Don’t be quick to judge others

FACEBOOK has made us become judges, jurors and executioners.
But thank God our courts do not decide on cases based on what people say on social media because if it did, everyone would be found guilty and the punishments would be cruel.
Facebook has given people the shameless confidence to voice their unfiltered and unwanted opinions.
Everyone is an expert, thinking their opinions are facts.
When a crime story makes headlines, the comment threads are filled with people thinking that they know better than the authorities.
They pass judgment on suspects.
It’s a good thing society has moved away from public stoning.
These brings to mind the infamous trial of George Stinney Jr.
Stinney, a 14-year-old black boy, accused of murdering two white girls became the youngest person to be executed in the United States of America in the 20th century.
He was sent to the electric chair in 1944.
But more than 70 years after his death, his conviction was overturned.
Circuit judge Carmen Mullen said the speed with which the state meted out justice against the boy was shocking and extremely unfair, and that his case was a “great injustice” in her ruling.
She exonerated Stinney Jr.
Today, many express their bafflement towards such acts.
If you read comments on social media, you can see the possibility of this happening.
Last week, social media users crucified Jessie Wangua, a senior executive of a major state-owned enterprise, who had his day in the kangaroo court mooted by social media.
Wangua was in police custody for his own protection as the relatives of his deceased wife confronted him at the Paradise Private Hospital on suspicions of him killing his wife.
As news hit the mainstream media of him being taken by the police, social media immediately went frantic with all sorts of allegations.
He had to quietly go through the ordeal.
When asked if the hot speculations would affect his job and career, he calmly replied: “The board and management of Kumul Telikom Holdings Ltd are fully aware of the unfounded allegations and had refuted all these claims”.
Last Friday, the moment of truth came through for Wangua when the police investigations proved that he was innocent and cleared him from all. Social media has taken away our empathy and left us cold and cynical.
We have thrown out the old adage: “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all”.
We hide behind our keyboards.
We’re just cruel cowards just waiting to hang the next person in a long line of victims.
Let’s not be quick to judge.

David Lepi