The just and the unjust have been part of our society since the beginning of human civilization. We humans are imperfect people and sometimes can be destructive and selfish. The Just are able to make appropriate weight of fairness in society while the Unjust encourages disparity. One builds a healthy society and the other seeks to harm that society. You have a responsibility to encourage what is good and healthy in our society. You can do that in little ways.
Let me give you an example and you can decide for yourself what you believe.
Hypothetical Example: A person high on the dark triad traits spreads a hate narrative to as many people as they can to financially and socially gain. Use of personal connections and false complaints are launched to manipulate a local institution to target a minority family. In this example, they were able to coordinate a large group of shallow bigoted followers to publicly scorn the family in an attempt to cleans them out of a community despite having deeper genetic roots to the land (even before most others). It appears from their coordinated performance they have done this at other times and other people. These social groups and connections are causing problems for others who brought forward similar complaints of extremism and corruption. Some were retaliated against for raising those concerns.
What is Just and What is Unjust?
Scenario A: The situation is further investigated and those who were intentionally destructive were held to an appropriate account and are not financially rewarded for manipulative behaviors. Greater emphasis on ensuring local officials do not connect and fraternize with such groups. Furthermore, checks and balances were put in place in case this occurs again. General performance of these institutions improves while crime declines. The area sees improvement in trust in the foundations of local institutions and its leaders. People become more engage in building their community together as a single people.
Scenario B: Large group of officials and local hate group target minorities and are given a free pass by the local judicial system. No matter how many witnesses and evidence their main concern is to clean their community of minorities and protect each other from accountability. Hate crimes are unreported and divisions in society further socialize expectations of hate. The wider system doesn't understand nor has any backstop from semi-coordinated extremists and corruption. Local economy becomes weaker and partisan political conflict rises. Why rural white Americans’ resentment is a threat to democracy (In a highly diverse society you can swap with any race or religion. Don't get hung up on any race or religion but look at the mechanics.)
Most Americans believe a society like ours should work together, encourage tolerance, and accountability for improper actions to ensure integrity of institutions. Most reasonable Americans would opt for Scenario A versus Scenario B because it is in the best interest of everyone. Partisanship and bigotries are no longer acceptable in our society and corruption should be shunned. However, we do not live always in a just world and those that make it an unjust are often free to create chaos because of a lack of wider moral conscious. Do We Live in an Unjust World?
What are some of the long term consequences of not doing the right thing? In the short run the consequences seem small but in the long run you see the fabric of society struggling and that is a direct result of waning commitment to the principles of democracy and weakening commitment to our Constitutional ideals of free of religion and freedom of speech.
Review the two polls below. Do not pick a political side in the article but become aware of the poll and some of its implications. Ask yourself what do you want to see out of your nation and ask yourself how the young may better strengthen our democracy by rejection partisanship and rejecting those who protect corruption and mistreatment. We are all in this ship together and will need to function organically to support our principles to ensure we understand true North so we can navigate the bouncing seas safely (all of us).
The bad news, Most Americans say democracy important for US, but not functioning well: Survey
What can draw us together and is a place to start New survey finds agreement on most core American values
It is your patriotic duty to be the best person you can, utilize your skills well, encourage fair and just treatment of each other, avoid partisanship, and encourage people to think about how to create bridges where people are actively burning them. Be better than those who reject the fundamentals of our democracy that leads to a strong nation and economy. When you stand for your oaths and say, "with liberty and justice for all" truly understand those words and let them reverberate in your hearts...because your children and grandchildren depend on your daily choices, behaviors and activities. If you can be a slightly better and more thoughtful person today than you were yesterday, you are moving in the right direction.
*This is for illustrative purposes. Feel free discard the theoretical dribble.
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