What Is Justice?

by Mike Turner / September 1st, 2024

What is Justice
But equal treatment?
Equal opportunity?
Equal protection?

That none enjoy privilege
Denied others
But rather have equal opportunity to prosper and thrive
That none are denied rights
But rather enjoy the same rights as all
That all are free to act
Inasmuch as our actions do not infringe the rights and opportunities of others
Enjoying the fruits of our contributions
Being both responsible for our actions
And accountable for their consequences

Thus, then:
Equality
Opportunity
Freedom
Prosperity
Responsibility
Accountability
These things combined
And afforded all
Are Justice

Mike Turner, a poet/songwriter living on the U.S. Gulf Coast, was named 2025 Poet of the Year by the Alabama State Poetry Society. His poems have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies, including Dissident Voice; his lyric, “Sense of Peace,” was awarded the Alabama Writers’ Cooperative’s 2023 Roger Williams Peace Award for Writing. He can be contacted at www.MikeTurnerSongwriter.com. Read other articles by Mike.

This article was posted on Sunday, September 1st, 2024 at 8:02am and is filed under Poetry.