Wow you are just on a heresy binge today, especially in this era where politics gets in the way of justice routinely. Sad to say I can think of about fifty different examples right off the top of my head where something similar is playing out in every virtually state in the union. Most days I feel like there are no adults in the room anymore. I find it useful sometimes, to make grade school analogies of things in order to depoliticize something. It works in varying degrees, and unfortunately quickly identifies people are no longer committed to our democracy or way of life when they openly admit they have no interest in the truth and start making arguments about unrelated topics.
Injustice has always been endemic to our society, be it economic or racial. We've had Civil Rights leaders in the Craft, but we've also had our share of supremacists throughout this time. If all this wasn't true, there would have been no need for Prince Hall, Black churches and other institutions, or civil unrest in the 1960s or recently. But the idea or society is so imperfect offends those of us who don't feel the sting of it.
I feel that if we did more than simply recognize Prince Hall and actively worked together, we could set an example for society of at least having a conversation as to why some of us don't see or even actively ignore justice.
Washington state has a judical system that denys all of us justice. We the people have no choice if or when justice is applied. That is because the district prosecutors control all decisions to bring charges. Yes, we do have a grand jury system, but only if the prosecutor elects to use it. Victims cannot "file charges" as they can in other states. The fact that the identified suspect was not immediately arrested on probable cause suggests that a political decision was made, that the police were directed to not arrest, facts ignored. I suggest that this case illustrates that there is a systematic culture of selective justice in Lewis county which goes deeper than just this one case.
My niece was carjacked at gunpoint just a week ago. The perpetrator, a youth of 16 years old was eventually caught after a car chase and arrested. Car is totaled. When brought before a judge, the youth, who has been detained in the local juvenile center, claimed he feared for his life and the judge promptly released him to the custody of his mother and grandmother.
A violent criminal who committed multiple felonies is walking around free right now, while my niece has lost her car and is severely traumatized by all of this. And in the end, I predict this violent criminal will strike a plea deal, won't be tried as an adult, will spend a few months in Juvenile Hall, and get out. Once he turns 18, he'll have his criminal record wiped clean. That is how the justice system in pierce county works.
And now our state has basically decriminalized drug possession, which is like throwing gasoline on a fire. Crime is so bad because the prosecutors refuse to put the criminals in prison, and we all pay for it.
My Grandfather told me a story once, that a law student said to his professor, after hearing particular case explained, that the courts had not rendered 'Justice'. The professor responded, "This is a class on Law, Justice is addressed down the hall in the philosophy department." Often the legal system does not render justice, that's just a fact of our system. That said, I think sometimes the men and women who run our legal system loose sight of the fact that they are 'charged' with executing the law in the most 'just' way possible. A shared sense of right and wrong MUST underpin our judicial system if it is to survive. Simply put, as a citizen I surrender my own human right to extract justice from another person, personally, in exchange for a society of Laws that will protect my family, my property and myself.. That's the social contract. When that system, systematically, fails to provide the benefits I am promised for giving up my right to seek justice myself, then the contract is broken. That simple equation is basis of all civilizations that are not tyrannical. One case of injustice is not a cause for the system to fall apart, but the systematic failure does threaten it. Confidence in our government and our judicial system is a must if we are to survive, and I think as citizens we have to stand up and defend, demand, fairness in our courts because its as crucial to the survival of our nation as nation defense against invaders.
When the justice system is under the thumb of elections, justice is subservient to votes. Claiming that crime is down is a way to gain those votes for people not able to see with their own eyes what is going on. Perhaps crime is down because the prosecutor doesn't bother to even charge the arrested. Store owners don't bother to call the police when their store is ransacked because they know the cops won't do anything. None of it is reported as a crime in the statistics. Thus, crime is down. Who is paying for all of this? Us, the citizens paying taxes and higher costs of goods and services because the stores have to make up their losses somehow. Car thefts are up, but nothing is ever done because everyone just says, eh, it's just a car, the insurance companies will pay for it. Except the insurance companies aren't paying the costs, we all are, because the insurance companies will just raise rates for everyone. And the state does nothing, in fact they pass laws that just make things worse.
The explanation that the prosecutor cannot act because the Sheriff messed up the case is patently false.
I’m reminded of a traffic accident in Grays Harbor County nearly 50 years ago. The causing driver was an Aberdeen policeman who had been driving drunk. APD friends gathered at the hospital to protect him. The prosecutor claimed they messed up the investigation and failed to act.
It is a galling fact that corrupt influences are afield and have been for a long time. It continues to be a feature of our criminal justice system. That’s why character is an important aspect of every election.
It seems that the "Justice" you are referring to is the Justice in the Masonic Cardinal Virtues " - Temperance, Prudence, Fortitude and Justice. Each of these relates to a state of mind within you, not necessarily a reaction to the external environment. Thus "justice" is a part of who you are not what you do.
Justice, as I see it, is to be just to your self as well as others. As you forgive others, be able to forgive yourself. We all make mistakes in life some of which are judged by the outside world. But many other mistakes need to be judged by your own conscience. Be able to merciful to yourself.
We have the power of effecting change when we see it is necessary. We have the power to set the course right when we see it go off course. If we have Justice denied to those in our community are we really moral and upright if we do nothing? Justice and equality are devine rights of the universe!!!
