Slander is an action or crime of making a false spoken statement damaging to the reputation of another person.
There are people who want to create division and make a person bad to other's eyes, saying things that are not true. And there are people who will believe them for the simple reason that they are popular or some favors are done to them.
I was a member of the Committee of Discipline in our company, one of the highly respected oleochemicals companies in our locality. I drafted the Code of Discipline which was finally approved by the management after some reviews of the department heads and managers. We conducted hearings and investigations when there were some related matters to be attended to. For cases of suspensions and dismissals, I was the one who made the reports and submitted them directly to the Bureau of Working Conditions and Department of Labor and Employment.
What I remembered most along the way was the phrase "due process". Before you accuse someone of an offense, there must be a due process. There must be supporting pieces of evidence and witnesses to validate any allegation. It can never be conclusive until that proper due process is fairly afforded to any subject in question.
A graduate of Bachelor of Science in Commerce, I had some units in laws. In my company I was assigned in Labor Relations, and most of the times, I did some legal researches. I drafted correspondences and standard operating procedures upon instruction of our personnel manager, who happened to be a lawyer. (In my childhood, I dreamed of becoming a lawyer but my paternal grandfather discouraged me.)
I was raised by a loving and protective mother who taught me not to put bad labels to people. I was taught not to accuse someone of committing an offense by the mere thought of it. Even if my mother experienced being offended by someone, she would forgive him/her -- so long as it was tolerable. She always told me to 'plant seeds in heaven and let God do the rest'.
When someone wants to make you angry apparently for the reason of creating division, conflict and chaos among a group of people, and alleges another person to be saying things against you which are not true, ask him about the proof as a piece of supporting evidence, and witnesses. If at the end of the road the allegation is proven not to be true, it is slander if verbally spoken, and libel, if written/published.
You do not win an argument by loud noises and wrong accusations of a person at the height of your anger. Silence is better. Being silent does not mean you are wrong. More talk, more chances to go wrong.
"Be careful with people who talk too much, particularly those who love to put others down by making false or evil statements. Always be an instrument of peace," my mother always told me this. I passionately marked these lines with check in my mind in my formative years, and yes, there is truth in it.
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Photo credits: Pixabay
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