The Second Woman In Scotland To Have Run Afoul Of The Silence Act
The Scottish Police Aren't Applying The Law Equally Here
Sinead Watson, herself a detransitioner from Scotland, has apparently run afoul of the recent law that was passed called The Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act of 2021, or as I have taken to calling it: The Silence Act of 2021.
They have her phone and are poring over her Twitter timeline.
And she is definitely being treated like a criminal for the high crime of hurting someone’s (possibly, very likely a man) feelings on Twitter.
Sinead is the second woman in Scotland to have run afoul of this law but it’s maddeningly clear the law is not being equally applied because, if it were, this woman - indeed, the first woman to be charged under the new law - should have been sitting in a piss smelling cell on her period for three hours.
Now why do you suppose JK Rowling wasn’t offered a ride down to the station house to see the inside of a piss stinking cell?
Well, forgive me for stating the obvious: JK Rowling has what we in the United States call Fuck You Money: the exact amount of money required in order to tell an individual or organization (such as the Scottish Police) to go fuck themselves without facing repercussions.
The uneven application of law based on wealth occurs through various mechanisms, such as the ability of wealthy individuals to afford superior legal representation, pay bail, and cover court fees and fines, which often results in more favorable legal outcomes compared to poorer individuals. Wealthy defendants can hire top lawyers, access extensive defense resources, and avoid pre-trial detention, all of which contribute to better case preparation and outcomes. Additionally, systemic biases and the influence of social and political connections further skew the legal process in favor of the rich.
For the record: I do not begrudge JK Rowling any of her wealth because she has earned every last quid of it, but you have to admit there is something very wrong with how the law, this law in particular, is applied in Scotland because of it.
Had J.K. Rowling been charged with hate speech under The Silence Act, whether true or false, her immense wealth would enable her to mount a robust defense by hiring top-tier lawyers and expert witnesses, conducting thorough investigations, and employing private investigators. She could also manage public perception through a strategic public relations campaign and use her substantial social media presence to correct misinformation. Financially, she could easily cover all legal expenses and sustain a prolonged legal battle if necessary. Additionally, Rowling could leverage her influential network of supporters and her connections in politics and media to advocate on her behalf and raise awareness about the broader implications for free speech, potentially influencing legal reforms.
Basically, Rowling could have ended up as First Minister of Scotland after all was said and done.
Watson, however, has no such resources. If you’re Sinead Watson the law can be unevenly applied against you in several ways. Limited financial resources often mean relying on overburdened public defenders, which can result in less effective legal representation compared to the high-quality defense wealthier individuals can afford. Poor defendants may struggle to pay bail, leading to pre-trial detention, which hampers their ability to prepare a robust defense and can result in job loss and other personal hardships. Additionally, court fees and fines can impose significant financial burdens, potentially resulting in harsher penalties or even jail time for non-payment. Systemic biases and limited access to resources, such as private investigators or expert witnesses, further exacerbate these disparities, leading to less favorable outcomes in the legal process for poorer individuals.
The Scottish police would likely be very reluctant to go after J.K. Rowling due to her significant public influence, immense wealth, and high-profile status. As a globally renowned author and public figure, any legal action against her would attract intense media scrutiny and public attention, potentially leading to a public relations challenge for the police. Additionally, Rowling's substantial financial resources would enable her to mount a robust legal defense, involving top-tier lawyers and extensive media management, making the case highly complex and costly. The potential backlash and controversy surrounding such a high-profile case, coupled with the risk of it being perceived as an attack on free speech, could further deter the police from pursuing action unless there was overwhelming evidence of wrongdoing.
And that, My Lovely Readers, is why the Scottish police are punching down on Sinead Watson.
I found this
Someone at
@PSOSGreaterGlas
needs to answer for the absurd, inhumane protocols you have set up. You need a complete policy revamp and whoever came up with your current procedures needs to be fired.
Sinèad Watson was detained for tweeting, for speech. For typing characters into a text box. Her phone was taken. She was arrested. She was handcuffed. She was put in a dirty cell. She was not given feminine products and made to sit in her own menstrual blood for 3 hours.
For what? She is under suspicion of "malicious communication online." Not a violent crime. Not a crime that has anything to do with the content of her cell phone. All of Sinead's purportedly illegal tweets are/were public at the time of her arrest. There is NOTHING on her cell phone that has anything to do with them. This is a violation of her privacy to embark on a fishing expedition for unrelated evidence.
Put aside the obvious free speech violation, because I get that not every country feels the same way (but it is a violation of her God-given rights to charge her with this absurd thought crime). Even IF you believe that tweets are illegal, the way she was handled and processed is completely unnecessary, unsafe, and dehumanizing.
Someone needs to lose their job. Sinèad is owed a massive public apology for what happened to her at a BARE minimum.
I can only see snippets of twatter if someone sends me a link , then I’m booted out
But sinead has been very vocal ( and rightly so ) of her transition then detransition .
I’m paraphrasing here but I’m sure jkr said come after one then come after me too .
Police Scotland are absolutely fucking useless , you only have to see the investigation of the Scottish nonce party and their Clingons to see this ( and the courts )