Burden of Proof
Seems to start off good. First The Christian Science Monitor picks up the story questioning whether racial epithets were hurled at Congressional Black Caucus members on March 20. This might be the largest big-name news outfit to highlight this painfully unexplored story.
But then they blow it in the second paragraph: “Without hard evidence for either side, the conventional wisdom might be for tea partyers to let the incident slide and to blame the movement’s more radical elements. Instead, a group called the Tea Party Federation sent a letter to the CBC on April 26 demanding video or audio corroboration of the accusations.”
Uh, wait. A couple of points to author Patrik Jonsson, who displays typical J-school ignorance in an otherwise important piece.
First, the CBC accused the Tea Party members of calling them vile names. They made the claim: they need to produce the evidence. Perhaps the videocameras being carried by some CBC members would have the evidence? Nothing? Curious, because the burden of proof is on the claimant.
Second, even though no proof was required by the defense, they had it anyway. Video evidence of the incident was posted up by attendees. It covers the entire walk by the CBC members, and despite loud and rampant booing, there is not a single racial comment made. Not one. And why, again, were they walking through the protestors, when they could have easily used a secured entrance?
Jonsson acknowledges that Democrats in the group have recanted their claims. And that video disproves the claims, but may not have captured as much of the event as it might seem. The rest of his report covers the notion that things seem to point to a fraudulent claim. These are all good things to cover, even though the event happened four months ago. The Czar is, ultimately, pleased with the piece for acknowledging that cries of racism have become so commonplace and fraudulent that they may no longer have real currency.
But make no mistake: there is evidence, and the defense supplied it without needing to. So the CBC needs to either publicly counter the evidence, or publicly apologize—and make sure the apology is as soundly heard as the original complaint.
Божію Поспѣшествующею Милостію Мы, Дима Грозный Императоръ и Самодержецъ Всероссiйскiй, цѣсарь Московскiй. The Czar was born in the steppes of Russia in 1267, and was cheated out of total control of all Russia upon the death of Boris Mikhailovich, who replaced Alexander Yaroslav Nevsky in 1263. However, in 1283, our Czar was passed over due to a clerical error and the rule of all Russia went to his second cousin Daniil (Даниил Александрович), whom Czar still resents. As a half-hearted apology, the Czar was awarded control over Muscovy, inconveniently located 5,000 miles away just outside Chicago. He now spends his time seething about this and writing about other stuff that bothers him.