it's not an assertion then, it's a hypothesis. in any case, i think you may have misunderstood what i was tring to say: imagine if i'd said: "i've seen evidence that hillary clinton reports to the chinese/korean government. no proof, but still". it says nothing, doesn't mention the evidence i've seen, and yet seems to imply something "wrong".

i'm calling it out, because it it encourages belief without evidence. it's insidious.