Botticelli painted the playbook of modern smear politics five hundred years before Twitter ever existed. Calumny, envy, suspicion, and fraud working together to destroy a man’s reputation while truth stands ignored—that is practically a diagram of today’s media ecosystem. Allegation becomes evidence, headlines become verdicts, and the mob convicts long before facts appear. The founders understood this danger, which is why they built a system grounded in due process and the presumption of innocence. When those guardrails collapse, calumny replaces law. And as John Locke warned centuries ago: when law ends, tyranny begins. Truth survives only when citizens refuse to be manipulated.
Calumny is precisely I support a return to dueling; yes, the 18th Century lethal practice of seeking “satisfaction” from someone who has publicly inveighed against you. It would make society a lot more respectful & a lot less likely to engage in calumny or any similar sort of behavior. Legalizing it wouldn’t be that hard, simply make the two individuals sign a contract with the proviso that the winner is not charged with murder by the state/feds. Set a sum for consideration & the winner of the duel gets that upon the duel’s successful conclusion.
This article requires careful study. The lessons are many and their instructions run deep. I am profoundly impacted by the depth of the thought this article presents. Dig in folks, you may not find the bottom in one session.
I believe the most important phrase in this thread is (A citizenry committed to virtue) or in America today the lack thereof. When a political party falsely accuses a sitting president of being a Russian asset in a blatant attempt to overthrow his presidency, then spends thirty million dollars on the lie, the country our founding fathers knew has been raped and murdered!.
Botticelli painted the playbook of modern smear politics five hundred years before Twitter ever existed. Calumny, envy, suspicion, and fraud working together to destroy a man’s reputation while truth stands ignored—that is practically a diagram of today’s media ecosystem. Allegation becomes evidence, headlines become verdicts, and the mob convicts long before facts appear. The founders understood this danger, which is why they built a system grounded in due process and the presumption of innocence. When those guardrails collapse, calumny replaces law. And as John Locke warned centuries ago: when law ends, tyranny begins. Truth survives only when citizens refuse to be manipulated.
Certain activities of fallen men are universally applicable regardless of time or space.
Read Franz Kafka's "The Trial" if you want a real analysis of today's legal, political, and societal system.
Calumny is precisely I support a return to dueling; yes, the 18th Century lethal practice of seeking “satisfaction” from someone who has publicly inveighed against you. It would make society a lot more respectful & a lot less likely to engage in calumny or any similar sort of behavior. Legalizing it wouldn’t be that hard, simply make the two individuals sign a contract with the proviso that the winner is not charged with murder by the state/feds. Set a sum for consideration & the winner of the duel gets that upon the duel’s successful conclusion.
This article requires careful study. The lessons are many and their instructions run deep. I am profoundly impacted by the depth of the thought this article presents. Dig in folks, you may not find the bottom in one session.
I believe the most important phrase in this thread is (A citizenry committed to virtue) or in America today the lack thereof. When a political party falsely accuses a sitting president of being a Russian asset in a blatant attempt to overthrow his presidency, then spends thirty million dollars on the lie, the country our founding fathers knew has been raped and murdered!.
Trump is the King in this painting. His advisors are jealous and ignorant, and envy eats at him visibly.
At first, I thought you got it.