worthy of trust. Or the cases where the accusing party might have reason -- quite sound, to them -- to lie. To exaggerate. Or simply, they might be wrong.
After all, everyone makes mistakes.
[ A very deliberate pause, then he continues: ]
Obviously, I'm asking about your personal feelings, not about any legal standpoint. If a man could get arrested without legal evidence, I'm sure we can all agree what an insult to justice that would be.
