Conservatives Don't Understand Freedom

[mbarrick]

When you pick up a gun and commit a crime you lose your right to be free.

From now on the justice system will stop giving you the benefit of the doubt and send you to jail for a long time.

— Stephen Harper

Nice sentiment, sure to get support from the backwater rednecks and easily the panicked sorts that elect these fascists.

What they are talking about here, hiding it behind the newspeak "reverse onus", is eliminating the concept of "innocent until proven guilty" and replacing it with a presumption of guilt. Much like the Americans doing away with habeas corpus, this flies in the face of the fundamental qualities that differentiate free countries from authoritarian tyrannies.

Section 11(d) of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms states states pretty damn clearly: "Any person charged with an offence has the right ... to be presumed innocent until proven guilty according to law in a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal".

Comments

[mbarrick.livejournal.com]

I can respect that.

I don't agree, obviously, but it wouldn't be the only place we "draw the line" in a different place.

But don't you find it odd that I, the liberal, am arguing on the side of personal freedom and less government power, while you, the conservative, are arguing for less individual freedom and more government power?

[dream-king.livejournal.com]

Normally I am of the opinion that the government is the problem, however, since the judicial system is so lax on criminal behaviour, this is one situation in which I believe more government is needed, sadly...