Guilty until proven innocent?
Re: ‘Categorically Untrue’: Patrick Brown denies sexual misconduct, Jan. 25.
You have to feel for Patrick Brown, a dedicated politician who had worked so hard to position his party to replace the arrogant and incompetent Liberals, only to be brutally blindsided at the last minute by unproven accusations of sexual harassment, by as yet unidentified sources. The speed with which his party and the public court of opinion (including the media) outright condemned him is staggering, with a blatant presumption of guilty, and no option or chance to defend his innocence and reputation, which is inevitably left in tatters.
If you want to get at someone these days, all you need do is accuse them of sexual harassment, regardless of how trivial, inconsequential or long ago any such incident may have been.
It’s time society (and the media) recognized the devastating impact such accusations can have and held the accusers to solid proof of both the events and the personal impact (if any), along with related consequences for them if their concerns prove to be unfounded or insignificant.
Bill Williams, Richmond