As a sports-like wave of excitement makes its way around the American Stadium, many people are getting carried away in that wave. There are a few deeper discussions about the meaning of Osama Bin Laden's death disrupting the flow of that wave, which is a healthy sign. One of the radio programs I heard yesterday tackled the issue of "should we be celebrating someone's death so joyfully?" The caller felt disgusted that people were having a party because someone was shot dead (not to mention the fact that a woman was used as a "human shield"). The host rejoined that people weren't so much celebrating Osama's death as they were a sense of justice served.
He was pointing to the fact that people have a hard-wired sense of fairness and since so many loved ones were killed on September 11th, it makes sense for people to congregate in this communally expressed feeling of justice: "He got what he deserved!"
Unfortunately, there was no examination of what it means to have justice. While there are many studies to support the finding that people do have a sense of innate fairness (people make all kinds of irrational decisions to ensure fairness, at their own expense), an issue like this is far more complicated than the well-planned parameters of a psychological experiment.
When the twin towers came down I was living abroad and the newswire was full of information about the collapse, but there was not the same patriotic rhetoric that Americans were exposed to. It was publicized that some groups around the world were jubilant about the 9-11 attacks. Why were they excited by such tragic news? Not because they were thinking about the "loved ones" that had died, but because they felt that the impenetrable giant called the United States became vulnerable. The almighty US was targeted and successfully attacked by a small group with relatively scant resources. There was a sense of justice that America finally had to pay the price for its indulgences and exploitation, and they were happy about it. Sound familiar? Even countries that publicly stood united with the US, had citizens that felt that America got what was coming.
The fact that "justice" has become uncoupled from the real human lives lost is a symptom of the breakdown in our thinking. Is it fair that so much "collateral damage" has been incurred at the pursuit of justice? That kind of question just mucks things up, doesn't it? But, it is part of the circumstances. With each side--and there are many!--striving to serve justice, we end up with more and more casualties. And the spectators, just like in sports matches, take a sense of pride when their "team" wins a match. Americans are celebrating their collective achievement. The other team is diminished in reputation, in spirit, and in this case, in actual numbers. Hillary Clinton said with a lioness determination, "We will not be defeated." And the game we play goes on and on and on.
It's "their turn" now.
And that's what some people felt. They were scared because retribution seemed inevitable. Police were on alert and people worried that another attack may come. And in a game where all of the people represent the "opponent," any one of us could be the next target. Putting our own personal lives on the line raises the stakes of this game and it becomes much less fun to play! If my family gets blown up in this game of Justice, is that still worth it? Do I really hate the opponent that much? Who is he/she anyway? Hmm...... Oh yes, it's Bin Laden. He is The Terrorist, the true threat. But, if he's dead, then what am I afraid of?
The threat is not in any individual person, but in this seeking of justice through killing. And further, it's in this idea of justice. Where did the injustice really begin? Why did some people feel glad that America got attacked? Why do any terrorist or violent groups retaliate against the more powerful enemy? Perhaps that is the clue.....the more powerful enemy. The reality that there is an imbalance of power may be the beginning of the injustice. The reality that this power imbalance is used to exploit others at the powerful's gaining of more power is the point at which the seeds of "justice seeking" begin germinating, and that's exactly what those psychological experiments point out. Again, we may be hard-wired for fairness, but it is only when the circumstance fertilizes the seeds of injustice that justice seeking begins. This understanding makes the scope of justice so broad, complex, and dynamic that we prefer to just go on killing each other. That's much easier than reflecting on it.
My neighbor is my compatriot today. We are hooting and hollering in the streets. But, when he runs over my garden patch tomorrow in his big gas-guzzling, fume-spewing truck tomorrow, I'll get him! I'll slash his tires, key his car, and that'll show him!!! How easily we switch sides.
