Do read Ranier Fsadni’s piece in Times of Malta today.
He patiently explains the difference between obeying laws and respecting the rule of law. I don’t think that guy who walked away with a candle on yesterday’s video will be reading this article and having a Damascus experience. But some people are beyond salvation.
There’s only one thing I would add to Ranier Fsadni. It is not just apologists for the government who are conflating the two concepts when they accuse Occupy Justice and other activists and individual protesters of “challenging the rule of law” by — as is alleged — breaking the law and leaving candles and flowers at the Great Siege Memorial.
Because those louts who abuse protesters, assault them, swear at them and take away their candles and flowers to use them for some esoteric voodoo devotion they have, may be by their very nature impervious to reason.
But it’s the government itself that makes these arguments. It is not just as Ranier Fsadni says here that it is amazing that the government allows apologists to argue like this on its behalf.
The government argues like this on its behalf.
Consider how Owen Bonnici, the Minister of Justice, not an apologist for one, insists that ‘rule of law’ must be followed and that his staff remove on a daily basis flowers and candles from the Great Siege Memorial “in line with the rule of law”.
He sounds like an elder brother explaining to his sister the off-side rule when she clearly understands it much better than he does. Frankly he has no idea what he’s talking about.
That’s the Justice Minister. Let that sink in.