What does Justice mean?

Words can mean so many different things to so many different people, it all depends on who is speaking it and who is listening. Maybe a word has a different connotation when used in a different context. However, there is not ever going to be one sure way to define any word, especially the word “justice.”

What does Justice mean to you? It probably has a different meaning that it might to me. It probably means something different to the judge. It probably means something different to your lawyer. It all depends on how far one is willing to take justice.

Here is a scenario to help one understand the different perspectives that there could be on justice:

There is a man who, in the middle of the night, breaks into an old woman’s house. He beats the woman badly, and finds out where she hid her money. Once he finds the money, he runs.

How do you prosecute this man? How do you serve him justice? It all depends on your definition for justice. If you define it using the ‘Golden Rule,’ (Do unto others as you would have them do unto you) then you should do to him exactly what he did to the woman, Beat him and make him pay an enormous fine. However, you might define justice as giving the suspect a punishment for what he did, and it doesn’t matter what it is. In that case, you might send him to jail for a few years. Some people might just want him to learn the error of his ways, no matter how much or little time it took. He might be sorry immediately, and therefore would receive no punishment. He also might never regret his action and therefore would deserve to live in prison for the rest of his life. Some would take it as far as to give him the death penalty.  As you can see, justice can be kept on the ‘down low’ or taken to extreme. However it all falls under one unifying purpose; Do what’s right. You would want to give the man what he deserves,  and that is where the opinion on how far justice should be taken comes in. A word can have a thousand meanings, but generally it all falls under one purpose.

As written by Russell Kirk, The heritage foundation, ” The word "justice" is on everyone's lips nowadays, and may signify almost anything. We hear the cry "Peace and Justice!" from folk who would destroy existing societies with fire and sword. Other folk fancy that perfect justice might readily be obtained by certain financial rearrangements -- as if anything in this world ever could be perfected. One thinks of the observation of William James: "So long as one poor cockroach suffers the pangs of unrequited love, this world will not be a moral world." At the end of the twentieth century, the liberal mentality demands justice for roaches, too.

All confusion about the meaning of the word "justice" notwithstanding, the latest edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica contains no article under the heading "Justice." Yet there is a succinct article about justices of the peace, of whose number I once was one, before the state of Michigan swept away that high office. My lecture today may be regarded as the attempt of a fool, rushing in where the angelic Britannica fears to tread. Yet possibly the nature of justice may be apprehended by a mere quondam justice of the peace: for the fundamental purpose of law is to keep the peace. "Justice is the ligament which holds civilized beings and civilized nations together," said Daniel Webster at the funeral of Justice Joseph Story, in 1845; and so say I today.

I propose in this series of four lectures to discuss first the signification of this word "justice"; in my second lecture, to examine natural law; in my third, to deal with criminal justice; in my concluding lecture, to quarrel with certain notions of justice that have been much puffed up during recent years. In the twenty-first century of the Christian era, will justice signify anything more than the state's rigorous enforcement of its edicts? Such questions I hope to raise in your minds.

Nowadays, near the close of the twentieth century, moral and political disorders bring grave confusion about the meanings of old words. As T. S. Eliot wrote in "Burnt Norton" -- Words strain.

But perhaps, ladies and gentlemen, I proceed too fast; I shall have more to say a little later about the Christian concept of justice. Just now a little about the classical idea of justice. The classical definition, which comes to us through Plato, Aristotle, Saint Ambrose, and Saint Augustine of Hippo, is expressed in a single phrase: suum cuique, or "to each his own." As this is put in Justinian's Corpus Juris Civilis, "Justice is a habit whereby a man renders to each one his due with constant and perpetual will." Aristotle instructs us that the prevalence of injustice makes clear the meaning of justice. Also Aristotle remarks that it is unjust to treat unequal things equally -- a principle to which I shall return in my later lectures. Of the virtue called justice, Saint Augustine declares, "Justice is that ordering of the soul by virtue of which it comes to pass that we are no man's servant, but servants of God alone."

