According to MLK, how can we tell the difference between just and unjust laws? Understanding this question is the most important part of this module, and I will ask it again during our second exam. According to MLK, we can tell the difference between just and unjust laws since just laws are man-made codes that square with the moral law or the law of God (while also being laws that uplift human personality), while unjust laws are laws are codes that are out of harmony with the moral law (while also being laws that degrade human personality). This essentially means that just laws are laws that abide by natural human morality and are laws that allow people to be who they are so long as they don’t harm or prevent other people from being who they are. Just laws provide safety and freedom of expression to everyone. Unjust laws are essentially laws that do not abide by natural human morality and are laws that limit people from being who they are, despite the fact that they aren’t harming anyone or limiting other people from being who they want to be with their personality. Unjust laws limit both the safety of freedom of expression of people who are doing no wrong.
In your view, is this an important distinction (between just and unjust laws), do you think it makes a difference in the way someone (as an individual, or our society as a whole) lives their lives? Can it affect our politics? I personally do believe that knowing the difference between a just and unjust law can greatly affect how people live their lives both individually and as a society. The reason why I saw this is because someone determining whether or not a law that is active or is being considered is just or unjust can determine what types of actions are taken. If congress wants to pass a law for all states where anyone who goes over 40mph per hour in their cars should get a $100 ticket fine because they believe it is just, you will very likely see many states and their representatives have two opposing sides with arguments occurring. One side would argue against that law because they will see that law as unjust, while the other side would argue for it since they would see the law as just. Having a distinction between just and unjust laws can greatly affect our politics, since people are more likely to join the political party that advocates for laws that they consider just rather than the opposite.
Based on our discussion of Question 1, give an example each, of an unjust and just law, in the US today. Explain what makes it unjust or just (using MLK’s definition of those two types of laws). An example of a just law in the U.S today would be speed limits that are enforced within highways. These speed limits are done in order to prevent people from going up to unnecessary speed on highways in order to prevent unnecessary accidents and deaths. This reflects them being a just law since these laws are just laws that square with the law of god to prevent people from taking unnecessary lives. An example of unjust laws in the U.S today would be having to deal with inflation increases. These laws essentially make it tougher for people with lower amounts to money to be able to continue to live their normal lives and prevents them from being able to ascend past their current position in life. What makes these laws unjust is the fact that they degrade human personality by treating them as if they are made of money.
