Waffledynamics said:

---

This is why it's so important to archive stories.

https://archive.is/ is a great tool for this.

---

I doubt those will come up from a google search though.

I'm torn on this. It's a fairly long-standing idea that after 7 years it can be considered the past, the idea being that if someone has been clean that long, they should be given the benefit of the doubt and move on. There's even a process to have records expunged after XX years. Even for job applications or anything like that they are not allowed to ask beyond 7 years. This isn't new. The fact that news is much more persistent and easily searchable in the internet era means that one mistake in your youth can drag you indefinitely. It's too much.

On the other hand, deleting news stories to hide the past is another problem and a dangerous practice to normalize. I don't trust news publications to be fair in what they delete out. An up and coming lib politician might have their past completely scrubbed of any negative news stories at all, whereas they might keep around (and probably bump) old stories about an up and coming conservative politician.

I think a reasonable balance would be removing stories pertaining to non-felony convictions after 7 years. Violent crimes and sexual assault felony charges should also never be removed if convicted, even if they plead down to misdemeanor charges. People will go BSC over a mere accusation from 40 years that never led to any charges at all, and it really takes a single hyper-sensitive person to complain about it and someone might lose their job.

Quote:

---

There's even a process to have records expunged after XX years.

---

Not really. I mean, maybe in SOME jurisdictions, but expungement requires something along the lines of:

-- dropped charges
-- a not guilty verdict at trial
-- successful appeal where they don't recharge

In some cases, it MAY occur in situations involving deferred adjudication, but I think that is rare and is required in the plea agreement. But essentially, it must be a situation where, legally, you didn't do it. Expungement orders are not designed for situations where you did something but supposedly learned your lesson.

In Texas, you can get something off your record that is still visible to law enforcement. I can't remember what it is called, but you can tell people/prospective employers that you're clean. It only applies in cases of certain offenses, however, and you have to go to court to get the order.

With all that said, it probably would be a good idea to have a clean slate law, say, 10 years for misdemeanors and 20 years for felonies except for crimes of violence and similar. I wouldn't have a problem requiring a low or no cost education or evaluation program followed by a court order. Nothing draconian, but something that is more than a formality.

So report to benefit the narrative knowing that it can all just be erased.

You just can't memory hole public knowledge. This is stupid and futile.

javajaws said:

---

You just can't memory hole public knowledge. This is stupid and futile.

---

The phrase "history repeats itself" is not just a saying. The public can and has been corrupted by attempts in rewriting or hiding history.

kb2001 said:

---

I'm torn on this. It's a fairly long-standing idea that after 7 years it can be considered the past, the idea being that if someone has been clean that long, they should be given the benefit of the doubt and move on. There's even a process to have records expunged after XX years. Even for job applications or anything like that they are not allowed to ask beyond 7 years. This isn't new. The fact that news is much more persistent and easily searchable in the internet era means that one mistake in your youth can drag you indefinitely. It's too much.

On the other hand, deleting news stories to hide the past is another problem and a dangerous practice to normalize. I don't trust news publications to be fair in what they delete out. An up and coming lib politician might have their past completely scrubbed of any negative news stories at all, whereas they might keep around (and probably bump) old stories about an up and coming conservative politician.

I think a reasonable balance would be removing stories pertaining to non-felony convictions after 7 years. Violent crimes and sexual assault felony charges should also never be removed if convicted, even if they plead down to misdemeanor charges. People will go BSC over a mere accusation from 40 years that never led to any charges at all, and it really takes a single hyper-sensitive person to complain about it and someone might lose their job.

---

I'm surprised by this naive idea that the past is past.

"The past is never dead; it's not even past."

They are unburdening us from what has been.

It's a Marxist / Communist tactic to erase the past. Or as AOC says "win the world "

Once the media rationalizes hiding one thing from the public, for whatever reason,

they set themselves on a path to rationalizing hiding anything else based on their moral prerogative, which at this time would not include cases of violence, sex offenses, crimes against children or corruption.

But that is the point, once they set themselves up as a kind of god wiping away sins where does it end? How about the guy just getting out of prison? He needs a fresh start. What about the perpetrator of domestic violence? They need a fresh start if they want to get into another relationship. And the alcoholic or drug addict? They need a fresh start too. And this time they really are going to make the change. Really.

he who controls the past controls the present. He who controls the present controls the future.

Old Army Ghost said:

---

US newspapers are deleting old selected crime stories, offering subjects a 'clean slate'

---

J6, Trump and Republican "crimes" will never be forgotten.

We can record history or rewrite it. Once again, they choose wrongly.

The dims are so concerned with saving democracy, and yet they pull this stuff. Just like censorship.

This is the flashing light in your brain trying to wake you up and run, not walk, away from this nonsense