Upon such ancient postulates, classical or Christian, rests our whole elaborate edifice of law here in these United States -- even though few Americans know anything about the science of jurisprudence. For public order is founded upon moral order, and moral order arises from religion -- a point upon which I mean to touch later in this talk of mine. If these venerable postulates are flouted or denied -- as they have been denied by the Marxists in the present century, and were denied by sophists in Plato's time -- then arbitrary power thrusts justice aside, and "they shall take who have the power, and they shall keep who can."

Justice Has changed throughout history, but is defined by the common theme for righteousness.

Does high school prepare you for college?

There are many different opinions over whether or not what you do in high school can prepare you for college, for your career, and your eventual life. It is almost impossible to agree with everyone on this topic, because there are people from different backgrounds that have had different experiences when it came to high school and college. I can tell you, however, that no matter where you come from, what elementary school you came from, what junior high you came from, or even what high school you came from, or even if you didn’t go to high school, the only way to become prepared through college is through yourself. It comes through your drive to succeed, it comes from your motivation, it comes through the classes you take and it comes from the people you surround yourself with. Even if you come from a disadvantaged home in a crime-filled neighborhood and went to a poor high school, if you find determination within yourself, it is always possible for you to go to college. It may not be the school of your dreams, it may just have to be the cheaper option, or even community college, but if you try you can get there. On the other side, you may come from a wealthy neighborhood, go to a prestigious high-school and have all the resources you need to go to college, if you don’t try hard enough, if you don’t have the motivation or plainly just do not want to you’ll never make it to college. College is for the strong minded and the strong willed.

Within that, what are the steps to take to become one of the strong minded and strong willed people? Who are you supposed to surround yourself with? What classes should you take? Well, that depends on your future goal in life. For example you will want to take an AP Calculus class if you’re going to be an engineer. But if you are leaning towards art school, you may want to focus on the art classes instead. You may want to associate with other people who enjoy art, as you may learn from them and they may be of good influence on your career. High-school is largely focused around priorities, and if you don’t have them you will not succeed. Once you have enrolled in the appropriate, but more ideally challenging, classes that your school offers, you have good friends, who can be your support group, have set your priorities straight, and mapped out you future, there is no way to stop you from achieving what you want to achieve, especially if your goal is college. It’s all about being strong and going for what you think you can do and what you want to do.

One may wonder, how influential is the high-school you attend in helping you with getting on that college bound path? Of course, like I discussed above, high-school is what you make of it. You can take the challenging courses or you can not. It also really just depends on the school individually. Some schools don’t offer the courses you need to prepare you for your intended field of study, and maybe they don’t offer any challenging enough courses at all. You might not know what a really challenging class is like until it hits you like a train when you take your first college chemistry class. However, you may be fortunate enough to attend a high-school that more than the necessary resources available to prepare you for college. There may, in fact, be an overwhelming amount. However, graduates of these types of school are generally well equipped for college. You may notice, like I mentioned above, some are not.  These people are not strong willed and did not take advantage of what they were given. That is not to say that those who came from a poor high school are not prepared for college. They will be if they want to be, if they try to be. They will find the resources necessary to succeed.

What are some examples of the courses that your high-school may offer that well prepare you for college? I know for one thing, my school has them. For example, I am enrolled in AP U.S. History. That class has taught me so many valuable lessons about staying on top of your work, getting into good studying habits, academic competition, and learning that you get what you out into it. I feel that that class is assisting me in becoming prepared for my future. Everything I’ve learned I will be able to apply it to my future. That’s not even counting all the valuable knowledge I am gaining.

I know that there are many other difficult, challenging and yet rewarding classes like that are offered at our school. We are blessed with many gifted teachers, helpful administrators, and caring counselors that I feel all share the common goal of guiding their students to success. I feel our school prepares us well for college.

I must point out that that will not be the case for all schools. Many high-schools’ staff are there just to get paid, and don’t care at all about your future. They don’t care that you might be trying your hardest to succeed. They may fail to remember that they were once in your position, trying to get good grades, trying to make good friends, trying to succeed. It doesn’t matter to them. Like I’ve mentioned many times before, It is how you handle the situation in your school that counts.

