Weighing Justice with Mercy

The outcome of the Chris Hunhe and Vicky Price case has been the big talking point recently.

The legal issues are now dealt with but I wonder what else we might learn from the disaster this family faced.

Like mostly any subject, opinions are very diverse, ranging from most severe to compassion.

What might influence the wide difference?

In simple terms its how we feel about a subject and then how we direct our opinion.

It is right and proper to recognise a wrong when it’s done.

The difficulty is that we find it difficult to separate out being opposed to the wrong without showing our opposition to people.

The cry for Justice is loud but remembering that any decent society would hope for a balance of Mercy is Important.

This is the challenge for any Judge and hopefully, in most instances, never gets forgotten.

Undoubtedly, being very public property may have gone against this couple and anyone found guilty of phone hacking in the future can expect no less than a custodial sentence too.

The public demand it and public opinion will influence the outcome.

Some only see the crime whilst others see the people.

Revelling in someone’s disaster adds nothing and robs us personally of something decent.

An old saying says “before you set off to wreak vengeance on someone, dig two graves”.

The point is that moving from opinion to acting as a judge and jury is not healthy.

Being reasonable in all things is to be commended.

If we think ourselves to be perfect we think foolishly.

As armchair critics we occupy ourselves with things of no benefit.

To gloat at someone’s misfortune is not a recommendation.

Justice has now been enacted.

There must always be a time for Mercy and just as we would hope to receive it, we should recognise its benefit.

One thing that did surprise me was that an MP can still continue in his job unless sentenced to 12 months.

This is poor Governance and in most other walks of life in Public Office the standard for disqualification would more likely be 3 months.

For us, we might consider how we deal with others in times of their difficulties.

The reason? One rebuilds and the other destroys.