Due Process
The United States Constitution is our friend. It guarantees American citizens important rights. For example, we are promised that, if accused of a crime, we will be presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. We will be afforded “due process.”
The Fifth Amendment in the Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution provides, “No person shall…be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.” The Fourteenth Amendment carries this message to all fifty states.
However, it seems fake news coming from the mainstream media is determined to short circuit due process and jump from accused to “guilty.”
First, I noticed it most clearly after the Brett Kavanaugh nomination. When Dr. Ford accused Mr. Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct, the news took the accusation and used it as both proof of guilt and punishment. Without any form of due process, Mr. Kavanaugh was treated as guilty only because he was accused. Further, the accusation was used as a bludgeoning tool to hit Mr. Kavanaugh over and over again.
There is no evidence any accusations against Mr. Kavanaugh were true. He has had an exemplary career in the legal system and as federal judge.
I believe the accusations and the repetition by the mainstream media were politically motivated. I believe the left just didn’t want a conservative judge appointed to the Supreme Court. (I only hope Mr. Kavanaugh is as conservative as he should be to hold true to the Constitution. If you are reading this, Mr. Kavanaugh, don’t let the b ——- get you down. Hold true to what’s right.)
Next, I saw a headline in a San Francisco newspaper blasting Catholic priests with accusations. I believe those priests are American citizens and must be afforded due process. They are not guilty unless guilt is proven in a court of law.
“The announcement followed shocking report last month from a Pennsylvania grand jury that found the Catholic Church there guilty of covering up abuse by more than 300 priests over 70 years”(McBride, paragraph 2). I’m not Catholic but I am offended by this article. My understanding is that a grand jury does not try and convict. Note the paper said the church was guilty, not the individuals. In my opinion, the story in the Chronicle is irresponsible and inflammatory. Imagine you are an innocent priest and your name is released. Lives will be ruined. This is a violation of due process and it’s unamerican. It’s something that would come from a third world country with an unenlightened government and uneducated populace.
I’m a teacher. We are studying the Constitution as part of our government class. I bought a copy of the newspaper and showed it to my class. I gave the two examples of the media’s use of accusations and indictments — treatment of Brett Kavanaugh and the Catholic priests. One of the students announced she didn’t like Brett Kavanaugh anyway. I stated she was entitled to her opinion, that I just wanted students to realize American citizens have the right to due process. No one is assumed to be guilty just because he or she is accused. The girl did not seem to understand the point.
I was disheartened. I hope the others in the class understood the point. Unless we know what is guaranteed in the United States Constitution and demand our leaders adhere to that, how can America continue to exist as a free nation?
If we don’t understand and value our own rights and freedoms, evil political leaders may take those rights and freedoms away.
Finally, I told my class that due process applies to all Americans, even ones we don’t like.
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References:
McBride, Ashley and Erin Allday. San Francisco Chronicle. September 14, 2018. https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/San-Jose-s-Catholic-diocese-will-release-names-13230817.php, , retrieved October 20, 2018.
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