Reply To: Do you think justice was done?
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As with others here, I don’t feel that justice was fully served, although I agree with Nancy that it wouldn’t have been possible at the time. North should have been imprisoned or hanged for his crimes as was the case at that time. Although he obviously suffered from “Revenge” (and I, too, celebrated that moment for Martha Jane), I’m with Libby in that I think public acknowledgement of wrongdoing is important. Not only does it bring shame and removes any social standing, but there is also a wider message to the community and society that crimes do not go unpunished. This can be a deterrent for others who lean toward committing the same acts. This, I feel, is how society learns and moves towards standards that benefit all.
Sadly, his status and authority in the town, as well as the fact that he is a man, provide him a shield. That there are still contemporary situations (as the MeToo movement has shown) like this hundreds of years later says a lot about how men in positions of authority get away with crimes. Sad that not much has changed for women.