Presumption of Innocence

For John, BLUF:  Laws, if they are to protect all, must allow no exceptions for station or party.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Those Who Unmake Civilization

From PJ Media, by BY SARAH HOYT SEPTEMBER 27, 2018.

Here is the lede plus five:

I've been listening to crazy people saying things like, "someone isn't entitled to the presumption of innocence," or an accusation that is not only unproven but unprovable is "corroborated" in growing alarm. What goes through my mind is that this is the way you un-make civilization. Part of the problem is that our civilization – arguably, at least in terms of keeping the most people alive and in relative comfort – is not normal in the history of the world. This strange idea that each individual has rights, that the rights are inherent to them, that they deserve to be given due process and not simply destroyed because someone – anyone, or one of their betters – accused them of something is not only bizarre in terms of historical societies. It’s also something that took a long time to work itself through. And ever since it’s been created there have been attempts to take it back to “normal human society.” The attempts are usually the result of people who don’t understand the full horror that society used to be. People who think that society without all these “ridiculous” protections for normal individuals will be somehow better. Or people who understand how horrible it will be but think they will emerge on top and be able to make things serve a greater good somehow.

Sarah Hoyt tells it like it is.

So, here is the argument between Sir Thomas More and his son-in-law, William Roper:

Roper: "So now you'd give the devil the benefit of law?"
More: "Yes.  What would you do?  Cut a great road through the law to get after the devil?"
Roper: "I'd cut down every law in England to do that."
More: "Oh, and when the last law was down, and the devil turned on you, where would you hide, Roper, all the laws being flat?  This country is planted thick with laws from coast to coast, man's laws not God's, and if you cut them down -- and you're just the man to do it -- do you really think that you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then?  "Yes, I'd give the devil the benefit of the law, for my own safety's sake."

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff