The Key to Justice

Abstract

“I'm for justice, no matter who it's for or against” is a famous quote once said by renowned activist, Malcolm X. Although people now may see it as redundant or cliche, the truth that it speaks should echo throughout all spaces in our lives. However, with the passage of time this sentiment has only faded into history. The world as it is now is facing a sharp increase in tension and negativity towards others. Simultaneously, new leadership has risen to power that only exacerbates the problem. This has led people to seek their own justice through civil disobedience. Though it is the people’s right, it often escalates and leads to violence which only calls the attention of other parties, namely, the government. The intervention of government and law enforcement in incidents of civil disobedience oftentimes sparks even more contention and animosity. This animosity boils up and ultimately results in violence on all sides, both citizen and government. It is in this moment that the population is called to analyze the dynamic between two groups and whose actions really have a justification. After carefully juxtaposing the motivations of both groups, one can easily reach the conclusion that when dealing with peaceful or violent protests, the government should not use violent nor intimidating tactics to deal with them because it violates civil rights, criminalizes individuals and contributes to systemic inequalities.