While I understand and support the sentiment expressed in the editorial about the need for, and editorial support for, ‘transparency’ in the public interest, I strongly disagree with the approach that The Leader has decided to take lately in two instances. 

This relates to guilty until proven innocent. Oops! I mean the other way around (of course). 

While reportage of names of individuals and establishments is public information and possibly public concern, it doesn’t necessarily follow that publishing those names serves the best interests of the public and/or (obviously), the individuals named.

On the matter of “Food: Health Inspections,” I think it would be much more elegant to simply state “inspections were made and so and so failed in one way or another, while all others inspected passed just fine;” instead of by implying, by listing all, that all are in doubt, suspect, and don’t necessarily deserve trust. (Given the “psychology of the individual”).

Even more egregious, and much more likely to whip up self righteous, moralistic vigilante sentiments/tendencies, a long strong tradition, especially in areas with a still somewhat frontier mentality, is to publish names of those arrested, yet not convicted in a court of law. 

While those ‘outings’ may be legal, et. al., I personally believe it immoral, irresponsible (in terms of ‘whipping up public sentiment’), and contrary to Constitutional intent and Bill of Rights protections. 

And anyway, what’s wrong with writing “a man, or woman, was arrested and booked into jail,” for whatever. 

This sort of thing divides the community, hardens hearts and minds, promotes ‘hang em high” mentality for them, their relatives, friends, people who believe in due process, and their little dog too. Bring out the nooses and drop boards.

Public revelation and transparency are vitally important in a Democratic system, but public personal information and shaming released before due process has been served, as well as casting doubt (however vague), on an entire economic sector, is in no one’s interest, and can cause significant damage to all of us.