WiseGal

Presumption of Innocence in the Me Too Era One of the greatest things about being American is our country’s focus on liberty. Freedom is of such importance that almost everything is secondary to it. Out of this emphasis on liberty came the entire structure of our government and justice system. One of the ways our justice system protects freedom is by presuming innocence of criminal defendants until their guilt has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt. This presumption of innocence is integral to the entire criminal process. The burden is on the state, meaning the state has to prove its position that the defendant is guilty. The defense, however, doesn’t have to prove innocence; the defense doesn’t have to prove anything. They simply have to attempt to dismantle the prosecutor’s case. The state is the party that has to show up to court ready with its evidence so that guilt can be proven. Until they do, the defendant is innocent. The Innocence Project has shown how p...

Some people feel offended when they hear things like “the most important job a woman can do is to be a mother.” I suppose it would be better to say “the most important job a person can do is to be a parent.” In any case, these statements and similar ones are often met with a laundry list of other important jobs in an attempt to refute the original assertion. “What about curing cancer?” “What about saving lives?” Of course, curing cancer is incredibly important as well. However, being a parent is even more important because of its enormous influence over at least one life. Parenting is more important in the sense that it can make the difference between raising the child who goes on to cure cancer and raising the child who, while he had all of the innate skills necessary for curing cancer, didn't do so because his parents led him down a different path. So much of a person’s life depends on his or her parents. They determine where a child lives, where he goes to ...

The Lord has been trying to shake me awake. Trying to pull me out of my arrogance and teach me the true meaning of humility.  “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Matt 5:5. For the longest time, I never understood the connection between meekness and inheriting the earth. What does one have to do with the other? But I think I’m finally understanding. God does not want for His followers to come to the false conclusion that they are responsible for the blessings in their lives. In the second letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul tells us that after all of the amazing miracles and wonders God worked through him, he was given a “thorn in the flesh…an angel of Satan, to beat [him], to keep [him] from being too elated.” 2 Cor 12:7. That is some powerful imagery. In order for Paul to stay meek, he needed to remember that he was mere human. And by remembering his humanity, Paul would be forced to rely on the Lord for everything. And by relying on the L...