Whoa--long phone call

So what's on your mind?
Oh, right--you're still giving me the silent treatment.

Okay then, here's what's on mine:

A personal friend was lately publicly accused of a crime. While I believe that his accuser may be telling the truth , I find her approach not only mistaken, but almost suspicious. It doesn't help that she came forward with this fourteen months after the alleged crime took place.

If I sent postcards to your peers and workmates accusing you of (let's suppose) being a paediophile, what action would you take? Yet the accuser seems not to have thought this through. Whether or not her version of events is true (as a personal friend to both parties may I be allowed to stipulate that both versions of events may be true for the individuals involved?), the place to discuss this is in not in an unmoderated public forum.

Now my friend is damned if he responds, and libelled (and slandered) if he doesn't. Response will look like cover-up, and failure to respond leaves her version of events unchallenged. So he's done what she should have. He went to the authorities.

By doing things the way she did, this person ensured that this guy can't clear his name unless she publicly recants, which is sure to breed hard feelings and more pain all around.

But I really feel she's left him no choice. Were I in his shoes I'd probably sue her for libel and demand the public apology. I believe he's willing to settle for a written apology. It's too late for him. His reputation has been damaged, beyond repair in the minds of some of his peers. This will affect his working life, his time in college, and his psyche.

I am not denying her her right to accuse someone she feels has done her wrong. But there's a place for serious accusations. There was also a time--roughly fourteen months ago.

As I said earlier--both versions of what went down could be true. But there's no proof, and in my mind, by attempting to present unchallenged her version of the facts, this person has let herself down completely. What she's done to the person she accused is just mayonnaise in a $#!Ψ sandwich.

And now justice demands she share it.

It's a lousy deal for everyone all around. Why would she do things this way? Going to the cops would have made more sense. I can only assume it's because she isn't sufficiently convinced of the validity of her case to chance giving anyone else a say.

And that really hurts, 'cos I'm quite fond of her--never thought she could be vindictive.

I keep meaning to blog on advertising, but haven't managed to get round to it.