There Will Be Justice

by Linda Settles
(Lynchburg, VA)

When I read about Baby Brianna today, I grieved over the atrocities she suffered. I was stirred to anger by the account of the inhumane treatment that led to her death. I was glad that the perpetrators of her suffering were given lengthy jail sentences.

Wouldn't it be great if justice always won out? The jail terms awarded the sick, perverted people who tortured and killed a baby proves that sometimes justice prevails. At other times, crimes go unnoticed, and if they are brought to court, lady Justice seems to wink at them and let them go. Being one of those people who have a strong sense of justice, I don't handle the "winks" very well.

One thing that assuages my anger and helps me regain my serenity when I witness the injustice in the world, is the belief that nothing goes unnoticed by the One who sees the sparrow fall. Remember the old song of faith, "The One who sees the sparrow is watching over me."?

If our vision is limited to time and space as we understand it here on Earth, we may become bitter because of the inequity and injustice of our social system. If, however, we believe that there is a "hereafter" and a High Power who represents absolute justice, then we realize that 51 years or 27 years in jail is only a relatively comfortable prelude for those who killed Baby Brianna Lopez and for all those other murderers, rapists, and sexual offenders who think they got away with their crime.

Lady Justice may be inconsistent, but there is One who looks on the heart and He will show no mercy to those who harm others and think they got away with it.

More information about this author can be found at Linda Settles

Feb 06, 2011
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Look at it another way
by: Elaine Ellis

Just read your page after a long time away fom this site.

I have to say that I agree with much of what you suggest about the Criminal Justice System, but draw the line when it comes to speculation about the "hereafter". I'm not a religious person - I don't really see the need for "organised religion". Personal belief is one thing, but on a wider scale, we have to accept that everyone is entitled to different views. What I believe happens afer death may not be what another person agrees with. All I can say is, that if there does turn out to be a God, then I hope this figure is NOT vitriolic and retaliatory and punitive. Many of us suffer enough in life. I'm content to stick with an image of kind, caring and loving.

That's not to say that wrongdoers should go unpunished. Maybe the flaw is in the system we have set up to deal with them? The "justice" meted out through many Courts proves often to be subjective and inconsistent. Whilst I understnd that it is the role of the Judge and Jurors to come to an agreement regarding sentencing, based upon available evidence, such a system cannot be without its problems. It relies utterly upon perception - and what I perceive is NOT the same as what others may. Consequently, one Judge and Jury may come to a different conclusion to another, based upon how they have interpreted available information. Besides, they cannot make decisions that stand alone - our decision making processes are highly dependent upon life experience. The Judge brought up in a Private School where hierarchy, status and snobbery predominated, and where bullying was rife, may well find that this experience affects their views concerning specific cases. The outcome of said cases will then be very likely afected by said Judge's views.
Sadly, we are all human, and all flawed. We make mistakes. Our Justice System is NOT immune to this. Rather than concerning ourselves with the afterlife, would it not be better to concern ourslves with making very real, and very important improvements to our Justice System?

There Will Be Justice

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There Will Be Justice