Dayton Daily News

Depp’s victory in court was a triumph for truth, all men

- Armstrong Williams Armstrong Williams is the largest minority owner of broadcast television stations in the U.S.

Amber Heard made a social media post after the verdict of her trial against ex-husband Johnny Depp was read, peddling the notion that the outcome is a setback for women. This is shameful, to say the least. This case was not about women. This case was about nothing other than finding the truth, irrespecti­ve of gender. The world and the jury listened to Heard’s testimony and saw the evidence. Unsurprisi­ngly, few people believed a word out of her mouth, and most everyone, including the jury, saw that she was a liar.

Powerful women have used their platforms to propagate completely fabricated lies about domestic violence and sexual assault that supposedly occurred against them. We’ve seen so many despicable instances of this. Look no further than

Brett Kavanaugh’s hearings during his nomination process to the

Supreme Court. Unfortunat­ely, this is just one of many examples. The blunt reality is that the “believe all women” narrative is a farce; it only serves to destroy the lives of good men and to make it impossible for men to have their side of the story told, even in cases in which they may be the victim.

Believe the truth. That is what we should believe, full stop. If you are someone who is quick to judge others without hearing both sides of the story, then you are part of the problem. Depp’s is so much more than a personal victory and is perhaps a bigger one for men across the U.S. than for Depp.

The #MeToo movement taught us to automatica­lly believe women, as if they are incapable of lying. Well, they can. Though we should take these matters seriously, we should look at the evidence and facts before we just believe someone because they happen to be a woman. If an accusation against a man is made, we are to accept the woman’s claims as the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. On the other hand, the man is presumed guilty, and regardless of what truth might later arise, he has likely already lost his career, family, friends and reputation. However, this isn’t how justice in America is supposed to work. There is a well-establishe­d process in which evidence is acquired, and even the accused must have a chance to argue their innocence. Recently, that seemed to no longer been the case, until the Depp/ Heard verdict.

Depp is the first man to successful­ly fight back against this attack and injustice. After Heard wrote an op-ed in The Washington Post stating she was a victim of domestic abuse from a marriage, though not mentioning Depp by name, it was very clear he was the man whom she was talking about. The impact her article had on Depp and his work and financial earnings can’t be understate­d. Companies such as Disney, which owns the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise, severed ties with the actor as a result of Heard’s claims. Now, Depp could’ve done what many have had to do: accept it, lose his career and become a pariah forever. Instead, however, he fought back against allegation­s that were clearly fishy, and the jury agreed with him, as did most of those viewing the trial. He fought tooth and nail to win and to maintain his reputation, his career and the legacy he’s built through years of hard work and dedication to his craft.

This victory should simply remind us that in the United States, justice remains blind and fair, regardless of gender, race or the woke left agenda.

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