Your high-school may be there to help you get to college. It may give you everything you need. It may hold your hand along the way. You may get the ‘A.P. U.S. History’ experience. You may not, and your school may make it hard for you. The lesson to learn is that no matter your situation, it does not have to affect your success when it comes to college. You do.

Simba, Mufasa, and their similarities and differences.

It takes a lot to be brave. There’s many things that go into it or contribute to it, such as determination, perseverance, and motive. People are brave and different times, and you never know when an opportunity to be brave will approach. Bravery is illustrated in different ways and in countless situations throughout the media, cinema, and even our childhood stories. Generally, it is a very admirable trait to have but it can sometimes get you into trouble.

In what is quite possible one of your favorite childhood movies, The Lion king, a Father son relationship is quite visible, and proudly displays a common theme of bravery. Mufasa, The King of the pride land, is very brave and protective of his son, Simba. Simba tries to follow in his dad’s footsteps, but comes across many struggles along the way. Here, I will compare and contrast the two characters to understand the level of bravery they shared, their personalities, and how they impacted the movie industry with their personal characteristics.

To better understand this comparison of bravery between Simba and Mufasa, one must have the story fresh in their mind. Here is a quick one from imdb .com if that isn’t the case:

“The Lion King takes place in the Pride Lands of Africa, where a lion rules over the other animals as king. As dawn breaks, all the animals of the Pride Lands are summoned to Pride Rock, the home of the pride of lions. Rafiki Robert Guillaume, a mandrill, walks through the herd and climbs the face of Pride Rock to greet his friend, King Mufasa James Earl Jones. Mufasa leads Rafiki to his mate Sarabi Madge Sinclair who is holding their newborn cub. Rafiki anoints the cub with fruit juices before presenting him to the gathered animals. The animals cheer and then bow to the new future king.Meanwhile, Scar Jeremy Irons, the younger brother of Mufasa, is sulking by himself behind Pride Rock. He is envious of his brother's position as king and is disgruntled at the fact that he will never be king now that Mufasa has an heir. Mufasa and his majordomo, a hornbill named Zazu Rowan Atkinson, confront Scar on why he wasn't present at the ceremony that morning. Scar shrugs it off, claiming he had forgotten, and scoffs his new responsibility to show respect to the future king before wandering off.Simba returns to Pride Rock where his Uncle Scar is lurking about. Simba brags about his fate to be king to which Scar reacts without the slightest bit of enthusiasm. Casually, and goading Simba's excitement, Scar asks if Mufasa showed him the shadow place on their morning walk. When Simba replies no, Scar adds that it is a dangerous place where only the bravest lions venture. Simba perks up, saying he's brave, and begs his uncle to tell him what's there. Scar feigns an accidental slip of the tongue by revealing that it's an elephant graveyard but praises Simba's cleverness. He asks that Simba never explore the place, but as Simba reassures him and leaves, Scar smiles to himself knowing full well that Simba's curiosity will get the better of him.Simba meets up with his friend Nala Niketa Calame who is being bathed by her mother, Sarafina Zoe Leader. He tells her about a cool place hes found, lying to Sarabi that its around the water hole. Sarabi gives them permission to go as long as Zazu accompanies them. Along the way, Simba and Nala devise a plan together to get rid of Zazu, which works. They then run off, Nala showing off her skills as an expert pinner, before finding themselves in the elephant graveyard. Suddenly, Zazu reappears and demands that they leave. Simba shows off his bravery by laughing in front of a large skull. Laughter echoes from within and three hyenas emerge, surrounding the cubs. Shenzi Whoopi Goldberg, Banzai Cheech Marin, and Ed Jim Cummings deliberate what's to be done with the cubs, more specifically, how to eat them. The cubs and Zazu escape for a moment, but Zazu is pulled back and stuffed into a boiler which shoots him into the air. The hyenas eventually corner the cubs in an alcove and Simba tries to roar. The hyenas laugh and tell him to try again. A real roar is let out as Mufasa appears and attacks the hyenas before they run off. Zazu reappears by Mufasas side and Simba tries to say something but Mufasa furiously reprimands him for being deliberately disobedient and leads them towards home.As the dust settles, Simba runs down to look for his father. He discovers him beneath a broken tree, dead. As he mourns his loss, Scar appears and blames Simba for what happened. The hyenas watch as Simba runs into the distant desert and decide that he will most likely die, shouting to him that if he ever comes back they will kill him.Scar returns to Pride Rock to announce that both Simba and Mufasa have perished in the stampede and assumes the role as king. The lionesses look on in fear as a horde of hyenas arrives to live alongside Scar at Pride Rock. Rafiki watches sullenly from a distance and smears the image he had once created of Simba.Scar manages to slip away from the fighting but is followed by Simba. Simba flips Scar with his hind legs over the edge of Pride Rock. Scar tumbles down the rock face and lands at the base. He groggily stands up and notices the hyenas approaching him from between the flames. He greets them as his friends but they respond that he said they were the enemy. Scar looks at them in horror as they lick their lips and surround him before attacking. Rain begins to fall and Simba returns to the lionesses where he greets his mother and Nala. Rafiki rattles his staff and points it towards the tip of Pride Rock. He bows to Simba, who gives him a hug, and says it is time. As everyone watches, and as the rain washes away dust and bones, Simba ascends Pride Rock, gazing one last time at the heavens before letting out a mighty roar and sealing his position as king. The lionesses join in, hailing their new king. Some time later, the animals of the Pride Lands gather once again at Pride Rock, cheering at Simba and Nala as they overlook the kingdom. Rafiki comes between them and holds up their newborn cub for all to see.”

