Remember the old adage, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder?” In light of the recent events in the Urban North — Ferguson, NYC, and Cleveland I think we can safely say what is one person’s justice is another person’s injustice. We continue to have racial tensions throughout our country, not just in the South, and hopefully out of tragedy everyone, especially our leaders, will work to ease those tensions and eliminate some of the root causes such as poverty, education, and disparate treatment.
But I caution everyone concerned that to look to our criminal justice system as a solution to racial tension is fruitless. Tragedy cannot be undone by punishing some one else — its just leads to another tragedy. Too many people are already incarcerated in this country, many for mental illness or minor nonviolent infractions, especially people of color. We may disagree with the decision of a jury, but it is not injustice if they fail to indict or find someone guilty. There are lot of individual factors that go into indictment or finding of guilt, especially intent.
The families of those children who are no longer with us deserve our prayers and support. So do the families and the police officers who must live with their actions for the rest of their lives. Let’s put down our stones, our anger, and take up the cause to heal our divisions by reconciliation not retribution.
Autographed copies of When Men Betray are available at this website http://webbhubbell.com/books-by-webb-hubbell-when-men-betray/
You can also preorder your autographed copies of Ginger Snaps at the same site. Please order before Dec. 15, 2014 to insure delivery before Christmas.