JUSTICE
What is it? Why do we need it? What does it
accomplish? Does it keep people on the straight and narrow? Statesmen refer to something called THE JUST SOCIETY. Canada has a CHARTER OF RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS in order to achieve such a society; however, our society continues to witness unspeakable crimes, greed,
hatred, indifference and inequality.
Many citizens question whether or not justice is fair for all. In the USA, the disproportionate prison populations for blacks and latinos compared with white inmates is cited by many as evidence that justice has racist overtones.
Many citizens question whether or not justice is fair for all. In the USA, the disproportionate prison populations for blacks and latinos compared with white inmates is cited by many as evidence that justice has racist overtones.
Liberals seem to believe that all problems in human life stem from an unjust society. They push hard for various adjustments to the social mechanism of their government that will eventually bring them to a utopian society.
Today's schools are quick to recognize racism, sexism, and imperialism in their history curricula; however, they do not recognize or at least choose to ignore the obvious reality that humans are constantly and historically engaged in a struggle between good and evil.
Various religions do nothing to help their youthful followers prepare for a diverse world that is constantly evolving. The dilemma of sorting out the human condition is largely ignored by religious sects more concerned with the conversion of 'non-believers' than the horrors of darkness.
THE ESSENCE OF JUSTICE:
- the process of using laws to fairly judge and punish crimes and criminals.
- the administering of deserved punishment or reward.
- the quality of being impartial or fair.
- the quality of conforming to law, truth, fact or reason.
- required in a society for political thinking and organization.
- required in a society for peace, harmony and equality.
ARISTOTLE ON JUSTICE
Distributive Justice > the distribution of wealth or other goods in a fair and equitable manner.
Retributive Justice > reparation, punishing someone for a wrong he has done.
SERIOUS MISCARRIAGES OF JUSTICE
OJ Simpson,
Johnnie Cochran, O.J.Simpson lawyer, "IF IT DOESN'T FIT, YOU MUST ACQUIT." Many believe that the jury was affected by a total mistrust of the LA Police Department. In spite of a preponderance of the evidence, they were convinced that Detective Mark Fuhrman either tampered with or planted evidence and lied on the stand.
Oscar Pistorius,
Oscar Pistorius has been found guilty of culpable homicide - equivalent to manslaughter in British law - for killing Reeva Steenkamp. The ruling was based on the judge's finding that he used excessive force and was negligent in firing through the door.
In South Africa, the justice system does not make use of the Jury trial Rather a trial is presented to a single judge and her chosen panel. Crucially, the judge in this case, believed Pistorius's claim that he believed he was under attack from an intruder. Judge Thokosile Masipa granted Pistorius bail, despite the state barrister arguing that he posed a flight risk now that he knew it was likely he would face a custodial sentence and had sold his house. 
Why has no one been able to explain why young men and women serve in British, Canadian, Australian or US Military for 20 years, risking their lives protecting freedom, and only get up to 50% of their pay on retirement?
While politicians hold their political positions in the safe confines of all of our nations' capitals, protected by these same men and women, and receive full-pay retirement after serving one term. It just does not make any sense.
In the UK some soldiers & their families come home only to be put out on the streets - Homeless -! Whilst Immigrants and asylum seekers who have done nothing for our countries are treated to Free Housing, Medical Care, & Benefits of every description...!
ISIS
These jihadists are very sophisticated in their organization and radical and extreme in their operations. The Islamic State is seen and feared as the most elaborate and militant jihad in modern history.
It has a large bureaucracy complete with a judicial system. ISIS has modern weapons and employs brutal violence such as mass executions, rape, abduction and genocide to strike fear into the hearts of those who resist conversion to their religion and way of life. The financial network that exists for them enhances their viability, allows it to sell oil on the black market. Their conquests of key centres in Iraq have resulted in the accumulation of extensive wealth. Their goal is world domination rather than world-wide justice for all.
It's time again for the annual 'Stella Awards'! For those unfamiliar with these awards, they are named after 81-year-old Stella Liebeck who spilled hot coffee on herself and successfully sued the McDonald's in New Mexico where she purchased coffee. You remember, she took the lid off the coffee and put it between her knees while she was driving. Who would ever think one could get burned doing that, right? That's right; these are awards for the most outlandish lawsuits and verdicts in the U.S. You know, the kinds of cases that make you scratch your head. So keep your head scratcher handy.
* SEVENTH PLACE *
Kathleen Robertson of Austin, Texas, was awarded $80,000 by a jury of her peers after breaking her ankle tripping over a toddler who was running inside a furniture store. The store owners were understandably surprised by the verdict, considering the running toddler was her own son.
Start scratching!
* SIXTH PLACE *
Carl Truman, 19, of Los Angeles, California, won $74,000 plus medical expenses when his neighbor ran over his hand with a Honda Accord. Truman apparently didn't notice there was someone at the wheel of the car when he was trying to steal his neighbour's hubcaps.
Scratch some more...
* FIFTH PLACE *
Terrence Dickson of Bristol, Pennsylvania was leaving a house he had just burglarized by way of the garage. Unfortunately for Dickson, the automatic garage door opener malfunctioned and he could not get the garage door to open. Worse, he couldn't re-enter the house because the door connecting the garage to the house locked when Dickson pulled it shut. Forced to sit for eight, count 'em, EIGHT days and survive on a case of Pepsi and a large bag of dry dog food, he sued the homeowner's insurance company claiming undue mental anguish. Amazingly, the jury said the insurance company must pay Dickson $500,000 for his anguish. We should all have this kind of anguish.
Double hand scratching after this one..
