Tonight, while at home, I was able to watch the film "A Few Good Men" (You know, Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, and the "You can't handle the truth" line). The movie revolved around this murder trial… and at the end, it becomes a battle between Justice (in the context of the law) and Power. Power argues that it should stay in control because it knows how everything is done and Power makes choices that "save lives" and that "are in the best interest of the country,” even if that means bending or breaking the law. On the other hand, there is Justice (in the context of the law). Justice reveals the corruptive nature of Power by some creative means, shedding light on Power's evil ways. Happy ending. The end. But Wait! Is this how justice works? Can justice truly be served in the context of the law? Can justice be limited to a certain set of rules and regulations of one country and be considered just for all? And at the same time, can justice (in the context of the law) shed light on true justice and peace?
2 comments:
So, I went to Memphis once, right? Yup. And there's a statue of the Lady of Justice by city hall or a courthouse (not sure). I still have a picture of it somewhere...in a lost photobucket account, I'm sure.
Your post made me think about that sculpture and how at the time it meant nothing to me besides "looking cool." So...I looked her up. According to wikipedia (yeah, don't tell my students I used that as a source), the Lady of Justice depicts "justice as a goddess equipped with three symbols: a sword symbolizing the court's coercive power; a human scale weighing competing claims in each hand; and a blindfold indicating impartiality." Impartiality...hmm, think about what justice in the world would really look like if more impartiality was practiced...
Great post, friend. Have you seen Away We Go yet?? I'm about to go see it myself since T-roy is all over the place this summer. :)
Ah! Sorry to comment twice in a row but I'm sitting here working on grad class stuff and I have my last.fm playing on random. A Jon Foreman song came on and reminded me of your justice post - listen to "Instead of a Show."
Adios!
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