I recently made a post about a a man in South Carolina who has been arrested on suspicion of drug dealing. They also happened to have found a lot of guns and other weapons that may or may not have been stolen. However, the way the article was constructed was almost like “Yellow Journalism”, which is illegal. The article made it sound as though the man was being charged because he had over 7000 guns plus other weapons.
Below is what I posted:
“I am amazed at how ignorant most of the posters really are. You hate guns, that is fine, but do not try to make it as though this article is not about the guns. It is.
First off the man was arrested, not convicted of drug trafficking. Most people here have found the man guilty of a crime before he has even gone to trial. Let the system do what is supposed to do and try the individual for crimes he has been charged.
Second, who cares if he has 1 or 100,000 guns. That is his right. If you do not like guns, then do not buy them. Obviously this individual likes guns. You do realize what the Second Amendment is for? It is mostly to prevent a tyrannical government, but it is to provide the individuals with the ability to protect themselves and this nation from foreign invaders. If you think the police and laws stop crimes, then you are more ignorant than I ever imagined. Both the police and the laws only come into play after a crime has been committed, not before. Yes, the police may get there in time to prevent the crime from going further, but the crime has already been initiated. If you think criminals care about the law, then you obviously do not understand the word criminal. You can put whatever law you want in place and a criminal will break it while the rest try to conform.
Third, how can any of you state is mental capacity. You do not know him? Are you a Psychiatrist who has examined him? You are going based on information that is written down and a photograph. Wow! As we all know everything that is written down in a news article has to be the truth and what we read and see on the internet obviously is true. News flash they want to sell and they want your attention and what better way to get it than through articles like this.
Fourth, If he is in possession of stolen goods and knows they are stolen, then that is a crime. Part of the law is intent. If he bought them from someone and did not know they were stolen, but thought they were the individuals personal property then that is not a crime on the buyers part. He bought them with good intentions. However, if he knew they were stolen or even suspected they were stolen at the time of purchase, then that is a crime. Even the police used the word what appeared to be and may have, that is they have no idea if they were stolen or not.
So stop convicting people based on information you have from sources you do not know.”
Unfortunately when I made the post there were some spelling errors and these were corrected above, but oh well. The basic meaning should have been conveyed. I was just a tad angry that people were so willing to crucify this man before he was found guilty by our judicial system.
Luke 6:37-42 New International Version (NIV)
Judging Others
37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
39 He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.
41 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
But our society today is so quick to judge others without knowing all the facts or interpreting information that is not even provided. Most of the blame in our society is largely due to the media. They are allowed to construct sentences in whatever order they want to mislead, say basically what they want to condemn, and there should be no consequences for their actions. All this is to create drama and to be the first to the airwaves/print to sell their paper and commercial time and all this it to make money.
How many times in the past 15-30 years has the news been totally incorrect and all they have to do is issue an apology? Why aren’t these people and organizations held to a higher accountability and punished severely for their decisions without having all the facts? They have literally destroyed lives due to their irresponsible actions all in the name of the public has a right to know. Right to know maybe, but that does not give you the right to publish false information just so you can be first. Something has to change with the reporters and the organizations that support their activities.