Here is a comparison of Simba and Mufasa, point by point.

The two characters are both extremely brave, but in different ways. First, Mufasa is brave because he wants to protect what he has. He is responsible for the safety of all the animals of the pride land, and he will stop at nothing to make sure that they remain protected. Simba, however, is young and is brave in the sense that he wants to have fun. He doesn’t always take into account the dangers that ensue when approaching something, or trying something new. However, he learns this valuable lesson throughout the film.

Mufasa and Simba have similar, yet contrasting personalities. Mufasa is a strong, well respected ruler all throughout the prideland. He protects the others, respects them, and gives them affection. He is brave when he needs to be but never takes unnecessary risks. Simba wants to be like his father, king of the prideland and a powerful ruler,  but he is just too young. He thinks he is big and strong, but he just has a=to wait and is being very impatient. This gets him into a lot of trouble along the way.

Lastly, Mufasa and Simba both have had a huge impact on the film industry, as their characters displayed many valuable and admirable characteristics that are recreated in many characters after. Mufasa presents passion, bravery, respect, and protection. Simba shows how to be adventurous, yet being able to have fun and having something to look forward to in life.

As you can see, the Lion King was an epic film in which two very brave characters who had things in common and yet many differences were able to show us how two can live together and come across many challenges, yet still eventually live in peace.

Word connotations- "Sick"

What does a word mean? Well, what it means to me doesn’t always equate to what it means to you in all circumstances. Words can have multiple connotations at a time, meaning something positive in one culture, and maybe just a little distance away is a complete insult. You have to be extremely careful of how you use some words when you travel, especially, because a word or gesture that is familiar to you may be an act of violence, for example, in another country. In America, even some words can switch meanings from conversation to conversation. For example, the word ‘sick.’  Sick can have multiple meanings from time to time. It all depends on the context it is used in.

Here are some of the ways that the word sick can be used in different ways:

1.       Sick can mean what it is usually used as and intended for, a person in bad health. It can even mean different things from there, for example, physically sick of mentally sick? If you are physically sick, who’s to tell whether or not it is just a cold or even a terminal illness? It is a broad descriptive word. If one is mentally sick, is it just what some would call ‘sick minded,’ or mental retardation? To describe someone with poor health as sick, you must use more specific and descriptive words. Someone may even be offended if used in a specific circumstance.

