Rince Benny

Larson

Ap Lang P7

December 13, 2019

Injustice Essay

Injustice is a part of society that plays a major role in everyday life. Injustice exists all

around the world in many nations. Through the unfair laws and unevenly distributed power

among social groups, injustice is promoted through unethical and politically unjust actions by the

state. Therefore, it is up to the people being oppressed to stand up to the government and fight

for change.

The state is perceived as unethical since “superior” groups take advantage of the

“minority;” activists need to protest the state for system sized change. The state is unethical due

to committing harmful acts immorally and illegally. In situations like when Martin Luther King,

was an active participant for civil rights, the state being the white superiority was negligent upon

King’s reform efforts. King says “that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere (E).”

He claims that conflict anywhere will lead up to no good for both sides of the party. Individuals

promoting injustice have to start thinking about morals and how that can guide them in treating

others. Showing prejudice will only make situations worse. Another example of an individual

who faced major prejudice is Colin Kaepernick, a former professional athlete who was

misjudged for taking a knee during the national anthem at his football games. Gaining national

headlines and media attention with pouring hatred and negativity, Kaepernick was kicked out of

the National Football League. Him, pursuing his support against black violence lead him to lose

his job and reputation. He is a man that chooses “not to betray those who are being oppressed
(F).” Kapernick on the other hand, is getting oppressed and betrayed by the state (NFL) for

holding strong values that make him unique. These unethical ways of injustice shows how

cunning certain groups can be to backlash and put “minorities” in their place.

Politically, the state applies negative actions to the “minority” group of the situation by opposing

their commitment in trying to fight injustice. To be political, action must be public, and aimed at

the possibility or goal of collective action to respond to and intervene in past events. The

government rarely substantiates itself valuable and it gains power from the superior group since

they are the strongest gathering. When the government is unjust, people should be allowed to

refuse and distance themselves from that state. Thoreau categorizes the U.S. government

politically unjust as they continued slavery during the 1800s in his essay, “Civil Disobedience

(A).” Thoreau, being a transcendentalist, he opposed the continuation of slavery during that time

period. The politics in fighting “injustice is part of the necessary friction of the machine of

government (A).” He explains that injustice is a regular part in running the government. The

government is called a “machine” since it is mainly run by statutory law and nothing else.

Thoreau argues for the abolition of the government due to the outright injustice they do not

resolve in America. Another figure that opposes injustice from unjust government is Martin

Luther King. In his “Letter From Birmingham Jail (E),” he mentions that “justice too long

delayed is justice denied (E).” King uses the phrase to reference the length of time the black

community had been waiting for basic rights during that time period. Rights that are promised

for the future mean anything to people who need them now. Justice is to be sought politically

through evenly distributed power to both parties of the situation. The state can’t support laws that

lead to systematic oppression.

 Injustice by the state needs to hold an ethical and political responsibility. The state in any

situation, at any time period in society should uphold justice to treat all social groups affected

equally. While the state does plays an unfair role of fighting justice at times there are

circumstances where they look at both sides. The state uses various techniques for equality by

hearing both sides of the situation and potentially holding votes and statutory laws that both

parties agree upon. However, these techniques can become unsuccessful at times due to the

imbalance of power one group may have on the other group in their communities.