HOW TO BRING OUR NATION BACK INTO PROPER BALANCE
Why justice is the ultimate balancer and healer of societal ills
In no way am I a pop culture insider. While I love music, I’m not a music industry insider either. Having said that, this lawsuit against Diddy, that was settled within 24 hours and prompted additional lawsuits, grabbed my attention and I haven’t been able to look away. Not that I ever try to turn a blind eye to injustice, it’s just that there is only so much I can absorb at one time. But when I scrolled upon a summary of this lawsuit against Diddy, I felt my stomach tighten and my chest collapse. While this did not trigger any personal trauma, I felt the horror and gravity of the allegations. And per the social media algorithm, I proceeded to receive more video commentary about Diddy and his penchant for deviance. All I could think about was the need for justice. Not mere accountability but justice.
What’s the difference between accountability and justice? If you are like me, looking up these two exact words in the dictionary can be frustrating because the root of the words, just and account, are used to define the terms. And we’re not supposed to define a word by using the word. So I’m going to use the root words as the basis for my commentary. According to dictionary.com:
Account is defined as an explanatory statement of conduct, as to a superior. Just is defined as means given or awarded rightly; deserved, as a sentence, punishment or reward. Just also means based on right; rightful; lawful.
So accountability is core to achieving justice but is not sufficient in and of itself. In the United States, we often view justice through the lens of our criminal justice system and our overall legal system. Our justice system is not the only means of achieving justice. However it is our constitutionally ordained means of addressing and settling grievances. Our laws, rather our just laws, as per St. Augustine an unjust law is no law at all, serve as the boundaries for the values that we as a nation purport to espouse.
However when those boundaries are overrun, society becomes imbalanced. We lose our sense of what is fair and equitable. Or what is fair and equitable no longer matters to those in power. That’s why justice is the ultimate balancer for society. Even the symbolism of Lady Justice reflects this need for balance. The scales of justice not only represent equal treatment under the law and weighing facts/evidence to arrive at a verdict, it symbolizes the “duty to restore balance to society.”
While this may all sound like some lofty ideal, justice is not some abstraction. Justice is palpable. Justice facilitates healing for all parties involved including victims, defendants and those ultimately convicted. How exactly does justice facilitate healing? For victims, it often provides the closure needed to move forward with their lives. For defendants rightfully acquitted, they can move forward having cleared their names. For defendants rightfully convicted, if they are truly remorseful, they can begin the internal rehabilitation required to chart a better path forward for themselves.
In addition to the parties involved, justice facilitates healing for society. An individual case of injustice does not merely hover over one person or one set of plaintiffs. Injustice looms over society at large. Dr. King said that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Think about what happens when one home is burglarized? The entire neighborhood is on heightened alert. Everyone holds their breath until a suspect is apprehended but no one completely rests until the actual burglar is brought to justice.
Furthermore in criminal cases, the defendant is accused of crimes against the STATE; against the PEOPLE of one of our fifty states. In federal cases, the defendant is accused of crimes against the PEOPLE of the United States. We, the PEOPLE, advocate for justice on behalf of victims. We, the PEOPLE, have a major stake in restoring societal balance. What happens to one of us, happens to all of us. Injustice disrupts peace. Conversely justice restores peace on both individual and societal levels.
In closing, the intro picture to this post includes the faces of some present day infamous figures. Two of which have been convicted. One of which has lawsuits pending against him and the other has been indicted on 91 criminal counts across four jurisdictions. The latter is also a one-term former President of the United States and current front runner for the presidential nomination of one of our major political parties. As such, our nation is facing legal and Constitutional stress tests of historic proportions.
One of the common responses to the idea of holding this man accountable has been fear of reprisal upon conviction. While reprisal is a valid concern, I haven’t
heard anyone talk about the consequences of him not being held accountable. People have talked about what could happen if he returns to power. But no one talks about the societal impact of any miscarriages of justice. Pundits, analysts, political operatives and the like, as much as they are loathsome of how divided we are, they seem oblivious to the notion that the path towards national healing is through justice.
Justice sets us on the right course. Justice is the great equalizer. Justice quells reprisal. Justice restores order. Justice puts us in proper balance. And justice is long overdue.
Please note that while I may talk about politics, I have no party affiliation. My intent is to elevate our discourse beyond the superficial and hopefully affect positive change.
Onward to Harmonious Balance,
Johanna
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