2.       Sick can be a hip word, equating to words such as awesome, cool, or even admiration. Somebody may say something is sick to express that they like something, they think it was really cool, in style, or even that they may want something themselves. It is a positive connotation, and generally taken as a compliment.

3.       Sick can equate to the meaning of disgusting, which isn’t taken as a compliment 99% of the time. Sick would generally be a exclamatory term, of adjective. When something ‘disgustin’ is said or done, the word sick may quite likely follow.

Sick isn’t generally a very formal term, but it can be used in either a very serious or loose way. It has multiple connotations.  If not used correctly, it may confuse or even offend somebody. So be careful, in every thing you say and do, especially in an unfamiliar location, and be sure to use it in the right context. Following that rule will make things much easier when trying to find the right word.

Everything is an argument.

Every book has a purpose. Some are obvious and out front, some are difficult to catch. Some books’ puproses are just to entertain, or to tell a story, and some are to persuade.  Some are to inform, and some are to help. However, intentional or not, every book, newspaper article, magazine, or text makes an argument. They inform the reader of something that they need to know, even if it’s not a non-fiction book. This argument can vary greatly, and I’m going to explore some of these areguments and a couple examples of one.

When told to write this blog, I had to analyze the argument from a popular book I have read lately. The problem was,  any book I had read lately was assigned reading. I haven’t been able to read any book out of enjoyment. Anything that you might be able to call a “good read” wasn’t exactly popular. Therefore, I decided to do this blog off of a book I had read after my freshman year, And Their Eyes Were Watching God . To give you a good idea of the events that occurred in this book, here is a summary from Wikipedia.com:

“The main character, an African American woman in her early forties named Janie Crawford, tells the story of her life and journey via an extended flashback to her best friend, Pheoby, so that Pheoby can tell Janie's story to the nosy community on her behalf. Her life has three major periods corresponding to her marriages to three very different men.

Nanny, Janie's grandmother, was a slave who became pregnant by her owner and gave birth to a daughter, Leafy. Though Nanny tries to create a good life for her daughter, Leafy is raped by her school teacher and she becomes pregnant with Janie. Shortly after Janie's birth, Leafy begins to drink and stay out at night. Eventually, she runs away leaving Janie with Nanny. Nanny transfers all the hopes she had for Leafy to Janie. When Janie is sixteen, Nanny sees her kissing a neighborhood boy, Johnny Taylor, and fears that Janie will become a "mule" to some man. Nanny arranges for Janie to marry Logan Killicks, an older man and farmer who is looking for a wife to keep his home and help on the farm. Although Janie was not interested in marriage at that time, her grandmother wanted her to have the kinds of things she never had the chance to have, and by marrying Logan Killicks Janie's grandmother thought it gave her the opportunity to make this possible.[3] Janie has the idea that marriage must involve love, forged in a pivotal early scene where she sees bees pollinating a pear tree, and believes that marriage is the human equivalent to this natural process. Logan Killicks, however, wants a domestic helper rather than a lover or partner, and after he tries to force her to help him with the hard labor of the farm, Janie runs off with the glib Jody (Joe) Starks, who takes her to Eatonville.

Starks arrives in Eatonville to find the residents devoid of ambition, so he arranges to buy more land from the neighboring landowner, hires some local residents to build a general store for him to own and run, and the people of the town appoint him mayor. Janie soon realizes that Joe wants her as a trophy wife. He wants the image of his perfect wife to reinforce his powerful position in town, as he asks her to run the store but forbids her from participating in the substantial social life that occurs on the store's front porch.

After Starks passes away, Janie finds herself financially independent and beset with suitors, some of whom are men of some means or have prestigious occupations, but she falls in love with a drifter and gambler named Vergible Woods who goes by the name of Tea Cake throughout the story. She falls in love with Tea Cake after he plays the guitar for her. She sells the store and the two head to Jacksonville and get married, only to move to the Everglades region ("the muck") soon after for Tea Cake to find work planting and harvesting beans. While their relationship has its ups and downs, including mutual bouts of jealousy, Janie now has the marriage with love that she had wanted.