Wow you are just on a heresy binge today, especially in this era where politics gets in the way of justice routinely. Sad to say I can think of about fifty different examples right off the top of my head where something similar is playing out in every virtually state in the union. Most days I feel like there are no adults in the room anymore. I find it useful sometimes, to make grade school analogies of things in order to depoliticize something. It works in varying degrees, and unfortunately quickly identifies people are no longer committed to our democracy or way of life when they openly admit they have no interest in the truth and start making arguments about unrelated topics.
Injustice has always been endemic to our society, be it economic or racial. We've had Civil Rights leaders in the Craft, but we've also had our share of supremacists throughout this time. If all this wasn't true, there would have been no need for Prince Hall, Black churches and other institutions, or civil unrest in the 1960s or recently. But the idea or society is so imperfect offends those of us who don't feel the sting of it.
I feel that if we did more than simply recognize Prince Hall and actively worked together, we could set an example for society of at least having a conversation as to why some of us don't see or even actively ignore justice.
Washington state has a judical system that denys all of us justice. We the people have no choice if or when justice is applied. That is because the district prosecutors control all decisions to bring charges. Yes, we do have a grand jury system, but only if the prosecutor elects to use it. Victims cannot "file charges" as they can in other states. The fact that the identified suspect was not immediately arrested on probable cause suggests that a political decision was made, that the police were directed to not arrest, facts ignored. I suggest that this case illustrates that there is a systematic culture of selective justice in Lewis county which goes deeper than just this one case.
My niece was carjacked at gunpoint just a week ago. The perpetrator, a youth of 16 years old was eventually caught after a car chase and arrested. Car is totaled. When brought before a judge, the youth, who has been detained in the local juvenile center, claimed he feared for his life and the judge promptly released him to the custody of his mother and grandmother.
A violent criminal who committed multiple felonies is walking around free right now, while my niece has lost her car and is severely traumatized by all of this. And in the end, I predict this violent criminal will strike a plea deal, won't be tried as an adult, will spend a few months in Juvenile Hall, and get out. Once he turns 18, he'll have his criminal record wiped clean. That is how the justice system in pierce county works.
And now our state has basically decriminalized drug possession, which is like throwing gasoline on a fire. Crime is so bad because the prosecutors refuse to put the criminals in prison, and we all pay for it.
My Grandfather told me a story once, that a law student said to his professor, after hearing particular case explained, that the courts had not rendered 'Justice'. The professor responded, "This is a class on Law, Justice is addressed down the hall in the philosophy department." Often the legal system does not render justice, that's just a fact of our system. That said, I think sometimes the men and women who run our legal system loose sight of the fact that they are 'charged' with executing the law in the most 'just' way possible. A shared sense of right and wrong MUST underpin our judicial system if it is to survive. Simply put, as a citizen I surrender my own human right to extract justice from another person, personally, in exchange for a society of Laws that will protect my family, my property and myself.. That's the social contract. When that system, systematically, fails to provide the benefits I am promised for giving up my right to seek justice myself, then the contract is broken. That simple equation is basis of all civilizations that are not tyrannical. One case of injustice is not a cause for the system to fall apart, but the systematic failure does threaten it. Confidence in our government and our judicial system is a must if we are to survive, and I think as citizens we have to stand up and defend, demand, fairness in our courts because its as crucial to the survival of our nation as nation defense against invaders.
When the justice system is under the thumb of elections, justice is subservient to votes. Claiming that crime is down is a way to gain those votes for people not able to see with their own eyes what is going on. Perhaps crime is down because the prosecutor doesn't bother to even charge the arrested. Store owners don't bother to call the police when their store is ransacked because they know the cops won't do anything. None of it is reported as a crime in the statistics. Thus, crime is down. Who is paying for all of this? Us, the citizens paying taxes and higher costs of goods and services because the stores have to make up their losses somehow. Car thefts are up, but nothing is ever done because everyone just says, eh, it's just a car, the insurance companies will pay for it. Except the insurance companies aren't paying the costs, we all are, because the insurance companies will just raise rates for everyone. And the state does nothing, in fact they pass laws that just make things worse.
The explanation that the prosecutor cannot act because the Sheriff messed up the case is patently false.
I’m reminded of a traffic accident in Grays Harbor County nearly 50 years ago. The causing driver was an Aberdeen policeman who had been driving drunk. APD friends gathered at the hospital to protect him. The prosecutor claimed they messed up the investigation and failed to act.
It is a galling fact that corrupt influences are afield and have been for a long time. It continues to be a feature of our criminal justice system. That’s why character is an important aspect of every election.
It seems that the "Justice" you are referring to is the Justice in the Masonic Cardinal Virtues " - Temperance, Prudence, Fortitude and Justice. Each of these relates to a state of mind within you, not necessarily a reaction to the external environment. Thus "justice" is a part of who you are not what you do.
Justice, as I see it, is to be just to your self as well as others. As you forgive others, be able to forgive yourself. We all make mistakes in life some of which are judged by the outside world. But many other mistakes need to be judged by your own conscience. Be able to merciful to yourself.
We have the power of effecting change when we see it is necessary. We have the power to set the course right when we see it go off course. If we have Justice denied to those in our community are we really moral and upright if we do nothing? Justice and equality are devine rights of the universe!!!
How long are we going to let Lewis county Law and Justice center run amuck?