Is Justice Blind or Not?
There are no shortage of examples showing the judicial system’s failings. Arguably, the courts in Western civilization are still the most just. However, it seems that instead of fair and impartial proceedings becoming more prevalent, they are becoming less so. The fact that I have to preface my example by stating I am nonpartisan is actually a potent example of the biases of the current state of affairs. Consider Donald Trump and Joe Biden. One is the former president and the other is a former vice president and current president. One is on his fourth indictment (I believe) and the other has no indictments (I believe). Let me know if I am wrong.
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Regardless of what one thinks of these men, their political parties, and their supporters, it would seem justice would hold them both to the same standard. From what I can tell, both men are embroiled in questionable and rightfully investigable issues. For instance, both Trump and Biden had classified documents that were not supposed to be where they were. Oddly, only Trump was held to task for this. Biden’s classified documents were removed from their appropriate place while he was VP and thus, he had them in his private residence for many years, included a time when he held neither the authority that he did or does. Supposedly, it is unlawful (and unethical) for someone, even a president or VP, to hold classified documents in their private residents. I’m no expert but this information seems clearcut and well established.
Now, that’s just one incident. It seems when it comes to Biden there are many more dubious incidents, such as dealings with China, Hunter Biden, Ukraine, collusion with Big Tech censorship, and more. Again, this is not a pitch to condemn one man and grant another amnesty. This is an expression of the apparently unblinded justice that is masquerading around as impartial and fair. If justice is blind, both men (and all others) should be held to the same standard.
The notion of justice being blind originates from Themis, the Ancient Greek Goddess of Justice. the image of her standing blindfolded with a sword in one hand and scales in the other captures the importance of law and order being meted out in impartial and equitable ways. Justice of this kind earns the respect and allegiance of any citizen who values fairness and objectivity. It would seem this should be almost universally embraced.
Obviously, there are those who wish to live above the law. One might even admit that some laws are unjust and don’t deserve respect. However, if we stick to the notion of justice rather than law, then I think we can more assuredly claim that it should hold everyone in an equal light. Unfortunately, this is often not the case. I am certain many of us can cite a case where wealth, power or privilege has allowed an individual to escape judgement that another less influential person did not under similar circumstances. This would be an example of the unblinding of justice. It seems we are seeing it in the unequal treatment between Trump and Biden. We saw it with the lack of prosecution of Wall Street following the 2008 financial collapse due to their subprime mortgage scams. We saw it in the lack of accountability around the lies about the existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq which was the pretence to invade and subsequently cause the death of millions of Iraqi civilians as well as many Americans and other nationals. Tony Blair still walks free today (as do his American counterparts) barking orders and having the gaul to make moralistic claims about other global matters.
I could go on and on. I think you could too. It seems undebatable that the law is not blind but heavily influenced by cronyism and special interests. It is also often manipulated by the media. How common is it for the media to declare guilt prior to due process? We regularly are told of a suspect - as if they have already been convicted - while the premise of innocent until proven guilty is all but forgotten. The corporate media, backed by their billionaire owners who hold allegiance to particular political parties and/or players, shape public opinion more than any legal proceedings. This is the opposite of blind. It is a spotlighted sensationalistic manufacturing of consent.
Justice may be blind but justice has been pushed aside by a legal system that sees what it wants because of who is directing its gaze. All the examples I have given as well as countless more from the covid era and beyond, make it clear that the judicial branch of government (along with the legislative and executive) has been captured by a small group of elite (Davos ilk) powerbrokers. Corruption runs through each branch as well as the fourth estate, the media, which is supposed to illuminate such injustices and corrosion of our societal fabric. This type of systematic immorality is poison for a free and democratic society. It makes its survival extremely precarious.
While this all sounds quite bleak, I still believe justice waits patiently. She still holds a sword in her hand. Her judgement and her consequences are inescapable in the end. Those who evade the law will not be able to evade her reach indefinitely. Their time will come. Justice will be served.
What do you think?