The area is hit by the great Okeechobee hurricane, and while Tea Cake and Janie survive it, Tea Cake is bitten by a rabid dog while saving Janie from drowning. He contracts the disease himself. He ultimately tries to shoot Janie with his pistol, but she shoots him with a rifle in self-defense. She is charged with murder. At the trial, Tea Cake's black, male friends show up to oppose her, while a group of local white women arrive to support her. The all-white jury acquits Janie, and she gives Tea Cake a lavish funeral. Tea Cake's friends forgive her, and they want her to remain in the Everglades. However, she decides to return to Eatonville, only to find the residents gossiping about her.”

Now that you can understand the plot overview, it will help you understand the argument that I believe the book is inadvertently conveying to its readers.

The author of Their eyes were watching God walks the reader through Janie’s journey towards happiness and how she strives to achieve it. Although it ends quite badly for Janie, she possessed happiness for a while. I believe that The author’s purpose in writing the book was that It is possible to find happiness. It may be a difficult journey, and it may not last forever, but it is achievable.

 To achieve this purpose, The author uses many culturally significant words, phrases and dialects. This helps the reader to better relate to and understand the text. This is crucial as it is necessary for a reader to understand the text to understand the author’s argument.

Just like you can find an argument from reading And their eyes were watching God, and learn a valuable lesson from it, you can find an argument in anything. The argument might not be based off of the author’s intentions, however, but there is always a lesson to be learned. The argument may be a story, for you to learn from the triumphs and or mistakes of the characters, or just an explanation of a lesson that the author wants you to learn.

In conclusion, everything you will read, hear, or say, is a statement that can either be a challenge for someone, or a valuable lesson for another. Everything is an argument.

What does it mean to be a reader?

To be a reader doesn’t mean just to be someone who skims their eyes back and forth across the paper over and over and flips the page every once in a while. You can force someone to read something, as a teacher can require a class to read a book they’re really uninterested in. However, you can’t force a person to actually learn something, be entertained, or finish with a new insight into life. To be able to call someone a reader, that person must be able to refer to themselves a reader. They must want to read, to be interested in a text, and have the desire to gain something from it. If one didn’t learn anything from what they “read,” then they might as well have not even bothered. Therefore, they should not be called a reader.

                On multiple occasions I have been required to read books, poems, or essays for class. Most of the time I understand and I am completely interested. However, at times I can’t focus on the text, or even relate to it. If a writer wants a reader to be able to relate to their work, should I be called a reader on those occasions? I would have to say not. To be called a reader, one must want to and be able to fully understand and potentially gain knowledge or insight from the words on that page.

                I greatly enjoy to read. I deeply enjoy being entertained, learning new things, and gaining new insights, opinions, and perspectives. Reading gives my mind exercise. One can definitely lable me as a reader, even outside the classroom assignments. However, much of the reading I do is non-fiction, as it is a great challenge for me to find a fiction novel that I actually become interested in. It’s even become difficult to become committed to a book lately, as I have large amounts of homework and extracurricular activities. Therefore, I find it practical to read non-fiction, whether it be a newspaper, bibliography, or even a book full of facts. I feel as if I can relate better to non-fiction, as it applies to life and isn’t just a story that stays on the page. I feel as if I can be more confident in calling myself a reader when I read nonfiction.

                Everyone enjoys their own form of entertainment, and everyone enjoys to read different things. While one may enjoy a comic book, someone else may enjoy to read the dictionary itself. I believe that as long as one is engulfed in the text or at least following along and retaining the information within,  no matter it’s title, they should be able to be called a reader. Becoming a reader is much more challenging for some people. Some struggle to read a novel within a month while some can read one a day. Whether we choose to use it or not, the ability to become a reader is a privilege that we can take advantage of to be entertained, learned new concepts, and gain knowledge that you may not be able to get from anyone else. Y ou can learn almost anything from a book. If you are ready to become a reader, do it. If you are ready to learn something, it’s out there. You can be a reader only if you choose to be.