I find this statement sometimes are used by lawyers to get their clients off from cases which can be compounded or the smart one (or know how to bend the rule) use it for even big cases involving lost lives or significant damages. It basically means that if you are the only one who get caught whilst you were in a crowd of people who was doing the same thing, why were you the only one who was brought to court to be tried. How about other people? Don't they deserve to be charged too and if you still have not caught them yet, shouldn't you let me go first then wait for them to be caught so we can be tried together.
It is basically a herd mentality which let us to believe that what we do have merits when there are other people who are doing it. If someone drives in the emergency lane (a daily occurance on ur highways), why did the policeman select those that they could see and allow others to pass by. If I am in a crowd, why didn't the whole crowd caught and then put on trial. I bet the hundreds of certain political parties' members in Malaysia had used this defence one time or another.
Selective prosecution they say. Lemmings mentality I say. Who don't know the trick of one person looking at the sky and muttering to himself or whoever within hearing questioning, hey! what's that? Huh? The next person asked? Can't you see it? The first guy ask. Then you have a crowd looking up at the sky, being made a fool of.
This post don't have nothing to do with any one significant event either locally or internationally. It's just a question to be pondered on how gullible people can sometimes be. In a crowd, you always feel safe. Either on the grandstand of a football match or on the street partying with your friends on new years eve. In short, it can happen to anyone and some of these people who can make educated decisions by themselves. Better to think before you do anything. Peer pressure is one thing but running off when all the people on the street are also running may save your life but shouldn't you be asking why are they running? A clear perspective can sometimes save your life. Or just make a fool out of you....
p/s - by the way, the title was taken (with a bit of a literary creative license thrown in) from an old Cranberries album, a band from Ireland long ago...
2 comments:
on one hand, it does make sense: why stop the "normal" cars that illegally use the emergency lanes, but let the fancy plated expensive cars go unhindered? Mana aci!?
At the same time, though, using this argument to not take responsibility for actions is also bogus.
Ideally, enforcement of any law should be such that this argument truly doesn't hold water, i.e. can't get away with pointing to others arguing they are doing it, why prosecute only me?
Me, I try to stay on the good side of the law... prevention is better than cure :D
I agree with Lynne that it is better to stay on the good side of the law as a prevention against"SELECTIVE Mind/ Memory" of those law enforcers in Malaysia.
The standard of INTEGRITY in Malaysia need much improvements and it's only through a revamp in education system plus media help, this can be CHANGED!
Jan 22, 2009.....US will see much CHANGES...... wonder will be Malaysia's turn?
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