Part One: Justice All Around Us

If you think about it, issues of Justice are all around us everyday.  Even in the things we may not think about, really, as being issues of Justice.

Watch the following video:

Even the refs later admitted this was a bad call and that Green Bay should have won.  Their fans were really upset, too.  You can find injustice anywhere.

1. With that in mind, what examples of injustice would you like to see us study as part of this unit?  Please list at least three:

Part Two: The Schools

2. Make a list of injustices that you think take place at school:

3. Then, suggest ways in which we could fix each of them.

Three: The Streets

 

The streets contain a lot of injustice.  Killer Mike mentions the case of Kathryn Johnston, which we have already studied, and also Sean Bell.

Mike also mentions that the mayor of NYC has millions, yet the people of those very same streets are poor.

4. What do you consider to be the main cause of injustice in such situations?  Is it race?  Is it poverty?  Both?  Or something else?  Please explain:

Four: Heaven & Hell

Sometimes Justice is debated within a religious framework, where people believe punishment in the afterlife awaits those who do not live correctly in this one.

5. Do you think there has to be a "hell" -- an ultimate punishment -- in order for Justice to be done in the end?  Why or why not?

6. What about "bad" people who never seem to get what's coming to them?

Five: War, What Is It Good For?

7. Imagine if you gave everything you had to serve your country but ended up like this.  Would that change how you felt about Justice?  Why or why not?

8. Also, it is inevitable in war that some innocent people usually end up getting killed.  Is that ever ok?  Please explain your answer:

Six: Do The Right Thing?

9. Is it ever the right thing -- the Just thing -- to resort to violence?  Explain:

10. What about when there are different points of view about what is or is not just?  Who decides who is right?

Seven: Civil Disobedience

Sometimes Justice is so important that people are actually willing to go to jail for speaking out against something they feel is wrong.

11. Envision a scenario in which you are protesting for a cause you are passionate about.  You get arrested for civil disobedience, and have to go to trial.  What would you say to defend yourself?  Please write a response which tells the jury what you did, why you did it, and what justifies your actions.  Please give at least 5-7 sentences: