Celebrating Justice for All

          In this painting what we see is a dichotomy of how justice can be perceived.   In the history of the United States justice was defined by a selected few who happened to be landowners who happened to be white and men.  Now it took a Civil War a forward looking President such as Abraham Lincoln to envision a future where justice is not defined by what you own or what you look like!         
         A whole slew of African-American leaders such as Frederick Douglas,  W.E.B. Dubois,  Harriet Tubman,  Rosa Parks, Thurgood Marshall, and of course Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  These leaders helped to bring about a new way of thinking especially Dr. King who relayed his message that we can not judge a person by their appearance,  but by the content of their character.  He was willing to fight for what was right including spending time in jail for what he believed!    His inspiration comes through by his actions and through the influence of Gandhi, who believed that the path of non-violence is the only and true lasting path for creating true justice and equality. 
         Emmet Till suffered an unjust death by the hands of white supremacists.  Today we still have tragedies that undermine the future of our justice such as that of Trayvon Martin.   We must look beyond and find a true American justice that will work not only for the selected few, but for everyone!
          Jeanihess certainly does a superb job of collecting images that portray the scales of justice.  What she does forget is that justice, even though it is not very balanced when dealing with certain issues such as water,  classes,  power,  violence,  education, and even religion.   There is a type of justice that defines each country, and its past.   The United States being a first world country should be a leader in defining how justice is handed out.  The system of justice is not perfect as the example of United States history has shown.
           Stresino's take on justice elaborates what we know in reminding us that justice is a struggle a human struggle that we must continue striving for!  Once we realize that equality and justice are a basic human right we will succeed in a future where the scales of justice can be balanced once and for all!!!

  Justice for All: by: Ed Stresino

 Equality for all people is a universal battle that engages all of us. The fight for justice is rooted in a human struggle towards this basic human right. 

 -Edward C. Stresino-