To really create justice for ourselves, not just perceived immediate justice, we must create a just world. We must look at the whole dynamic and our part in it. Relationships as small as those we have with other individuals up to those we have with other nations must be viewed as part of a larger dynamic that generates the world we have today. And if that's too much for you to think about, then at least center yourself in compassion. From there, you will create healthy relationships and as a result, a healthy world will emerge.
He was pointing to the fact that people have a hard-wired sense of fairness and since so many loved ones were killed on September 11th, it makes sense for people to congregate in this communally expressed feeling of justice: "He got what he deserved!"
Unfortunately, there was no examination of what it means to have justice. While there are many studies to support the finding that people do have a sense of innate fairness (people make all kinds of irrational decisions to ensure fairness, at their own expense), an issue like this is far more complicated than the well-planned parameters of a psychological experiment.
When the twin towers came down I was living abroad and the newswire was full of information about the collapse, but there was not the same patriotic rhetoric that Americans were exposed to. It was publicized that some groups around the world were jubilant about the 9-11 attacks. Why were they excited by such tragic news? Not because they were thinking about the "loved ones" that had died, but because they felt that the impenetrable giant called the United States became vulnerable. The almighty US was targeted and successfully attacked by a small group with relatively scant resources. There was a sense of justice that America finally had to pay the price for its indulgences and exploitation, and they were happy about it. Sound familiar? Even countries that publicly stood united with the US, had citizens that felt that America got what was coming.
The fact that "justice" has become uncoupled from the real human lives lost is a symptom of the breakdown in our thinking. Is it fair that so much "collateral damage" has been incurred at the pursuit of justice? That kind of question just mucks things up, doesn't it? But, it is part of the circumstances. With each side--and there are many!--striving to serve justice, we end up with more and more casualties. And the spectators, just like in sports matches, take a sense of pride when their "team" wins a match. Americans are celebrating their collective achievement. The other team is diminished in reputation, in spirit, and in this case, in actual numbers. Hillary Clinton said with a lioness determination, "We will not be defeated." And the game we play goes on and on and on.
It's "their turn" now.
And that's what some people felt. They were scared because retribution seemed inevitable. Police were on alert and people worried that another attack may come. And in a game where all of the people represent the "opponent," any one of us could be the next target. Putting our own personal lives on the line raises the stakes of this game and it becomes much less fun to play! If my family gets blown up in this game of Justice, is that still worth it? Do I really hate the opponent that much? Who is he/she anyway? Hmm...... Oh yes, it's Bin Laden. He is The Terrorist, the true threat. But, if he's dead, then what am I afraid of?
The threat is not in any individual person, but in this seeking of justice through killing. And further, it's in this idea of justice. Where did the injustice really begin? Why did some people feel glad that America got attacked? Why do any terrorist or violent groups retaliate against the more powerful enemy? Perhaps that is the clue.....the more powerful enemy. The reality that there is an imbalance of power may be the beginning of the injustice. The reality that this power imbalance is used to exploit others at the powerful's gaining of more power is the point at which the seeds of "justice seeking" begin germinating, and that's exactly what those psychological experiments point out. Again, we may be hard-wired for fairness, but it is only when the circumstance fertilizes the seeds of injustice that justice seeking begins. This understanding makes the scope of justice so broad, complex, and dynamic that we prefer to just go on killing each other. That's much easier than reflecting on it.
My neighbor is my compatriot today. We are hooting and hollering in the streets. But, when he runs over my garden patch tomorrow in his big gas-guzzling, fume-spewing truck tomorrow, I'll get him! I'll slash his tires, key his car, and that'll show him!!! How easily we switch sides.
To really create justice for ourselves, not just perceived immediate justice, we must create a just world. We must look at the whole dynamic and our part in it. Relationships as small as those we have with other individuals up to those we have with other nations must be viewed as part of a larger dynamic that generates the world we have today. And if that's too much for you to think about, then at least center yourself in compassion. From there, you will create healthy relationships and as a result, a healthy world will emerge.
