re: Meltdown time. Cam and Hootie special edition

quote:

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It's almost like there's an assumption that if there isn't enough evidence to charge criminally, or for whatever reason the person isn't charged criminally, or if they are found not guilty, they should automatically be allowed to play. I believe that sets a dangerous precedent.

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Well, I have trouble going away -- and away I must go, because I do have work to do -- without addressing this. Granted, playing is a privilege, but a fervent (there have been other, more half-hearted examples in the past) innocent until proven guilty ethos is quite likely the greatest contribution American jurisprudence has given to the common discourse. More than freedom of expression, more than Miranda rights, more than anything I can think of right now. I have absolutely no issue whatsoever with a college sports program modeling its behavior on that. We can all have our opinions of a person's guilt -- most people still believe OJ was guilty even though he was acquitted -- but criticizing an institution for taking that path is a far more dangerous precedent in my opinion.