Why i don't judge people based on common Opinion

In primary school, I think Primary 2 or 3. I got my first baptism in society. A classmate bought toy gun, it was first time in my life i saw such gun. Like every student, i went to inspect it and played with him. we were many. 

During break time everyone went out except me and a  girl. She was eating and I was sleeping. It is not unusual for students who brought food from home to eat while the rest of us go out. In my own case, i didn't have money and i also was unwell so i slept.

Before closing, however, something was brewing and i was accused of stealing the Toy gun. the girl said i was the only one who didn't go out and must therefore be the thief. 

They searched my bag and everything in me. Despite not leaving the class, they still concluded that i stole it.

The teacher believed them based on the circumstantial evidence that I was in class and didn't go out. Beside, i didn't deny that i didn't go out and I also did not deny that i had earlier played with the boy. But i never take the gun away. I was not his special friend and didn't follow them out to play during break. I was confused as everyone else.

Anyway, some of my classmates were mandated to follow me home and report the issue to my parents. It was not uncommon that time for students to accompany you home to report you to your parents when you did wrong. They searched my bag again at home and again and again. Nothing was found.

My mum was still made to pay for a gun i didn't steal! I had my suspicious on who could be the thief by circumstantial evidence made it impossible to believe. Beside I was not really a good talker. I stammer occasionally as a kid. So my explanation was drowned  by others with sharp tongue. Imagine someone said I stammer because he was lying! 

I felt so bad. Only one person believed me. Let me say two persons. My mum and one man we called MASTER. the man said that it is impossible for me to steal something, not leaving the class and no one found it on me. Anyway, he gave me a benefit of doubt

Some weeks later, the real thief was found with the gun.

I never receive apology! But i was grateful that the two people who could have beaten me to stupor did not believe the allegation. They merely paid for the gun.

Fast forward as secondary school boy.

I was already teaching in a low key Islamic school after school closing.

I saw a boy picking someone's pen from his bag but made nothing of it. they were friends. At the end of the class, in the evening the owner was looking for it and accused another boy of stealing the pen. 

The accused is well known for stealing. and has been caught many times. To make his matter worse, he was holding the same type of pen that was missing. So he was the thief! 

Most of us can know that our pen are identical. that Bic biro. 

The kids were fighting so i had to mediate. The Senior Alfa was around so i offered to settle it.

Having been a victim of wrongful accusation and misidentification as a kid, i got personal about it and pleaded with Alfa to let me sort it. He agreed. 

I let all of them talk. The accused "thief" was brought forward but he couldnt defend himself. I was surprised he was just looking at the floor and crying. That touched me. he must have resigned to the tag of being regularly labelled a thief and so saw no reason to defend himself. 

I looked around but the actual thief was not even there! He has gone home and no one suspected him as he is a good boy.

So i asked Alfa to mandate that they should bring that boy back. Fortunately, his house is next to the school he was summoned and he came back.

When the boy joined us. I asked him what he knows about the missing pen. I looked at him straight and added, what were you doing his "Taju's" bag at so so time.

The boy said, oh i remember. I went to borrow his pen and used it but forget to return it. he brought out the missing pen from his pocket and placed it on the table!!

Everyone including Alfa was surprised. But the boy was honest so no one even bother to say he stole or not. No one care at that time. Everyone left happy but the boy accused stayed behind with Alfa for damage control.

What was now on menus is how this innocent kid that was labelled a thief become the subject and was beaten up already for what he knew nothing about!

But the answer can be glimpsed from the response of his accuser just before the Alfa dismissed them.

 "Why did you accuse him of stealing?" I can recall Alfa asking something like that. The accuser said, " because he's always stealing at home, and everyone knows!"

This hit home and has been one of the ground of my life teaching that I never lose sight of. I know a lot of people misunderstand me and thought i was crazy , but that is not so.

Once we think someone is corrupt, a thief, a cheat, a liar or even a monopoly, we believe that every accusation on that person in this regard must be truth based on his reputation. 

Alas, we always get it wrong! Those we think are saints and good uncorruptible but have not been found out built their sainthood on this misconcept social bias. We do not give people benefit of doubt and we do not provide level playing ground to see if a sinner has become saint or a saint have become sinners. rather, we glorify one sided narrative that appeal to the general social bias and popular opinion.

That is why our society don't always get it Right.

___Wizard of kalamakato!