"As an authority figure, you have to impose the rule of law..."

"... but don’t ignore the possibility that the rule you’re imposing is flawed."

ADDED: From the comments at the link (which goes to a NYT "ethicist" column):

Why are people are so moved by a man weeping, and assume that, because a guy is crying, he must be truly remorseful? Or even that he’s being deliberately manipulative? He's most likely weeping out of fear for his job.

By the way, the second letter over there is also interesting. What if your dear friend — who suffered so over the breakup of her own marriage — is expressing her delight about how she's about to break up some other lady's marriage? The answer given is:

Tell A. that you disagree with what she’s doing and that her behavior will alter the way you view her character.... But don’t blow up your friendship because someone pursued a romance you find abhorrent.

Seems like the ethicist is fond of calling these perplexing case right down the middle.