* FOURTH PLACE *
Jerry Williams of Little Rock, Arkansas, garnered 4th place in the Stella's when he was awarded $14,500 plus medical expenses after being bitten on the butt by his next door neighbor's beagle - even though the beagle was on a chain in its owner's fenced yard. Williams did not get as much as he asked for because the jury believed the beagle might have been provoked at the time of the butt bite because Williams had climbed over the fence into the yard and repeatedly shot the dog with a pellet gun.
Pick a new spot to scratch, you're getting a bald spot..
* THIRD PLACE *
Amber Carson of Lancaster, Pennsylvania A jury ordered a Philadelphia restaurant to pay her $113,500 after she slipped on a spilled soft drink and broke her tailbone. The reason the soft drink was on the floor: Ms. Carson had thrown it at her boyfriend 30 seconds earlier during an argument.
Only two more so ease up on the scratching...
*SECOND PLACE*
* FIFTH PLACE *
Terrence Dickson of Bristol, Pennsylvania was leaving a house he had just burglarized by way of the garage. Unfortunately for Dickson, the automatic garage door opener malfunctioned and he could not get the garage door to open. Worse, he couldn't re-enter the house because the door connecting the garage to the house locked when Dickson pulled it shut. Forced to sit for eight, count 'em, EIGHT days and survive on a case of Pepsi and a large bag of dry dog food, he sued the homeowner's insurance company claiming undue mental anguish. Amazingly, the jury said the insurance company must pay Dickson $500,000 for his anguish. We should all have this kind of anguish.
Double hand scratching after this one..
* FOURTH PLACE *
Jerry Williams of Little Rock, Arkansas, garnered 4th place in the Stella's when he was awarded $14,500 plus medical expenses after being bitten on the butt by his next door neighbor's beagle - even though the beagle was on a chain in its owner's fenced yard. Williams did not get as much as he asked for because the jury believed the beagle might have been provoked at the time of the butt bite because Williams had climbed over the fence into the yard and repeatedly shot the dog with a pellet gun.
Pick a new spot to scratch, you're getting a bald spot..
* THIRD PLACE *
Amber Carson of Lancaster, Pennsylvania A jury ordered a Philadelphia restaurant to pay her $113,500 after she slipped on a spilled soft drink and broke her tailbone. The reason the soft drink was on the floor: Ms. Carson had thrown it at her boyfriend 30 seconds earlier during an argument.
Only two more so ease up on the scratching...
*SECOND PLACE*
Kara Walton of Claymont, Delaware, sued the owner of a night club in a nearby city because she fell from the bathroom window to the floor, knocking out her two front teeth. Even though Ms. Walton was trying to sneak through the ladies room window to avoid paying the $3.50 cover charge, the jury said the night club had to pay her $12,000....oh, yeah, plus dental expenses.
Go figure.
Go figure.
Ok. Here we go!!
* FIRST PLACE *
This year's runaway First Place Stella Award winner was: Mrs. Merv Grazinski of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, who purchased a new 32-foot Winnebago motor home. On her first trip home, from an OU football game, having driven onto the freeway, she set the cruise control at 70 mph and calmly left the driver's seat to go to the back of the Winnebago to make herself a sandwich. Not surprisingly, the motor home left the freeway, crashed, and overturned. Also not surprisingly, Mrs. Grazinski sued Winnebago for not putting in the owner's manual that she couldn't actually leave the driver's seat while the cruise control was set. The Oklahoma jury awarded her (are you sitting down?)…..
$1,750,000 PLUS a new motor home. Winnebago actually changed their manuals as a result of this suit, just in case Mrs. Grazinski has any relatives who also might buy a motor home.
WHAT CAN BE MORE JUST THAN TRUE FRIENDSHIP, EARNED AND TRUSTED?
True Friendship... SCOTTISH STYLE!! (None of that Sissy stuff)
Are ye tired of those pissy weak 'friendship' poems that always sound good, but never actually come close to reality? Well, here are a series of promises that actually speak of true friendship... You will see no cute wee smiley faces on this note; just the stone cold truth of a great friendship.
1. When ye are sad -- I will help you get pissed and plot revenge
against the bastard who made ye sad.
2. When ye are blue -- I will try to dislodge whatever is choking ye.
3. When ye smile -- I will know ye are thinking of something that I would probably want to be involved in.
4. When ye are scared -- I will shake the piss out of ye every
chance I get, until you're NOT.
5. When ye are worried -- I will tell ye stories about how much
worse it could be until YE STOP YER WHINING!
6. When yer confused -- I will try to use only wee words.
7. When ye are sick -- Stay tae hell away from me until ye are well again. I dinna want whatever ye've got.
8. When ye fall, I will laugh me head off at you, you clumsy arse,
.......but I'll help you up.
9. This is my oath; I pledge it to the end. 'Why?' you may ask;
Because ... you are my friend.
Friendship is like peein' in your pants, everyone can see it, but only
you can feel the true warmth... Send this to ten o' yer closest friends, then get depressed because ye can only think of four.
THE QUESTION:
Why is justice often represented by a woman blindfolded and carrying a sword in one hand and balance scales in the other?
THE QUOTE:
"There is a higher court than courts of justice and that is the court of conscience. It supersedes all other courts." - Mahatma Gandhi
LEMONS TO:
Politicians who make rules and laws that only others need follow and obey.
THE CLIP:
Why is justice often represented by a woman blindfolded and carrying a sword in one hand and balance scales in the other?
THE QUOTE:
"There is a higher court than courts of justice and that is the court of conscience. It supersedes all other courts." - Mahatma Gandhi
LEMONS TO:
Politicians who make rules and laws that only others need follow and obey.
THE CLIP:
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