The Injustices of the System
I get lots of questions about what I want to do in my future career(s). One of my answers is always law school, and that leads to more questions. People do not see me as a person who is always competitive, set to win, and wanting to take down other people. That is true. I don't always compete, in fact, I'd rather play the board games where all the players play together. And I'm not a person set on taking other people down to make myself look better; it has never been in my nature.
However, when I say law school, I don't mean the Ivy League, fight-to-the-death, prosecutorial role that many people think of when law school is mentioned. (Or Legally Blonde.)
I see injustices in this world every single day. I see people arguing and not basing their opinions on facts. I see people hurting, crying out for help, each in their own ways. And yes, sometimes those cries of help are violent. Sometimes they are deplorable and well, icky. But they are cries of help all the same.
I finally had the chance to watch the How to Get Away With Murder/Scandal crossover episodes tonight. If you are unfamiliar with these shows, this crossover focused on a class action lawsuit that was taken to the (fake) Supreme Court of the United States about public defenders, socioeconomic status, race, mental health, and incarceration. It was powerful, and rings incredibly true.
Sure, it was an episode on TV, but don't think for a second that it isn't relevant. It's not just an episode. It was written for a reason.
In my criminal justice classes, we discuss the breaks in our system. Money is a huge factor. When a person gets arrested and charged, they go to jail. If they can PAY to bond out, they can go home, but if they don't? They have to sit in jail through their trial. Chances are, if they cannot afford to pay bail, they will not be able to pay for a top lawyer, and will get a public defender. I am not saying public defenders are bad lawyers, but they have so many people to defend. I once sat in on a lawyer's lecture - he had been a public defender, and admitted that there were times that he didn't even get a chance to read over the case before being in court in front of the judge. There is no chance for them to give effective counsel when that is the case. So, they do not get the person the same chance of a defense. When this is also looked at sociologically, there are more issues than just money. This links in with mental health. It DEFINITELY links to race. Whenever I've toured correctional facilities, there are far less white people there - and don't say it's because "we commit less crimes."
People are not born into equality in America. And, the longer I live and the more I pay attention, the people who claim to be Christians are the people who condemn "criminals" the most. We all sin. And while it is important to stick up for victims as well, the defendants are people. People created in the image of and loved by God. This might not be the white man that you sit next to in church on Sundays, but to quote Jesus, "Is it not written: 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations'?" (Mark 11:17). The citizen with a murder charge, the immigrant with drug possession, the white woman who killed her husband, the shooter from the Florida high school, the Muslim labeled terrorist, the man who molested children, the black man who stole a car, and the Latina that beat her husband ALL were created by God in His image. They have made mistakes, and to us, they seem deplorable. The media calls them monsters, but God calls them His, just as He calls you and me. Just as He calls the saints, He calls the sinners. (He didn't say, I love the sinners except these kind of sinners - He said "Whoever believes in me shall not perish but have eternal life" - John 3:16.)
[By no means am I saying that you should just be reckless and do violent, harmful things. God gives us free will, but we are meant to be like Jesus. However, people mess up. That might be rolling your eyes at your parents, but it could be a lot worse.]
It's tough. There is no escaping it. It's hard to look at someone who has hurt another person or people so much and believe they deserve any sort of redemption. But to truly buy-in and believe what Jesus told us? We have to. So yes, even Larry Nassar, the man who horribly recked the lives of nearly 200 women, is a child of God. Was what he did right? NO. Should we just excuse it and let him move on? No. Is it okay to be disgusted and upset by what he did and how those women have to live now that they have dealt with that? YES. But did he deserve the right to go through his legal proceedings and get a fair chance at a trial? Yes. Does he deserve a lawyer that is capable of giving him full due process rights - regardless of how much money he has? Yes. (Did I watch all of his victims give impact statements and cheer a bit when one of the fathers leapt towards him? I'll admit it, I'm not perfect. But to fully buy into God's will, we have to accept that even the people we view as damned monsters are children of God.)
There are people in courthouses every day in this country that are prompted to plead guilty to save time and money in the court. Trials are lengthy and expensive. However, we need to stop focusing on those parts of justice. Should the focus of our courts seriously be money? Or should it be motivated by truth, justice, and the humans that walk through the doors?
And my passion for seeing these injustices be fixed is why I am considering going to law school. It's not for my personal gain. It's not for the title. It's certainly not for the amount of hours and dollars I would have to put into it. IT IS, however, for the people in this country that do not get the justices they deserve. Those who are treated like lesser people. Like they aren't meant to be here. (I'm not saying these issues are just American issues! However, we are all part of the body of Christ, and for the next decade at least, I feel I am called to work here.) So for those of you who hear law school and think "yeah right" or "no way," it's not for me. It would be for the other people that are no longer given their voice.
Just for those who are wondering, I am not set on law school, but I have many passions. I am trying to narrow it down. Right now, if I continue my education after my bachelor's degree, I will be either going to law school, seminary, or grad school for some facet of counseling. I might go into the field of probation, work with recovery ministries, or women's/victim ministries, as well.
My current "plan" as for post-bachelors for those who are interested:
I am planning on visiting schools in the near future to start my decision, and I am going to be doing an internship in the fall (hopefully at Project Harmony in Omaha that works with child abuse, sexual assault, rape survivors, and domestic violence) to help with it, as well. I want to find the part I should play to best help these oppressed and beaten-down people.
