In America and across all the colonized nations, poor citizens
and citizens of color await equality. Although we claim an allegiance to justice; questions
beg answers. If we live in a land where everyone is considered equal, how do we respond to the following:
Why is the quality of
a public school education determined by one’s zip code?
Why is there a "cradle
to prison" pipeline in the United States?
As we ponder justice, we must consider our country’s many
inconsistencies; for example, The Children’s
Defense Fund, points out: “1 in 3 Black
and 1 in 6 Latino boys born in 2001 are at risk of imprisonment during their
lifetime” and that “states spend about three times as much money per prisoner
as per public school pupil”.
How can we without heavy hearts and conscious pledge allegiance
to our flag when we consistently and without apology fail to be “one nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all”? As we commemorate the birth
of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., let’s honestly ask:
Is justice afforded in equal
measure to all of America’s citizens?
When Rev. King marched, preached or gave speeches, he often
quoted the prophet Amos 5:24, “But let justice roll down like waters and
righteousness like a mighty stream!” always as a reminder of the absence of
and need for justice in America. If we are to live in truth and to make
freedom a reality for all, we have to stand up for and embrace our nation’s need for
justice.
The legal definition
of justice: “The proper administration of the law; the fair and equitable treatment
of all individuals under the law.”
With this understanding of justice we can rightly say in
America, we continue to demonstrate an unwillingness to render equitable
treatment of all individuals under the law. In Martin Luther King’s
infamous speech, I Have a Dream, he
says amid vicious atrocities committed against Black people and poor people: “Now is the time to make justice a reality
for all of God's children”. King offers a clarion call for all people to
understand that true justice is “no
respecter of persons”.
On January 15th, Dr. King would have been eighty-five years
old and today he would stand as a fount of wisdom. However, America continues
to wallow in folly and indifference when it comes to justice for all her citizens.
We hide behind our social economic status, our religion, our education, our
gender, our sexuality, our race, our politics, etc. believing these justify our right to an unequal justice.
If justice is to be a reality for all, we must fight for and demand “the fair and equitable treatment of all individuals (not only) under the (judicial) law” but also because Jesus says we should:
“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other,
just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one
another
will prove to the world that you are my disciples” (John 13:35–35).
Justice, can be realized by all! Dr. King fought valiantly for justice; but we have allowed his Dream to remain a figment yet to reach fruition for every person in our society. If we
are to truly reshape our native land, we must become the solution to our nation’s
time honored practice of inequality. Professor and Philosopher Cornel West reminds us:
“Never forget that justice is what love looks like in public!”
Inspired By Love,
Marcus J. Singleton
Lead Pastor
Living Faith Community
Hoover, AL
Our Vision: "A diverse community of faith, inspired by the love the of Jesus, committed to becoming and making disciples".
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