“[T]he ability to immediately express an unfounded opinion that’s not based on any kind of data or fact or research. It’s just your opinion.”

– Maynard James Keenan when speaking about online culture

Couple of things right off the get-go:

  • I do think that an assault (okay, multiple assaults) took place & I do sympathize with the victims;
  • The Canadian Legal system is good, but not great;
  • Society needs to dial it back a LOT on social media (which we’ll dive into later).

 

I’ve watched this interview by Peter Mansbridge at least four times and keep coming back to the same conclusion: Marie Henein is right (from a legal perspective), and people need to stop attacking her personally.

Throughout the interview, Mansbridge brings it back to comments on Facebook or Twitter (noting the hashtag #IBelieveSurvivors) and how some are saying she’s set women’s rights back or people have felt betrayed over the fact that she took on this case. Look at it like this:

  • Ms. Henein has been an attorney for 25 years (not an easy feat) and is highly regarded by her colleagues as one of the best in the province, if not the country;
  • She believes in the system;
  • If Ms. Henein didn’t take on the case, someone else (most likely) would have (keep that in mind, it’s Jian Ghomeshi’s right to a fair trial and his right to a representative should he choose to have one);
  • Ms. Henein is okay with people throwing shade at her (“I respect their right to say [they felt betrayed by her].”) should show that she’s at least being fair & not dismissive (even if she disagrees with their point of view, which she does…not surprising).

 

In a time where we’re trying to encourage everyone to be equal, we’re going to go after her personally because she’s a female who took on a high-profile & controversial case?

 

How about you look at this instead: she was doing her job (did it well) and the system needs to get changed?

 

More resources need to get put into these kinds of cases (for the Crown, the police in evidence collecting, etc.), the possibility/idea of not granting the defense immunity from taking the stand should be taken away (allowing for a thorough cross-examination), and (apparently) more needs to get done to educate people about how our legal system operates.

 

Going after someone for doing her job (effectively) which she has worked hard at in order to get the recognition and respect she deserves is more backwards than the verdict. People need to reflect and evaluate what they’re about to put up online before they hit post or send; social media is a powerful tool and should be used more for good (i.e. to educate) than to just spew nonsense.

 

…but that’s just my opinion.

 

Thanks for reading & stay connected with me on Twitter: @ChrisFudali