The Pursuit of True Justice Above All Else

The notion of different moral values competing with each other is as old as Plato, maybe older. Our pursuit of the greater good between conflicting values and differentiating how they rank from one to the other is at the heart of our social existence. I’ve been thinking about this as we move to escalate the war in Afghanistan. The moral value of homeland security seems to be the President’s rationale. He believes this value is worth killing and dieing for. Yet I have a hard time placing security in my moral spectrum. Just where does it lie? Security seems to be trumping freedom, liberty, peace and justice, yet it’s pretty far down my moral ladder. Is security all that important?

If a person attempts to invade my home and I have a gun and I kill them, am I on morally high ground for my actions? Maybe. But what if he turned out to be a Jehovah’s Witness or the UPS guy? Then I’d be prosecuted. In Afghanistan how do we know all these people we kill are intent on doing us harm? Did we ask them? Did they say they are? If they turn out to be largely farmers, ignorant of the US and illiterate as well, and they’re killed indiscriminately, is this still the moral high ground? I don’t think so.

After 9/11 we imposed unprecedented security and sought revenge in the name of justice. We pursued justice in Afghanistan. But justice has two faces, one that seeks fair treatment and another that merely seeks revenge for a morally wrong act. We seem to be overly inclined to revenge- making sure people get the punishment they deserve for their crimes and transgressions, including death if we’re so motivated.

If we intend to fight the good fight for a better world and a better society, seeking true justice has to be at the top of the moral ladder. Not vengeful justice, but securing the just treatment of people by governments and authorities. That’s the good fight. That’s more important than what type of economic system we live within- Communist, Socialist, or Capitalist. That’s more important than what kind of governance we live within- Democracy, Republic, Dictator, King or anarchy. For they all can be morally bad or morally good in how they treat the people.

So as the year comes to an end and we enter the ninth year of a war half way around the world, let’s keep our eye on the ball of justice first and foremost. Let’s not get so hung up about government structures and economic systems. Let’s make the pursuit of true justice the highest moral ground; the ideal worth fighting for, and maybe everything else will follow.

If we’re ever going to win the hearts and minds of the Afghanis we need to help them build roads and homes, get more tractors, build schools, factories and hospitals… things they need and would appreciate. That’s how we can make America more secure- not by killing them and making them hate us so much they are willing to die for their cause.