• @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      English
      251 year ago

      I respect it by accepting the outcome of the legal process, even if I don’t like it, not by tying myself up in conversational knots. I, for one, will continue to say that he committed crimes, because he did. Whether he’s convicted is different matter.

      • @[email protected]
        link
        fedilink
        -61 year ago

        I respect it by accepting the outcome of the legal process, even if I don’t like it, not by tying myself up in conversational knots.

        I, for one, will continue to say that he committed crimes, because he did. Whether he’s convicted is different matter.

        English may be my second language, but isn’t those pretty contradictory?

        • PugJesus
          link
          fedilink
          161 year ago

          “I already believe he is guilty” is an opinion which does not violate the legal process unless you’re in the juror’s box or otherwise involved in the justice system prosecuting him.

        • @[email protected]
          link
          fedilink
          English
          101 year ago

          I don’t think so. One is a statement of (perceived) fact. The other the outcome of a process. Committing crimes is what triggers criminal legal proceedings. At least, in a just world. There are too many people convicted by a court of law who did not commit a crime, and I’m not going to call them criminals.

          • BaldProphet
            link
            fedilink
            11 year ago

            Committing crimes is what triggers criminal legal proceedings.

            Being accused of committing a crime is what triggers criminal legal proceedings. Many people commit crimes and get away with it because they have no accusers. Many others are defendants who are accused, but did not actually commit any crime. I’m not saying that Trump didn’t commit crimes (it’s pretty obvious that he did), but I am pointing out that it is the accusation and being formally charged that causes one to be prosecuted. In my mind, it’s an important distinction.

            • @[email protected]
              link
              fedilink
              English
              11 year ago

              Fair point, and a good elaboration. That dovetails with my thinking, too. If a house gets robbed and there’s no evidence who did it, we still call it a crime, even without a conviction in court. If we accuse somebody of it, that’s a good use of “accused criminal” in the colloquial sense.

              • BaldProphet
                link
                fedilink
                11 year ago

                I probably should have elaborated further in my first comment. The average Fediverse user seems to be highly reactionary, and I shouldn’t have assumed that people would read deeper into what I was trying to say.

        • @Viking_Hippie
          link
          21 year ago

          It’s my second language too and I can see how it might be confusing, but as far as I can tell, they’re saying

          “I’ll accept the verdict whether or not he’s declared guilty. That won’t stop me from continuing to say he’s guilty, though”

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      81 year ago

      Trump himself was all too happy to let accusations fly about Hunter Biden although nothing is proven guilty there.

    • @Viking_Hippie
      link
      61 year ago

      You must be either very rich and powerful or very delusional if you think the US “justice” system protects you and Trump equally 🙄

      Also, innocent until proven guilty is not a rare concept globally by any stretch of the imagination so you can stow your American Exceptionalism bullshit too while you’re at it.

      • BaldProphet
        link
        fedilink
        11 year ago

        It’s pretty rare in fact. Vast majority of humanity lives under judicial systems that require defendants to prove their innocence rather than prosecutors to prove the defendants’ guilt.

    • @WaxedWookie
      link
      51 year ago

      Given the reams of evidence that have been widely shared, I’m pretty comfortable applying my own standard of reasonable doubt and point out the obvious - he’s guilty.

      I’m not doling out consequences - if me saying that hurts his feelings, he’s welcome to try suing me.