2 ms·

What do you mean you have no evidence? I thought they said this directly to you?

by JoeSmithson 6y ago

GordonS 6y ago
That would be my word against theirs - that is not evidence that means anything.
- JoeSmithson 6y ago
  Yes it absolutely is evidence that means something. You have direct first hand evidence of racism. Even if it's not sufficient for action on its own it is still incredibly valuable evidence that may well be strengthened by other people's accounts. Unless you are lying, you absolutely have a civic duty to report what you heard.
  - GordonS 6y ago
    Mate, I don't know what's up with the "If this is true" and "Unless you are lying". What possible incentive could I have for making up such a thing? > you absolutely have a civic duty to report Real-life is just a tad more complicated than that. As much as I abhor what they've said, they are family, and I'd liklely be ostracised by other close family members. In any case, effectively the evidence is my word against theirs from something they said a few years ago. Something they could simply claim didn't happen, or that they were just kidding around. If I was going to report it, the time to do so would have been then. Should I have done so? I battled with decision at that at the time, but ultimately didn't for the reasons I already mentioned. As I said, it's complicated.
    - JoeSmithson 6y ago
      Sorry, I didn't mean to say you are lying, I meant that in the sense people say stuff like "Unless you're writing this from beyond the grave then...". Reading it back I can see how it read. I was trying to say that you had no reason for not reporting it (based on what you had said - it's too old, it's my word against theirs etc). Obviously now you've suggested you have your own personal reasons. That's completely different and totally up to you. I was only commenting on the objections you had raised previously, which suggested you thought your information had no value, when it does.

What do you mean you have no evidence? I thought they said this directly to you?

GordonS 6y ago

That would be my word against theirs - that is not evidence that means anything.

JoeSmithson 6y ago
Yes it absolutely is evidence that means something. You have direct first hand evidence of racism. Even if it's not sufficient for action on its own it is still incredibly valuable evidence that may well be strengthened by other people's accounts. Unless you are lying, you absolutely have a civic duty to report what you heard.
- GordonS 6y ago
  Mate, I don't know what's up with the "If this is true" and "Unless you are lying". What possible incentive could I have for making up such a thing? > you absolutely have a civic duty to report Real-life is just a tad more complicated than that. As much as I abhor what they've said, they are family, and I'd liklely be ostracised by other close family members. In any case, effectively the evidence is my word against theirs from something they said a few years ago. Something they could simply claim didn't happen, or that they were just kidding around. If I was going to report it, the time to do so would have been then. Should I have done so? I battled with decision at that at the time, but ultimately didn't for the reasons I already mentioned. As I said, it's complicated.
  - JoeSmithson 6y ago
    Sorry, I didn't mean to say you are lying, I meant that in the sense people say stuff like "Unless you're writing this from beyond the grave then...". Reading it back I can see how it read. I was trying to say that you had no reason for not reporting it (based on what you had said - it's too old, it's my word against theirs etc). Obviously now you've suggested you have your own personal reasons. That's completely different and totally up to you. I was only commenting on the objections you had raised previously, which suggested you thought your information had no value, when it does.