12. Injustice for Justice

When we speak of justice, we often speak of others because we always want grace for ourselves. But let’s look at one example a lot of us should remember and some might have experienced.

There was a really good question a friend asked on social media about what was occurring in our nation at the time of this writing (in 2020).

They wondered what good police (this could be asked of anyone) should do in the midst of the violence that we saw during the “summer of love” and all the “mostly peaceful protests.” Let everything be burned or walk away from their job?

Some answers were pretty good and well thought out; others, not so much.

I remember one person mentioned something about the violence being escalated by those sworn to uphold the law; in other words, if they review protests in the past of similar issues that have turned violent very fast and act, dress, and prepare according to past historical events to better protect themselves and those they are there to serve and protect, then they are the cause and the problem. I found that interesting. In other words, if someone dresses and prepares for something that has frequented their life in a negative or violent way in order to be better prepared and try to be safe, just in case, then it does not matter what or who was the cause of the negativity or violence because they are now completely accountable and responsible for the past and current negativity and violence because they learned from the past and prepared just in case. If that is what one wishes to believe, that is fine; as for me, I find that reasoning flawed.

Then I saw one that immediately took the side of “if one is bad, then all are bad,” but they only associated this line of thinking with one group. To me, that in and of itself is prejudice and could be viewed as racist. The reason being, “If one is bad, then all are bad” was only applied to one group while the “you can’t blame everyone for the actions of a few” was applied to all other groups.

There was a lot of negativity and prejudice in people’s responses.

Eventually I stepped in to give my thoughts. I wrote, “Uphold the law and protect the peaceful, law-abiding protestors and the community as best as they can,” that is, those truly protesting peacefully and those being attacked by the “peaceful protestors.” I briefly explained that when they (law enforcement) are outnumbered by the hate-filled and violent, there is little they can do to make much of a dent in the moment without being perceived as evil and violent themselves, and that by these evil actions and the injustice of random destruction and violence and theft being left unchecked, it will continue to grow each time. It's like a child not being checked and disciplined for a repeated bad behavior, and then we wonder why that same child would think such bad behavior is acceptable as they get older. "Spare the rod, spoil the child."

This was back when the left, not all of them but a big portion of prominent ones, were trying to defund the police and make the criminal the victim. Yes, it happened. No, I am not being politically mean. It was what it was. Anyway. Then I explained, and here I will add just a little more info as well: I used to work with a police department; no, I was not a cop; I just worked in the office; however, I was called racist and other derogatory names too many times to even count, just because of who I worked with. I also mentioned that I, as I am sure many, many people can raise their hand to this too, have been called racist and other derogatory names just because of the color of our skin, the beliefs we hold, and the foundation upon which we stand.

In fact, I have even been threatened before because of my color. I have even been stopped by the police because of my color being in an area that made me seem suspicious. I said that in spite of all this, I am wise enough to understand that there is evil and hate in all forms and colors and jobs (career fields), and that I, and everyone, cannot and must not judge all based on the actions and the perceived inactions of a few lest we become a part of the evil and hate ourselves.

It's funny how we tell each other not to judge but then turn right around and judge people we know little about. But we all do that. And, as I've mentioned in another writing, judging isn't bad when we judge the right way, for we all judge people every day. And we silence people if they don't look like us or hold ideals like us.

But again, this can become very difficult to discern if one has a foundation that is not firm and absolute.

So, at the end I mentioned that, although we all fail at this sometimes because of our feelings and emotions from being human, we should not make rash comments without a period of reflection first, or we greatly increase our likelihood of commenting out of anger and hate, which only fuels the minority who try to take advantage of and corrupt the majority good for their personal desires.

We are not to judge solely based on the color of the person, be it their skin color or their uniform color. We are not to judge solely based on our perception of a blip in one person's life that we might view as an inaction on their part toward a cause or perceived injustice in our life, for we do not know how many times we, ourselves, have lacked action for them or a cause or perceived injustice in their life; we are human; we are the same.

Sadly, there are those who do not wish to see with reason, or be just, or hold their tongue for facts and truth, or truly seek to know context or justice; they wish to, as Alfred, played by Michael Caine, in the movie “The Dark Knight,” said, “Some men just want to watch the world burn.”

Will we be in the group that just wants to watch the world burn?

Will we allow injustice to prevail?

Will we support, participate in, or be condemned for inaction ourselves with the injustice and unlawful and violent and destructive, life-shattering, and violent actions of injustice toward innocents of all colors and races?

Will you be able to separate the good from the bad?

Will you be able to separate the individual from the collective?

I want to end with a poem I wrote based on this topic. It is an acrostic poem. The first letter of each line, when read down, spells a word, and together the words make another statement, or in this case, ask a question.

Wading in this murky sea

How clear this sea, it used to be

Around, it towered to degree

That which is now confused in plea

I held such faith in humanity

Saw it fight and evil flee

Just, reason, and morality

Ushered in by unified ethnicity

Sure to be for you and me

Time, though, told a different story

Injustice, now, a hallowed fee

Comprised of all who disagree

Every time my justice is not perceived

Tears will flow with innocent debris

Over injustice justice, this I foresee

Yearn do I for eyes to see

Our morals, reason, and humanity

Unrest injustice, does not justice be