Commentary
Expert perspectives on justice concerns worldwide
The case of Dynel Lane of Longmont, CO, who attacked a pregnant woman and killed her 7 month old unborn child, is shocking on many levels. Not only is this a particularly grisly crime, but it raises several questions for how and to whom we apply the protection of the homicide laws. Most significantly, at what point does a baby receive protections against murder?
Free speech is often hailed among the most significant of our fundamental freedoms. In the Western world in particular, freedom of speech and press has allowed for a range of voices, including voices of dissent that seem to indicate that our democracy is in a sense working. However, free speech is not completely free. There are limits and curbs based on what may be of greater importance in various contexts – such as if the speech might endanger others. That is why we can’t yell “fire” in a theater as a joke – the potential chaos and harm it raises in that context outweighs some one’s freedom to say what they want.
January was Human Trafficking Awareness month. But as the month wound down, and the fight against human trafficking carries on, how aware are we and what does that awareness prompt us to do? For many the term human trafficking does not have a clear definition. For others, the definition may be clear, but how it applies may be uncertain. Still others either don’t understand why this issue is drawing such attention or are turned off by the topic because of its salience in certain circles. The purpose of this article is to guide us toward a shared understanding of what constitutes human trafficking, how it impacts society locally and globally, and how we as individuals can address this injustice.
In our legal system, facts rule. In our societal system, perceptions rule. The challenge is reconciling the two in order to achieve fairness and justice. Fundamentally it is this tension between the two that is at the core of the current discord in Ferguson, Missouri over the death of Michael Brown. And it is our approach to the results that will allow us to address the underlying issues.
I recently read a series of articles that promote the idea that Christians should adopt a pluralistic approach in order to be relevant in present times. Pluralism can be defined as a system in which two or more states, groups, principles, or sources of authority co-exist. In the post-modern era (or by some accounts post-post modern era), pluralism seems to have growing appeal in our society – both in religious and secular circles. It fits the post-modern approach that assumes no common understanding in pursuit of a broader range of perspectives. Some aspects of this post-modern/pluralistic idea are compelling, and certainly some changes in views and approaches may be warranted. However, just like post-modernism itself, pluralism as a theory has several weaknesses, and as a practice even more so.
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