Simon Says...

In a state of mass hysteria, the majority opinion of the public and biases of the media can blind bystanders into thinking the same, despite the lack of evidence or the defendant's side of the story. People who are running high on emotions tend to muddle their sense of rationalism and justice. In the George Zimmerman vs. Trayvon Martin trial, George Zimmerman was deemed to be not guilty. As a result, the public was absolutely infuriated, sending out death threats and violently protesting in the streets in the name of Trayvon Martin. Despite his dark history, Trayvon Martin was seen as a saintly young man, further destroying George Zimmerman's already-soiled reputation in the case. What really happened remains unknown. However, George Zimmerman was already labeled as a criminal in the eyes of many Americans.
It is evident that logic in the law of justice can be compromised in times of hysteria in The Crucible by Arthur Miller. Left and right, women are accused of being followers of the Devil; many are hanged without a fair trial. As fear ensues in the town, the peoples' sanity is obscured and the nooses are readied. Like sheep that flock towards the same direction as a herding dog approaches, people develop a mob mentality when they are moved by fear.