According to MLK a just law is one that upholds human dignity and treats all people equally. King also argues that just laws should reflect moral law which he associates with divine law in which he referenced biblical commandments and teachings to highlight the moral principles of what justice and equality should look like. An unjust law is one that degrades human dignity and dehumanizes a person. Segregation laws are unjust because they targeted people based on race in ways that were degrading and dehumanizing.
I believe that it is an important distinction between just and unjust laws because as Dr. King stated it affects everyone whether directly or indirectly. An unjust law will affect the way someone lives their lives because it strips away one’s human dignity and self- respect. King mentioned in his letter having to explain to their children why they cannot participate in going to certain places or doing certain things simply because they were not accepted. This can take a major toll on one’s mental health and self image.
I believe that the cash bail system is an unjust law because it disproportionately impacts people from low- income backgrounds. People who cannot afford to pay the bail must remain incarcerated before trial even if they are not convicted of any crime, while wealthier people can pay bail and secure their release even if they are facing similar charges. This is discriminatory and creates a flawed justice system where a person’s financial resources determine their conditions rather than the nature of the alleged crime.
One thought on “Discussion Board 13”
Hi Alizia. I just got done reading your response to this week’s discussion board post and I have to say that you did a great job with it! I agree with your response to the first question, especially regarding the fact that segregation laws are unjust because they target people based on race and dehumanize people. Any law that degrades the personality of a person or a group of people are always unjust. I also agree with your response to the second question, since the importance in being able to distinguish between just and unjust laws can very much lead to people deciding on what actions they would like to take. Since you mentioned how MLK had to explain to his children why they couldn’t do certain actions since they weren’t accepted, a scenario like this could’ve been the catalyst that has led many people to try to oppose racism, so that their children can have a better future. As for your answer to the third question, I think its a super interesting idea that you posed, since I never thought about the cash bail system and how its typically only accessible to people who have a good amount of money, not to mention that wealthy people who are incarnated can just pay for their own bails despite the crimes that they are charged. It very much does feel like a system that the wealthy can very easily exploit while the low-income part of society can’t use it whatsoever. Overall, I think you did a great job with these answers!
Hi Alizia. I just got done reading your response to this week’s discussion board post and I have to say that you did a great job with it! I agree with your response to the first question, especially regarding the fact that segregation laws are unjust because they target people based on race and dehumanize people. Any law that degrades the personality of a person or a group of people are always unjust. I also agree with your response to the second question, since the importance in being able to distinguish between just and unjust laws can very much lead to people deciding on what actions they would like to take. Since you mentioned how MLK had to explain to his children why they couldn’t do certain actions since they weren’t accepted, a scenario like this could’ve been the catalyst that has led many people to try to oppose racism, so that their children can have a better future. As for your answer to the third question, I think its a super interesting idea that you posed, since I never thought about the cash bail system and how its typically only accessible to people who have a good amount of money, not to mention that wealthy people who are incarnated can just pay for their own bails despite the crimes that they are charged. It very much does feel like a system that the wealthy can very easily exploit while the low-income part of society can’t use it whatsoever. Overall, I think you did a great job with these answers!