Just doing her job

Anytime someone says a government employee was, “Just doing their job” my head nearly explodes with instant anger. It doesn’t apply in all cases but the first thought that comes to my mind is, “That defense wasn’t allowed at the Nuremberg Trials.” If their job is violation of constitutionally protected rights then they are criminals. One doesn’t defend criminals with a defense of “They were just following orders.” Or “They were just doing the job they were hired to do.” There are very few crimes that I would be allowed to defend myself with the claim of “I didn’t know it was a crime” or “I was just doing what my boss told me to do.” The standard should be no different for government employees.

All this was brought up by reading some posts and watching a set of videos I came across via Sebastian. A Canadian publisher is being questioned by “The Human Rights Commission” over the publications of some cartoons (yes, those cartoons) that offended some Muslims. The relevant links are:

Some might only see some middle-aged lady doing her job. What I see is that she is backed up by men with guns–as many as it takes to enforce her decisions. She may be a very nice person but when someone works for the government to enforce laws and regulations they are exercising force. Dozens or even hundreds of “rough men with guns” will enforce their will upon the violators of those laws and regulations. That a “Human Rights Commission” would give more than a few milliseconds of thought to an expression of speech that did not advocate illegal violence tells you all you need to know to conclude this isn’t about human rights. It’s about the repression of human rights.

If she were doing this in the U.S. I would be advocating for her prosecution under 18 USC 242.

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4 thoughts on “Just doing her job

  1. Joe,

    Well, good for Ezra Levant. I am humbled by this whole hearted defence-and it Canada no less-of our fundamental rights. Our 1st Amendment rights are as important, maybe more so, than any other, and they too have been under attack in this country and in Canada.

    Regards,

    PolyKahr

  2. If their job is violation of constitutionally protected rights then they are criminals.

    So, is it your contention that all gov’t employees should perform a legal review on all laws pertaining to their job and determine all the laws constitutionality for themselves?

    Some of the people in these jobs barely have college educations, and many of them in degrees hardly relevant to discerning constitutional issues. At some level, you do have to trust that what your employer is telling you is correct. The higher up the chain you go, the more responsibility and accountability you should have.

    But while we believe that having to have a permit to carry a weapon is unconstitutional, I don’t blame the guy making minimum wage behind the DMV counter who tells me he *has* (backed up by those men with guns) to get my fingerprints or he can’t give me a permit. He really is “just doing his job”.

  3. I hate so-called activists as much as I hate trial lawyers! They ALWAYS favor the power of the state over the individual! Of course I realize that ALL activists are socialist/ totalitarian! I fear it is only a short hop until we have this type of inquisition here in the USA. And will the sheep object? Why, Hell no!

  4. You’ve noticed, I’m sure, how so many times when police have raided the wrong house, or in some cases shot people they shouldn’t have, the ruling from their department is along the lines of ‘they were following department guidelines, so no action will be taken against them’. If that doesn’t mean “They were following their orders, so leave them alone no matter what they did”…

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