We’ve all heard the old saw that you can’t shout fire in a crowded theatre. In today’s reality, this bears a bit more investigation.
Suppose some person, let’s call her Ms. T for short, decides to call out fire in the proverbial theatre. Suppose also that T is fully aware that there is no fire or any type of imminent danger. Let’s not debate the reasons, just say that T had her own personal reasons and shouted Fire for some perceived personal benefit. Suppose that a significant number of those present in this theatre believe T that there is a fire and head for the exits will all possible haste. And in the mele a few people get trampled. Presume that it is even the case that one or more die from the panic caused by T.
Would it be far-fetched to think that T could, and should, be charged and convicted with manslaughter? The definition of manslaughter is:
the crime of killing a human being without malice aforethought, or otherwise in circumstances not amounting to murder.
That definition refers to the direct killing of a person. What about indirect? T did not trample those people herself, but she did cause the riot, willfully, and intentionally. Only a modicum of thought will lead to the conclusion that a melee and injuries are the probable results of said behavior. She made her calls of fire with the full knowledge of the probable results.
What if T were in a multi-theatre building and convinced several people to shout fire in multiple theatres. And presume each of them entered separate theaters, shouted “Fire,” and each or several of them caused stampedes with deadly results. Presume they would not have taken that action without encouragement from T.
There is a clear, easy, and direct connection. T is indeed the ultimate progeniture of the stampedes and deaths. She is guilty of manslaughter.
Is the concept applicable to other situations? Let’s presume T is in some other setting and shouts about a non-existent danger. Presume that some number of people panic because of her words. Maybe many of the people hearing her lose some things that are valuable to them. Maybe even a few die. Maybe some people falsely believe they have, or are, losing something valuable. Those people go on a rampage because of what T said. And all as a direct result of the false proclamations by T.
Yes, indeed, T has behaved badly and should be held accountable.
Suppose that T shouts out: Election Fraud, when there is none. When she has absolutely no evidence what-so-ever of the proclaimed fraud.
Does T really have that right, to shout election fraud when there is absolutely no evidence?
And what if those she convinces start a riot, and people die. Maybe even a riot at the capital of these United States.
And she has been, and continues to, shout election fraud as loud as she possibly can. She has produced no evidence to support his claims. People have died as a direct result of her claims.
As you have probably guessed by now, T is Donny boy Trump. I’ll follow his lead of assigning nicknames to people he does not like and call him dBt, short for Donny Boy Trump with the emphasis on the boy.
And possibly worse, many have taken up his cause. They have threatened public officials and election workers for the benefit of dBt. Many people who have served to ensure fair elections have been threatened with harm and outright death for doing their job. A reasonable conclusion is that the majority of those threats are from those who follow him. And no one, not ever, has produced any evidence of those claims for a fraudulent election.
As this is written, more than two years after the riot he instigated, he has not been held accountable.
What now?
While it is looking bad for dBt, he remains free and has not been charged with anything. There are many who consider that to be a crime in of itself. A crime to not confront someone who has so egregiously violated laws and all normal and reasonable behavior. A crime to not uphold the law, and at the very least, stop the lies that continue to infect the feeble minded of our population. Silence is acquiescence. Inaction in the face of obvious violations of the law is complicity.
Every day that passes in another day that the United States system of justice continues to fail the citizens. It is more than time to charge and try Trump for his crimes. The fraudulent claim of election fraud is just only tiny crime among his many.
The author of this blog has written many letters and postcards urging those in charge to take the action they have agreed to as a matter of holding their position. This list includes those such at the Attorney General of the United States, the President, the Vice President, and more.
Our democracy is at serious risk. The 2022 midterm elections might be too late. It is past time for all citizens to contact the DOJ at both the federal and state levels and encourage them, strongly encourage them to take action and do it today.
Thank you for your time,
Bryan Kelly