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until he can be proven to be harmless
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How do you prove someone is harmless? Ask any debater how easy it is to prove a negative. Simply put, you cannot.
Here's a scenario that shouldn't happen, but has...
person gets stopped with a wad of cash in their pocket. Cops seize it, claiming it is drug money. Person claims its not. Their answer? Prove it!
Now just how do you do that? Just because they cannot find any drugs on you isn't proof you are not dealing. Showing them your pay stub isn't proof, either. It is an explanation, but it isn't proof!
There are many situations where you could be accused of something, be innocent, and not be able to prove it. So, if you are accused of being a danger to yourself or others, how do you prove that you are not?
And this is the danger when we talk about making the "standards" lower for restraining people who are a little "off". Giving that power to any and every petty bureaucrat, or worse yet, to an anonymous tipster (who may have a grudge against you, doesn't like your politics, or just hates the way you part your hair) is just too much of a risk. The potential for abuse is just freakin' HUGE!!!
Ok, I can see an advantage to being able to have my local pain in the butt locked up for evaluation, but the down side of him being able to do that to me is not worth it.
