Weaponizing the "Accusation"

Allegations are just accusations and denunciations about a person. They do not need to be substantiated. They are often slung in a person’s direction to tarnish character and to point out transgressions, proven or not. Facts, on the other hand are truths backed by evidence which presents indisputable data. We always believe facts. Allegations, however, are suspect and should not be concluded upon until they have run their due and fair course.

Within the last decade, far greater than any previous decade in my lifetime, we have seen a dramatic increased allegiance to this religion called ‘Allegations are Truth’ and where justice is served out in the public court of opinion. No longer are we required to provide a burden of proof towards one’s guilt only the suggestion or the whisper that some level of ilk or evil has occurred. Individuals are ousted from Universities in a manner that they are tantamount to a violation of our right to have our day in court – we are in fact presumed guilty from the get go and it becomes the accused’s job to plead their case of innocence versus the burden of proof being upon us to prove them guilty … you know that thing in that pesky Bill of Rights … yep that one. There is no room for civil discourse. To have a civil discussion would imply that your opinion matters when in fact, the public court of opinion and identity politics would quickly tell you that you are wrong and any attempt to counter the ‘message’ means you are - a Nazi, a Supremacists, or a <fill in the blank>phobic, or worse yet… your race and gender invalidates your opinion and there is no need to hear you at all or recognize the validity of what you bring to the table.

With the aid of social media and lazy journalism, we indeed have taken ‘accusations’ and fully weaponized them. I only pray that at some point in the not so distant future that we realize the folly of our actions and steer course in a more positive direction that values the discussion – values the debate – values the diversity of thought… that diversity of thought is paramount over diversity of identity.