The Truth of Justice

A person’s character is defined by his or her beliefs, and each personal conviction hints at who people are, how they were raised, and what they hope to accomplish. My moral code has had years of conditioning, years that have led me to establish my core beliefs, one being justice. The ideal of justice, as I know it, is an integral part of society that ensures the endurance of order and allows for the existence of hope.

True justice, as described by the Founding Fathers, is equality under the law, meaning that in the eyes of the law, no one is superior to another. This is also mirrored in the statement “all men are created equal.” I believe that the judicial system should be impartial to race, gender, or social status, ensuring that each individual has an equal opportunity to succeed. Although sometimes overlooked, equality has long been one of the key American principles. The justice system provides all law-abiding citizens, no matter their ethnic or religious backgrounds, with the chance to pursue the American Dream.

My scheme of flawless justice incorporates the ideas that no crime should go unpunished and that every punishment should fit the severity of the crime for which it is prescribed. Allowing evildoers to continue their wickedness, while the innocent suffer under their malevolence, is simply immoral. Modern chastisement carries the equivalence of a “slap on the wrist,” compared to times when offenders were met with the full force of the law. Punishment has become so minimal that it no longer acts as a deterrent to crime, as criminals are now convinced that the repercussions of their wrongdoings will be minimal. If potential criminals once again feared punishment, the world would be much safer.

I sincerely think that society still craves justice. This strong desire to see justice served has existed throughout the history of the United States, from the American Revolution, through the Civil Rights Movement, and to the America of today, where the multitudes are dissatisfied with the nature of government’s operation and seek a reversion back to America’s traditional values of old. Society’s hunger for justice is demonstrated in the popularity of television shows such as Walker, Texas Ranger and 24, with their respective protagonists, Cordell Walker and Jack Bauer, who, in their own ways, act as the “iron fists of justice.” These characters are symbolic of justice and give society hope that no matter how much evil exists in the world, goodness and righteousness will always prevail.

As long as justice is maintained, society can rest assured that order and hope will always endure. My whole life I have revered justice, with the belief in a fine line between right and wrong. In recent years this line has been blurred by those who wish to undermine liberty, though their success is not imminent. If people never lose sight of this faded line, justice will inevitably maintain its hold over all who believe in its truth.