I am highly looking at the Kansas City area to future my education right now, as KC has a Methodist seminary, and UMKC grad school, as well as UMKC School of Law, which are all fairly reasonably priced and still close enough to see my family often. (Ohio family: there are also 2 Methodist seminaries in Ohio!)
However, when I say law school, I don't mean the Ivy League, fight-to-the-death, prosecutorial role that many people think of when law school is mentioned. (Or Legally Blonde.)
I see injustices in this world every single day. I see people arguing and not basing their opinions on facts. I see people hurting, crying out for help, each in their own ways. And yes, sometimes those cries of help are violent. Sometimes they are deplorable and well, icky. But they are cries of help all the same.
I finally had the chance to watch the How to Get Away With Murder/Scandal crossover episodes tonight. If you are unfamiliar with these shows, this crossover focused on a class action lawsuit that was taken to the (fake) Supreme Court of the United States about public defenders, socioeconomic status, race, mental health, and incarceration. It was powerful, and rings incredibly true.
Sure, it was an episode on TV, but don't think for a second that it isn't relevant. It's not just an episode. It was written for a reason.
In my criminal justice classes, we discuss the breaks in our system. Money is a huge factor. When a person gets arrested and charged, they go to jail. If they can PAY to bond out, they can go home, but if they don't? They have to sit in jail through their trial. Chances are, if they cannot afford to pay bail, they will not be able to pay for a top lawyer, and will get a public defender. I am not saying public defenders are bad lawyers, but they have so many people to defend. I once sat in on a lawyer's lecture - he had been a public defender, and admitted that there were times that he didn't even get a chance to read over the case before being in court in front of the judge. There is no chance for them to give effective counsel when that is the case. So, they do not get the person the same chance of a defense. When this is also looked at sociologically, there are more issues than just money. This links in with mental health. It DEFINITELY links to race. Whenever I've toured correctional facilities, there are far less white people there - and don't say it's because "we commit less crimes."
People are not born into equality in America. And, the longer I live and the more I pay attention, the people who claim to be Christians are the people who condemn "criminals" the most. We all sin. And while it is important to stick up for victims as well, the defendants are people. People created in the image of and loved by God. This might not be the white man that you sit next to in church on Sundays, but to quote Jesus, "Is it not written: 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations'?" (Mark 11:17). The citizen with a murder charge, the immigrant with drug possession, the white woman who killed her husband, the shooter from the Florida high school, the Muslim labeled terrorist, the man who molested children, the black man who stole a car, and the Latina that beat her husband ALL were created by God in His image. They have made mistakes, and to us, they seem deplorable. The media calls them monsters, but God calls them His, just as He calls you and me. Just as He calls the saints, He calls the sinners. (He didn't say, I love the sinners except these kind of sinners - He said "Whoever believes in me shall not perish but have eternal life" - John 3:16.)
[By no means am I saying that you should just be reckless and do violent, harmful things. God gives us free will, but we are meant to be like Jesus. However, people mess up. That might be rolling your eyes at your parents, but it could be a lot worse.]
It's tough. There is no escaping it. It's hard to look at someone who has hurt another person or people so much and believe they deserve any sort of redemption. But to truly buy-in and believe what Jesus told us? We have to. So yes, even Larry Nassar, the man who horribly recked the lives of nearly 200 women, is a child of God. Was what he did right? NO. Should we just excuse it and let him move on? No. Is it okay to be disgusted and upset by what he did and how those women have to live now that they have dealt with that? YES. But did he deserve the right to go through his legal proceedings and get a fair chance at a trial? Yes. Does he deserve a lawyer that is capable of giving him full due process rights - regardless of how much money he has? Yes. (Did I watch all of his victims give impact statements and cheer a bit when one of the fathers leapt towards him? I'll admit it, I'm not perfect. But to fully buy into God's will, we have to accept that even the people we view as damned monsters are children of God.)
There are people in courthouses every day in this country that are prompted to plead guilty to save time and money in the court. Trials are lengthy and expensive. However, we need to stop focusing on those parts of justice. Should the focus of our courts seriously be money? Or should it be motivated by truth, justice, and the humans that walk through the doors?
And my passion for seeing these injustices be fixed is why I am considering going to law school. It's not for my personal gain. It's not for the title. It's certainly not for the amount of hours and dollars I would have to put into it. IT IS, however, for the people in this country that do not get the justices they deserve. Those who are treated like lesser people. Like they aren't meant to be here. (I'm not saying these issues are just American issues! However, we are all part of the body of Christ, and for the next decade at least, I feel I am called to work here.) So for those of you who hear law school and think "yeah right" or "no way," it's not for me. It would be for the other people that are no longer given their voice.
Just for those who are wondering, I am not set on law school, but I have many passions. I am trying to narrow it down. Right now, if I continue my education after my bachelor's degree, I will be either going to law school, seminary, or grad school for some facet of counseling. I might go into the field of probation, work with recovery ministries, or women's/victim ministries, as well.
My current "plan" as for post-bachelors for those who are interested:
I am planning on visiting schools in the near future to start my decision, and I am going to be doing an internship in the fall (hopefully at Project Harmony in Omaha that works with child abuse, sexual assault, rape survivors, and domestic violence) to help with it, as well. I want to find the part I should play to best help these oppressed and beaten-down people.
I am highly looking at the Kansas City area to future my education right now, as KC has a Methodist seminary, and UMKC grad school, as well as UMKC School of Law, which are all fairly reasonably priced and still close enough to see my family often. (Ohio family: there are also 2 Methodist seminaries in Ohio!)
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