The link title is 7 black men who should be alive today, should now read 9 black men.
In the course Ethics in criminal justice, we studied and discussed ethical issues in the field of criminal justices. Throughout the course I heard one topic over and over again, it was the topic of race. From what I learned most of the ethical issues in criminal justice stemmed from racism.
Ethics, is known as moral philosophy, it is a branch of philosophy concerned with the study of questions of right and wrong and how we ought to live. Ethics involves making moral judgments about what is right or wrong, good or bad. Right and wrong are qualities or moral judgments we assign to actions and conduct (Singer, 1995).
I have always been an advocate of fair treatment of people no matter the race. I chose criminal justice as a major because during my teenage years in the 1970's in Brooklyn, New York many of my male friends were being targeted and harassed by the 71st Precinct for crimes they did not commit. I vowed one day make a positive impact on the criminal justice system by trying to eradicate racism. Here I stand today nearly 40 years from when I made that commitment to self, I find that for every step African American have taken forward, we have taken ten steps backwards in the criminal justices system.
Based on the statement above, I find that there is no ethics in the criminal justice system when it comes to African Americans. I defend my statement, referring to the 2013 George Zimmerman, Trayvon Martian case and the most recent case of a white man Michael Dunn killing an African American teen, Jordan Davis because he felt the music too loud. As I sat glued to the television praying for guilty verdict for Michael Dunn murdering Jordon Davis, I was appalled when the jury stated they could not come up with a guilty verdict for the murder of another black teen. I was even more appalled when one juror stated that "race" was never introduced in the trial. The words, Jordon Dunn was murdered because he was Black, African American, Colored or even a Nigga, was never introduced in the trial, it was forbidden like a "Profanity word".
News commentators on CNN Don Lemon and others voiced their opinion that "race" is the only reason that Michael Dunn killed Jordon Davis, race is the only reason, Trayvon Martian is dead and race is the only issue Jonathan Ferrell was killed by a Charlotte Police officer.
My comparison to these recent murders is to black men being lynched in past, when slaves were killed for no reason, no white person was charged or brought to justice for killing a black man.
As a Black woman, a mother of a 36 year old Black man and a Grandmother of a 9 month old grandson, I am in fear daily for the lives of my son and grandson.
My question to myself on ethics in criminal justice is how do I make an impact on a system that is surmerged in a history of racism, when it's very foundation of laws were created not include but to exclude African Americans. I don't have the answer today, but for my Son and even more for my Grandson, I will figure it out.
References:
Singer, Peter. 1995. How Are We to Live? Ethics in an Age of Self-Interest. Amherst, NY:
Erma: You have raised very strong views in your blog. You certainly have given the readers food for thought. Professor Taylor
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