- According to MLK, how can we tell the difference between just and unjust laws? Understanding this questions is the most important part of this module, and I will ask it again during our second exam.
According to MLK, a just law is a man-made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God. For example, any law that value human is a just law. Because in the bible everybody is equal, no one should be treated as less than another. A just law is any law that gives the same benefits or treatments to white and black. A law that gives the same rights to white and negros is just, an anti-racism law is just. While an unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with moral law. MLK said St. Augustine said: “An unjust law is no law at all”. Per MLK It is a law that destroys the personality of the negros, a law that rank the negros inferior to the white people. A law that promotes racism law, class differentiation among white and black people, is unjust.
2. 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 think the distinction of just and unjust laws is important and it makes a difference in the way someone lives their lives. Since unjust laws destroys personality of negros comparing to white. Unjust laws gives better opportunities to white people than to black ones. As MLK said, unjust laws distort the soul and damages the personality. Someone that is victim of degradation can be traumatized all his life because that person will think that he is inferior to others. Unjust laws affect a nation socially, economically and politically. The class the benefit the unfair system thinks that they are above the class that is victim of it.
As a result, the unjust laws influence a population politically. Because it gives to white people more opportunities than the black in term of voting and run for elections. In MLK time only the white class could vote and occupy high ranking positions such in the Executive, Congress and even the Legislative. For example, laws that are voted and passed by congressmen that are elected are in their interests. They are the one deciding of the future of this country. Therefore, they can decide who is having access to better schools, public places and amusements. When a negro is accused for a crime and will be judged by a racist and white, this negro has more chance of being convicted before even found guilty.
3. 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).
Example of unjust law: To me an example of unjust law is the bus lane law. They painted in red a lane called bus lane on the road. If you drive, park, or stand in a bus lane during hours of operation you face fines starting at $50. I think this law and the fines that accompany it are unjust because it give more advantages to people taking the bus than people driving their own vehicle. Now people who are driving their own vehicle are stuck in the traffic more because they have only one lane to travel while there are more vehicles during the days than buses on the road. It is a kind of discrimination to vehicle owners.
Example of just law: The law to end End Human Trafficking in Government Contracts Act of 2022. The bill requires, upon receipt of an office of inspector general report substantiating an allegation that the recipient of a contract, grant, or cooperative agreement engaged in human trafficking, that the agency refer the matter to the agency suspension and debarment office. This law is just because it is a moral cause. It is against human degradation. Human trafficking is amoral and crime.
