Questions for a current inmate: What is “Justice” to you?
Thoughts written by Blackbird (Current Inmate & Founder)
As I think of justice the word fairness comes into my mind over and over again. For something to be just it must be fair. For our justice system to work the way it is intended it must work with a level of fairness for all the parties involved. If something lacks fairness they I am not sure we can consider it just. However, outside of our legal justice system where is the justice in my own life?
Justice for the individual is to be treated with fairness towards themselves and and others. When life feels fair I think it is easier to recognize love. Fair doesn't mean equal, fair means being provided with your needs fulfilled. Relationship that have individuals living with fairness in the hearts for themselves and others needs will be better met and love will be better felt. If I'm going to be honest under these thoughts there was very little justice in my past relationships. Through the process of being jail I think I have began to recognize what I can do to change that going forward.
Justice requires reflection and more specifically self-reflection. If justice is a form of fairness then we must always reexamine our lives to find the areas of needed growth. When we see an area of our healthy life that is suffering we need to be the loving fair individual to provide support needed for growth. That shows justice towards our souls in the fair application towards our needs.
I have met many people here that feel there is no justice in the world. But I see that they also lack a level of faith to believe this world is fair. I was this way and all it didn't was further drive my anger. When I saw that fairness was something I can provide towards myself in taking care of my needs with faith the world began to seem so much more just.
This same reflection can be provided towards society and the world we live in. We need to ask ourselves, "Are we providing the opportunities and belief that growth can change for the better?" If the answer is "yes" then we can say that we are living within a system of justice even if it is solely for ourselves.
