Monday, January 9, 2012

Crisis and Cynicism: The Inn on the Cove

Last night, a business I used to work for suffered a large fire. Nobody was hurt, but from what I am hearing and reading in the local media, much of the inside of the recently-renovated building was damaged beyond simple repair, and the roof was effectively destroyed. The Saint John Fire Department classified the fire as a "major structural fire", and responded quickly enough that what was saved was, well, saved.

This is horrible news. The Inn on the Cove was the city's best-kept secret: fantastic rooms, excellent food (if I can say that much myself), and, from what I'm told, the best spa in town. The view was fantastic, the grounds were well-kept, and the co-workers were easily the best crowd I ever worked for. I can only hope it is repaired quickly, and that the fantastic owners of the place don't suffer too much hardship over this.

The reason I expect the owners to experience a bit of a rough time is that the fire wasn't even totally out yet when the CBC affiliate got a hold of it, and the building was likely still smouldering when people already started throwing accusations that the fire was lit on purpose. I'm not going to speculate on why, because that's just throwing fuel on the proverbial fire.

The thing is, I have a firm belief in jurisprudence and the maxim that people are innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law, rather than in the court of public opinion. This is the same reason I didn't get very uppity about the Casey Anthony verdict (though I admit an unfamiliarity with the matter). The Saint John Fire Department hasn't even said the fire was mysterious or suspicious... they haven't identified the source of the blaze.

Cynicism is contageous. The only cure is to elevate your mind over the inherent need to find guilt in others.

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