After all, she is now well on the way to being a national treasure'! Every so often, when I have expelled my mixture of waffle and blather here at D&N, I pay her site a visit to remind myself what proper rigorous thinking is like. Today, in her very proper lawyer-like way, she examines a case which can only be described as cataclysmic for everyone concerned but especially Dr. Stephen Hamilton, a middle-aged, married doctor who was convicted three years ago for sexual activity with his daughter. He appealed the conviction but the Appeal Court upheld the judgment.
Before I go further let me remind you that (so far!) my only experience of Crown Courts was when I was called as a defence witness for one of my old car-trader mates and the Judge, who looked around 103 years of age, admonished me in the strongest terms for "uttering forged documents"! I nearly wet myself in fear but considering it all later it confirmed my suspicion that many of our Judges are just a bunch of puffed-up 'Cocklecarrots'!
Anyway, taking my cue from Ms. Raccoon (as though I would dare to do otherwise!), a jury found Dr. Hamilton guilty and we must abide by that decision which has now been confirmed by the Court of Appeal. However, there are ramifications to this case which Ms. Raccoon describes much better than I ever could. I will not attempt to summarise them but urge you to read her post on the subject. WARNING: it will leave you exceedingly uneasy about our so-called 'justice system'.
I am already uneasy about our justice system and every other unaccountable body all in some way attached to government. Few of them are fit for purpose and serve themselves to a greater degree than they do us their customers. Government and their attachments are all monopolies. Show me a monopoly and I will show you an organisation that is corrupt, wasteful, inefficient and incompetent.
Posted by: Antisthenes | Tuesday, 23 August 2016 at 10:09
Antisthenes, maybe your justice system is becoming "selective justice" like ours over here. All governments go this route and all democracies follow.
Posted by: Whitewall | Tuesday, 23 August 2016 at 13:16
Whitewall I do not believe our justice system has yet sunk that low given time and progressives no doubt it will. Our supreme court has not been politicised may be because it is a recent addition to our justice system. Although I do believe our system is less open to manipulation by vested interests.
When in 1783 you divested yourself of the British monarch in favour of a president and a written constitution (a constitution that is full of exemplary intent but open to abuse) you paved the way for his replacement by a president that has many of his same powers. Any president that misuses those powers and there have been many especially the current one and the next one who ever it is then it will lead to corruption. In those circumstances if the head is corrupt then the body politic will follow and it certainly has in your great country.
Posted by: Antisthenes | Tuesday, 23 August 2016 at 14:20
Antisthenes, you are right of course. We are at a tipping point here in the US. Witness the caliber of candidates for president. Soon, a return to Monarchy might look good...mind you a great deal of "justice" will need to be meted out to a great many people to make it possible. Something must give. If the rule of law no longer applies then the rule of man follows. Next is the rule by gun. After that, we start over. Most likely under dictatorship.
Posted by: Whitewall | Tuesday, 23 August 2016 at 14:46
Trump and Berni Sanders both use fascist type rhetoric, posture, gestures and appeal to the people who look for strong leadership. Just like Hitler and Mussolini. We have our own would be dictator in the current Labour party leader, Corbyn. Watching the audience at and listening to one of his speech making venues at a place called Newbury the chanting and adulation was more Nuremberg than Newbury. Clinton is only moderately less dangerous. Although it may be worse because her approach is less obvious but the aim is the same. Supremacy but in her case it is not of the right or the socialists but by the left progressives (you may use liberals in the USA to describe them which they certainly are not in the classical sense at least).
Maybe the next American revolution will be to overthrow the establishment and replace it with a monarchy. It works for us. A constitutional monarch with no written constitution appears to work better.
Posted by: Antisthenes | Wednesday, 24 August 2016 at 11:22