As Americans continue moving away from God, so has social justice in the entire country continued being eroded. In the past, people used to be sentenced based on their crimes and stipulated laws. However, this is not the case currently with injustices being meted on the poor while the rich escape unpunished despite committing crimes. Despite the subsequent governments emphasizing that people should stick to the established laws, it has been found that there has been an emergence of unjust laws in the country which aims at enforcing the poor to always obey the rich. I can agree that the law enforcing agency in the country is bound to continue with social injustice.
From the past experience with most rulings in the courts, it is evident that there is high social injustice within the courts. People have violated most of the set guidelines on how the national laws are to be implemented. Just as Luther asserted in his letter that the leadership of Birmingham City had violated most of the established agreements while the merchants declined to willingly amalgamate their businesses, it is evident that some of the attorneys in the courts have vowed not to go as per the set rules (Bass, 2001, p. 56). There are numerous cases that have been passed only to be revoked later. Others have been wrongly decided. Looking at the situation in the country, I can argue that despite the country having just laws, in some instances the law has been found to be unjust when it comes to being implemented. Our attorneys have been found to deliberately violate the laws despite their conscience warning them of the same. A good example is the case where a forty eight years old man’s case was recalled by the court in Florida. He had been sentenced to life imprisonment for rape only to be later set free by claiming that he had been wrongly charged (Bilson, 2010, para. 7).
According to Martin Luther King, one of the factors that made it hard for Blacks to get social justice was the white moderates. Rather that seeing justices being applied in the country, they ensured that there was order regardless of social injustices happening in the country ((Bass, 2001, p. 73). On the other hand, the greatest obstacle to social justice in United States courts is the law enforcers themselves. The lawyers and the attorneys have consciously used their authority to help their friends and clients evade the law. This was evident with the case against former President Bill Clinton. After Paula Jones accused him of sexual harassment, Susan Webber (District Court Judge) used her authority to ensure that no evidence was adduced in court. It has been clear that even those entrusted in enforcing law and order in the country are not ready to let go the issue of social injustice in the country (Bilson, 2010, para. 11-13).
Social injustices continue being perpetrated in the courts despite there being guidelines on how sentences are to be made. Our attorneys have not kept to the oath of allegiance they took when being elevated to these responsibilities. Based on the situation in the country, it calls for swift actions to be taken to reverse the situation. Remaining silent and watching injustices happen in the country will not help the poor. As our leaders are not willing to address the matter, the public requires taking mass action. This is from the past experience where mass action has resulted to the government of the day addressing the aired problems. Martin Luther King claimed that non-violent tension is vital for development. I agree with him that mass action will be the only way of ensuring that social injustices are stopped in our courts. This is because the government will be compelled to address the issues.
Reference List
- Bass, S. J. (2001). Blessed Are The Peacemakers: Martin Luther King, Jr., Eight White Religious Leaders, and the “Letter from Birmingham Jail”. Baton Rouge: LSU Press.
- Bilson, V. (2010). Injustice in America. Web.