Welcome to the Weekly Sceptic, episode 55!
This week:
- Toby and Nick dissect the Russell Brand story in forensic detail
- The BBC cancels a programme on Róisín Murphy but promotes a band that sings “kick Terfs all day”
- Graham Linehan’s book is praised by Jonathan Ross and Richard Ayoade, who promptly get targeted for cancellation
- A Virginian Democrat is found to have livestreamed sex videos on Chaturbate
- Republican Lauren Boebart is kicked out of the Beetlejuice show for being fondled by her Democrat boyfriend
- Dr Will Jones with the Daily Sceptic’s top stories of the week
All that and, of course, Peak Woke!
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Music by Tinderella
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On the “court of public opinion” – no. The phrase was originally, and it should have remained, a metaphor. No such court should actually exist. It should not be able to jump due process and rain down punishments upon the head of anyone accused of crime – no matter how plausible the accusations. Otherwise the presumption of innocence is reduced to the status of a pious nonsense – which is more or less where it is. The longer we tolerate the authority of this “court” the more quickly we regress towards heresy trials and lynch law. As to the substance of the allegations against Brand – their truth or untruth, probability or unlikelihood – they cannot be discussed with any honesty when such words may affect his destiny as a defendant.
Let us recall what should be happening in a free and healthy society. First, he should not have been driven out or done down by any institution. The only body with powers to punish is – properly – the state and in the wake of a trial. Second, if the prima facie case against him has such strength then he should be arrested, charged and bailed. Third, nothing should be done by the media to prejudice the following trial. If investigative journalists found smoking guns, far from broadcasting them they should have handed them over to the police at once. Fourth, there is no difference whatsoever where due process is concerned between shoplifting and murder, so a man accused of sexual harassment is entitled to the same safeguards.
Frankly, I marvel that we should need reminding of these points. They are the bedrock of civil life. And I stand amazed that a former victim of the storm which now whirls about the head of Brand should not at once adopt them. True, Brand may be guilty – but before we say so, let him be charged; let us allow him the opportunity to defend himself. For his freedom is our freedom, when push comes to shove, because any one of us may one day be the target of malicious, false or untrue allegations.
Agree. Not keen on Russell Brand (that’s an understatement), but was a little disappointed at Toby’s take on this. Seemed to be basically joining in the ‘guilty’ ‘verdict’ on the basis of what he’d seen in the Sunday Times.
Re – writing history… I’m extremely familiar with it…
Toby put the boot into RB , telling us it was a dedicated journalistic effort over several years to expose him , oh the irony ! If only said journos had covered the stuff RB was highlighting with the same gusto ! It matters not what RB May or may not have done , the real covid / jab story has escaped again without a word on it from TY
Quite, the historic sexploits of a narcissist or the “vaccine” injuries and THE biggest globally orchestrated lie in history…. Take your pick…
Russell Brand hasn’t fallen.
He may be under attack, but he hasn’t fallen.
People haven’t fallen just because a mob of useful idiots are wagging their fingers all together in disapproval.
Fallen – you wish.
I find the cancelling of anyone TPTB don’t like to be outrageous and frankly criminal yet instead of their voices being quelled TPTB stoke up the flames even more. Britain used to stand for something, what happened to innocent until proven guilty?
Putting this here for Toby and his ‘nuanced’ position on the stolen USA presidential election in 2020. Watch at about 4:20. And regarding RB, no, the court of public opinion in the form of an investigation by the mainstream media does not entitle the machinery of HM Government to cancel the livelihoods of social media personalities.
https://gab.com/TuckerCarlsonTweets/posts/111111288714713720
I’m sorry, I find this rather too cosy a debate when compared to London Calling. Of course if TY has decided his position and that is immutable then I understand why the Delingpole shark attacks might feel quite uncomfortable. I simply don’t understand why, in situations where the evidence is ambiguous or unclear, people do not simply defend the principles of free speech, innocent until proven guilty etc without feeling they need to revert to taking a position.