Quick! What's the common thread that binds
politicians, celebrities, terrorists and common criminals
together in a double-bind mea culpa of nicht shuldig?
That irrational rationale lawyers confront juries with
even as critics of erring politics and faux pas of
irredeemable damage excuse the inexcusable? If you
guessed mental health issues you've become a student
of vulgar human nature. Congratulations. Unless that is
you come by your answer through that most personal
of byways having yourself had the occasion to plead
temporary mental health breakdown in defence of a
lesser or major crime or misstep. From members of
royalty to prime ministers, racist terrorists to serial
murderers the banner of not criminally responsible
due to mental health breakdowns whereby the rapist
the embezzler, the priest and the filicide alike call for
compassion for a mental state not entirely their own.
And the world community, chastised for empathy's lack
in mental illness permeating society nods in sympathy
returning an obediently populist not-guilty verdict.
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