A recent article regarding the sale of drugs by women of the Muslim minority in Manipur sparked a few thoughts about the use of accusations as a destroyer of crediblity - especially when it comes to drugs.
The article had all of the hallmarks of a crediblity attack. In addition to isolating the Muslim minority of Manipur as the source of drug sales in the region, it went further in naming the women of that minority as the main culprits, all the while being devoid of facts like health or legal statistics that would support the accusation.
It even went on to mention women’s role as the protectors of children. This is a classic example of demonising. Accusing people of effectively not loving their children is an age old tactic in destroying moral standing among an enemy whose routes in propaganda go back thousands of years at least to Roman times.
Linking that with drugs however, might be a slightly more recent development in character assasination.
A drug accusation alone, has become enough to destroy a reputation in many instances in many parts of the world - linking it to other forms of character assasination, however is a new low.
It is a shame that stories such as this one get any air time at all when the factual basis for them could be so eaily established (or destroyed).