155 days left until the election (#4139)

     In the absence of justice where does the pain go? How does closure occur? When does the anger subside? The idea that there can be a democracy without justice is illogical. So we see the problems with our society and now we must not shirk our responsibility to fix it. The time is now for the repair and without the repair I fear that we will break apart as a democracy and that can only mean much more senseless bloodshed and misery. Not only is the world watching what we are doing but they are themselves beginning to protest the death of George Floyd as an indictment on cruel and brutish racism and inculcated white privilege.
     As the pain, closure, and anger foment with no therapeutic outlet for release is why we see the outrage in protests and defiance by not only our people of color but of we who are white support them and our democracy on whole. That advantaged and privileged criminals are protected from the effects of justice is much of what is wrong with our society. That the rest of us are handed justice in harsh and demeaning ways is the other side of the coin. The privileged and advantaged are treated with a helping hand from justice, if and when it is meted, while the rest of us are given the back of justice's hand and told we deserve the worst of what is possible without fail.
     With 155 days left until the election it seems that criminal justice reforms will be a major issue for all political candidates to address. Which is appropriate given the harm our justice system has accrued on the backs of those who are least able to shoulder it. The outcome of the George Floyd murder has so far been an overwhelming rally behind the idea that democracy for some is not enough! The nature and culture of our society is in question and how we answer this going forward will determine whether the ideals of democracy can be saved or if we will devolve back into a society that punishes for the sake of punishing while some stay above the law.