Poem of the Week

What if Justice…

What if justice flowed like a stream?

Then our King Martin would’ve had a different dream.

What if justice didn’t have a wall?

Then Kaepernick would still be playing ball.

What if justice was truly blind?

Then Bree Newsome would’ve never had to climb.

What if justice is what everyone seeks?

Then Sandra would’ve gone home and Trayvon lived past 17.

What if justice wasn’t denied?

Then Ahmaud would’ve jogged home and been free to live his life.

What if justice was swift to come?

Well, I guess then, I’d write a different poem.

Justice Musing

I took a class entitled “Legal and Ethical Dimensions of Public Service” while a student at the Clinton School of Public Service. This class, taught by Dean John DiPippa, helped me explore the meaning of justice. It’s been almost a decade since I took the course, but the idea, the concept, the practice known as justice continues to appear in my writing, in my work, and in my personal experiences.

“Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do?,” a book by Michael Sandel, guided many discussions in Dean Dippa’s class. In this book, justice is the praxis for public debate.

• • What guides my belief in what is right and wrong?
  • How do I define justice?
  • How can I not harm others as I serve the public?
  • How can civic discourse happen when ideas of justice are diverse and complex?
  • How do I seek individual and collective justice?

These are some of the questions I asked myself in class and after I read Sandel’s book.  I even ask myself these questions now.

These questions and Dean’s class are resonating with me now because I am writing a book based on a relative who dedicated her entire life to seeking justice for Black people. For her, justice meant knowing that all people are God’s creation and deserve fair treatment. She also believed no law or interpersonal interaction should harm anyone. She sought justice through the church, with leaders in small towns throughout the southern United States, and even within her household. She relentlessly practiced and pursued justice. The pieces of her life that I’ve been able to put together let me know that justice is aspirational, justice is rooted in hope, and justice is a lifestyle.  

I am a committed practitioner of justice because of people like Dean Dippa and my ancestor who I continue to learn from. Each day of life is another opportunity to ensure justice shows up wherever I go. For me, justice is a constant pursuit and a consistent practice.

Justice topics I am thinking about are:

• Covid-19 and School
• Police Brutality and Qualified Immunity 
• Moral Implications for Presidential Pardons
• Mask vs. No Mask
• Public Policy and Public Safety Conflicts

What are your thoughts on justice?