Since my earliest days, I've desired justice. The first justice-seeking episode I remember in my life was just after I had my tonsils out. Someone gave me a beautiful little doll, and then a sibling took the doll's head off and threw it into the mud. I was angry and I was hurt. I wanted justice, but instead I was told to simply forget the episode. That only fueled my desire for justice--a desire that would last throughout my life.
Looking back on that early episode, it's too bad that there wasn't a discussion after the fact. Clearly the sibling was jealous of all the attention I was getting for going to the hospital to get my tonsils out, and rather than just ignore the situation, it would have been good to have a talk that resulted in some kind of loving justice.
As I think back about my desire for justice, I realize that my dad spoke about justice almost every night at the dinner table. Whether it was a story in the newspaper, a family event, or neighborhood occurrence, he turned it into a discussion about justice. He has always been a seeker of justice.
Growing up, I felt that some practices in our household were somewhat unjust. In some cases, my parents ignored some unjust events in our house simply because they didn't know how to cope with the situation--it was easier to simply accept the unjust behavior than deal with it. When I would complain, they would reply, "Don't be a martyr," rather than sit down and work the situation out. Other unjust episodes I dealt with as a young person were situations of cultural injustice including the prejudicial gender and class attitudes and actions I endured. In time, many of those practices were discontinued due to the courage of justice advocates.
As an educator I dealt with systematic injustice by working on my own and with others to update systems in ways to give every child had a chance for success. I'm sure that I perpetrated some systems of injustice too as an educator due to ignorance too which I regret. The more I learned about injustice related to gender, class, race, religion, culture, and more, the better I was able to advocate for just teaching/learning environments. The same is true with regard to community involvement and efforts.
I greatly desire a more just society. I greatly desire the kind of society where everyone is able to live a dignified, good life. I don't like to see or experience injustice in any way. Instead, I love to be apart of just efforts that uplift lives with respect and care.
When I speak strongly against injustice, people generally cower--they don't like strong statements or the challenge that speaking up for injustice brings. I too bristle when someone calls out my actions that may be unknowingly unjust because I know that their words are challenging me to change and do better. It's always difficult to accept our errors in judgement and the fact that we may have acted unjustly in some way.
I remain an advocate for justice. I will continue to educate myself with regard to that arena, and speak out for a just society to the best of my ability.
Onward.
