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OpEdNews Op Eds    H3'ed 8/18/10

the meaning of justice, in reply to Mikhail Lyubansky

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Your statement is innovative and long-wished-for.

I believe it is essential to examine the meaning of justice.
Here is the extract from the free dictionary on
the meaning of "just".

1.just - used especially of what is legally or ethically right or proper or fitting; "a just and lasting peace"- A.Lincoln; "a kind and just man"; "a just reward"; "his just inheritance"
fair, just - free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules; "a fair referee"; "fair deal"; "on a fair footing"; "a fair fight"; "by fair means or foul"
honourable, honorable - worthy of being honored; entitled to honor and respect; "an honorable man"; "led an honorable life"; "honorable service to his country"
right - in conformance with justice or law or morality; "do the right thing and confess"
righteous - characterized by or proceeding from accepted standards of morality or justice; "the...prayer of a righteous man availeth much"- James 5:16
unjust - violating principles of justice; "unjust punishment"; "an unjust judge"; "an unjust accusation"

2.just - fair to all parties as dictated by reason and conscience; "equitable treatment of all citizens"; "an equitable distribution of gifts among the children"
fair, just - free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules; "a fair referee"; "fair deal"; "on a fair footing"; "a fair fight"; "by fair means or foul"
just - used especially of what is legally or ethically right or proper or fitting; "a just and lasting peace"- A.Lincoln; "a kind and just man"; "a just reward"; "his just inheritance"
impartial - showing lack of favoritism; "the cold neutrality of an impartial judge"

3.just - free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules; "a fair referee"; "fair deal"; "on a fair footing"; "a fair fight"; "by fair means or foul"
just - used especially of what is legally or ethically right or proper or fitting; "a just and lasting peace"- A.Lincoln; "a kind and just man"; "a just reward"; "his just inheritance"
impartial - showing lack of favoritism; "the cold neutrality of an impartial judge"
reasonable, sensible - showing reason or sound judgment; "a sensible choice"; "a sensible person"

4.just - of moral excellence; "a genuinely good person"; "a just cause"; "an upright and respectable man"
righteous - characterized by or proceeding from accepted standards of morality or justice; "the...prayer of a righteous man availeth much"- James 5:16-- end of quote


So I submit that as long as prosecutors have a self-interest, an incentive--
to get convictions for political promotions, justice is irrelevant.
Further, that no official of the justice system should be allowed to own stock in private prisons.

Another example of economic incentives is prohibition, which creates an underworld in which no free speech, no rights, no justice is possible.
The same people who enforce prohibition, the banks who take the cash, the prosecutors who issue charges, the officers who take custody, the jailguards who live off the system, have a self-interest in prohibition and policing the underworld they have created.

And the Mexican drug gangs seem immune. Duh!
As an enabler of human nature the US pursues its ideals--
in attempting to control or forbid or harness human nature
failure is inevitable.
Inalienable rights is a constant of nature.
Therefore justice must be divorced from self-interest.
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Avid reader, jazz musician, philosopher, chef, stone mason, carpenter, writer, painter, poet,humanist, teacher, holistic ethicist who believes consciousness and love pervade the universe, except among self-obsessed humans. I perceive the (more...)
 
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