As a nation, we have been taught that no one is ‘above the law.’ But as it stands now, we may have to revisit that statement. We are told we have one of the best judicial law systems in the world, but let’s not deceive ourselves. We are far from being perfect, and we have our share of flaws. In fact, countries like Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Sweden rank higher than the United States according to the WJP (World Justice Project), which ranks judiciaries.
In fact, the fairness of our judicial system seems to depend on who you ask. African Americans and people of color will point to a legal system that has historically and (even now) disproportionately discriminates against minorities and the poor based on their color and social/economic status. We have flaws and loopholes in our laws, policies, and practices that intentionally give guilty or overt criminals a way to circumvent the system to their advantage.
You would have to be completely naïve or blind to conclude that that our criminal justice system works fairly for everyone. Still, we parade the statement that ‘no one is above the law’—not that it is true, but it just sounds good in context.
You would think that the public would be irate at the gross injustices in our criminal justice system, galvanizing their efforts to overhaul the system. Ideally, they’d be amending or eliminating the loopholes and flaws allowing inequality, discrimination and corruption. But we must be cognizant that we have those within the system working together and benefiting from the shortcomings in the criminal justice system.
Justice is often predicated on one’s social status or ability to pay to have the best lawyer. But that allows many poor and innocent people to fall through the cracks, while allowing many guilty people to walk freely. It literally makes anyone committed to truth and fairness want to scream out in outrage. However, we accept the status quo and acquiesce to a flawed system that we are told is best. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t want better and work tirelessly to change the criminal justice system, making it better. We owe it to ourselves.
We, as a nation, are experiencing a situation where we have a former president, Donald Trump, who has time after time avoided indictment or prosecution for crimes and actions that would have landed the average man in prison. Perhaps the saddest part of his ability to avert criminal charges falls on those who make excuses for him or enable him.
It is not about whether you like Donald Trump. Disregarding his political affiliation, it is next to impossible to find any redeeming qualities about him. But he has a following (base) that acts as if he is the Second Coming of Christ. This immoral and unscrupulous individual should not be immune to the law. What does it take for his diehard supporters (basically Republicans) to wake up? But maybe it should not be surprising. Many Whites identify with him as the mouthpiece for White supremacy.
Trump has reneged on the country he once swore to protect and defend, opting to support and praise dictators known to be our country’s enemies for his own self-profit. Trump has numerous allegations of sexual improprieties against him. He has proven to be a traitor, taking the word of a dictator over our country’s national security and intelligence agencies. He has fraudulently lied to the country by maintaining the 2020 presidential election was stolen. Trump was the initiator of an insurrection to overturn the outcome of the presidential election (undermining our democracy). He has maintained classified top secret documents in his private home that could sabotage or jeopardize our national security.
The parties protecting Trump would be crying bloody murder and demanding criminal prosecution against anyone else guilty of such grievous allegations. Can you imagine the outcome if the person was Black? I guess it helps work in one best interest if you are considered to be by some, the mouthpiece for white supremacy.
If Trump walks away from all these criminal allegations unscathed, he will have proven he is above the law and we have no one to blame but the unscrupulous people that allowed this debacle of justice to occur. It would say a lot about our country that some of us already know. You can be above the law if you are a powerful, rich, racist White man. Our judicial system needs to be unbiased and do what is right. No person should be above the law.
