Why Justice Matters

Before I begin, allow me to say that I had thought I was done with my blog.  A couple of years ago I became disengaged, both frustrated by ineffectual efforts, and difficulties not related to my writing.  I will continue to avoid writing about myself in my blogs, but after a long hiatus, I think I should have continued my efforts.  T has been hard to get back into writing about peace, but it’s time to bring back the blog.  Those wind mills look a lot like giants from here Rocinante.

I’m going to start with the concept of justice.  Justice can be a troubling concept for me, I think because what I see as justice is not altogether what many people conceive.  The idea of balancing a ledger of fairness by punishment is not justice; it might better be thought of as revenge.  To be fair, incarceration of dangerous people found guilty of felonies is both prudent and just, and a component of that incarceration may be punishment.  Incarceration also provides a measure of public safety, and should be a good opportunity for rehabilitation.

Real justice occurs when everyone is given opportunity, and policing is uneven, even heavy-handed, across society.  I hear a lot about racism in the discourse of uneven justice in Missouri and Staten Island.  I have no doubt that racism is an ugly, often hidden cause for injustice in America today.  It is not unique to police; police officers are out front, protecting everyone with a thin blue line almost always.  Subliminal racism has permeated American society however, and when it extends to police it corrodes the high level of professionalism usually found in police forces.  When there is a breakdown, the results are horrific.

I recommend The New Jim Crow, by Michelle Alexander for a compelling case of how the legal system systematically oppresses blacks.  I have some issues with her construct, but she really points to gaping holes in American justice, which threaten domestic peace to an alarming degree.  The issue I have with her thesis is that I believe racial oppression is not the central issue, although it is certainly a big, ugly part of it.  I could make a case for the oppression being driven not by race, but by class.  Minimum mandatory sentencing as an offshoot of the war on drugs has created a permanent underclass.  That underclass is disproportionately represented by black and colored people, but we are quickly becoming an oligarchic, socially layered society, and we desperately need to get our democracy back.

There is one way to get our democracy back.  Engagement in civic life is the key, and non-violent activism is the methodology.  Stay tuned…I have more to say on this subject.  Comments welcome.  If you're new, please take a look at my 'ancient' posts to get an idea of where I'm coming from.  Comments are always encouraged.

Peace,

Bill