Accountability and Justice

“True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice.”  -Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

Yesterday, George Floyd’s murderer was found guilty of all three charges levied against him. It felt like we took a small step towards accountability and a perceptible shuffle towards justice.

Along with George Floyd, we remember Daunte Wright, Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, Freddie Gray, Breonna Taylor and so many others. In our own community, we remember Stephon Clark.  The voids left where their lives were cannot be filled by verdicts.

It is notable that “accountability” and “justice” come to mind. They stand out because they seem so rare. We have grown so accustomed to a lack of justice and accountability that we notice them when they are realized rather than denied.

It is my sincerest hope that this moment is the first in a gathering movement towards a normalization of accountability and the presence of justice for those who have never enjoyed the privileges many of us unknowingly enjoy.

We cannot allow this to be an isolated moment. We cannot just “move on” as if yesterday’s ruling is a global fix. We must continue the conversations we started in earnest many months ago, the conversations about racism and the implicit biases that exist in each of us.

At WellSpace Health the conversation will continue as each of us seeks to be more perfect and seeks to explore and recondition our implicit associations.  We are the change. The presence of justice requires a culture of justice and it’s incumbent upon each of us to explore how we may contribute to both.

Be Well,

Jonathan