The Backbone of Justice

Looking at the situations that humans have created across the globe, it can become easily overwhelming to try and sort out any type of potential solution. But, there are ways to break down the situation into smaller, more manageable chunks.

Justice has a backbone, and every vertebrae must be in place in order to create a solution that can stand on its own. The vertebrae are:

SUSTAINABILITY: “Simplify; simplify; simplify.” – David Thoreau
If there are not enough resources on the planet for every person on the planet to live the way that you are living. It is unjust for you to live that way.

ACTION: “Washing one's hands of the conflict between the powerful and the powerless means to side with the powerful, not to be neutral.” – Paulo Freire

RESPONSIBILITY: Our daily actions and choices have consequences that go far beyond us. We ought to be living in a way that owns those consequences.

COMMUNITY: In order to impact other lives in a way that is long term positive, we have to be touching other lives.

GENEROSITY: If we give only what we have to spare, there will never be any hope for an equal distribution of the world’s resources.

MERCY: If we give only to those who “deserve it,” all that we are doing is feeding into systemic injustice that will continue to pull people into its cycle.

SERVICE: Human values are only spread through human contact with other humans. Skin touching skin is an acknowledgment of the other person’s humanity.

EDUCATION: Without the vocabulary, the questions can not be asked. People generally don’t act unless they have something to react to. Tell them.

If you can honestly address each of those vertebrate, the odds are incredibly good that you have found a viable and just solution to the situation.