An open letter to Jian Ghomeshi….
Well, today must have been a tumultuous day for you, to say the least. Facing charges as serious as the ones you are now up against is something none of us would ever want or have to defend against.
I have always been one to believe in innocence until proven guilty. We all should. It’s a cornerstone of democracy and freedom that our forefathers and mothers fought long and hard to protect for us. And, like many Canadians, when I first heard of your being let go by the CBC, I was initially incensed and outraged. Our Jian? Let go so callously? And then, as weeks have passed, and the rumours turned from whispered allegations to full-on accusations to these seemingly inevitable charges, I found it harder and harder to think of you in a positive light.
I have followed you since you were in Moxy Fruvous. Your voice is gold, your intellect obvious….you interviewed like none other in our current generation. Famous people clamoured to be on your show, our show. It made me even more proud to be Canadian.
When you wrote that post about your father passing away, I was genuinely moved. So well written, so emotional, raw like it should be. You shared with us this private moment, so that we could feel your pain and thus help you with your pain. The outpouring of support from you fans was awe inspiring. Your papa would have been proud.
And now this…
Here’s what I think. Let’s just say, hypothetically, that you are guilty as charged. That you perpetrated these vile and heinous crime. If these allegations are true, I ask you, man to man, to do something for me and for all Canadians, and especially for the victims, for the ladies that have suffered the indignity of something I cannot fathom even watching let alone doing….plead guilty.
Plead guilty, and save these poor victims more horror and pain and suffering. Save them the inevitable mud-slinging and character assassination. Save them having their reputations ruined and their lives turned upside down, their families shamed. They have suffered far more than anyone deserves already.
Man up. Do the right thing. Don’t drag this out. Should you do this, you won’t save your career, or your reputation. You will be ruined for sure. You will do hard time. As you should if you are guilty. But what you will do is prevent more indignity for the innocents. A true Canadian would at the very least do this. A real man would do this.
If you should choose to defend yourself vigorously as is painfully obvious that you are about to do, and you are guilty, then you are more than done. You will go down as one of the worse Canadians to ever live. You will never be forgotten, all for the wrong reasons. And I will be one of the many wanting to kick your ass from here to the garbage dump where you belong.
Make your dead father proud…..or rot in hell. It’s up to you now.
Bill's Musings 