"JUSTICE" Rule #4 of Chivalry

"JUSTICE" Rule #4 of the Knights Code of Chivalry

"There is only one thing for which a knight has no patience: injustice. Every true knight fights for human dignity at all times."

JUSTICE! Justice. justice. I write this over and over because "justice" is something that "power" always claims to stand for but when "power" is challenged for being "unjust", ...it assures that it wins and remains unjust.

We boldly reveal this in our court rooms (of justice) by knowing that if we EVER get in trouble or have to go to court, we want to have a HIGH PAID ATTORNEY on our side. I doubt there is a person in the world who would choose a public defender over one. And if there is one he would probably get sent to the puzzle factory. Yes, it is true that we can buy our way through and sometimes out of the justice system with large sums of money. If this wasn't true, there wouldn't be so many rich attorneys.

"Bail" also exposes the idea of purchasing justice. If you're poor, there is no innocent until proven guilty. There is a door kicked in, a boot on the back of your neck, guns in your face, and jail time until AFTER your trial. And if you are rich, there is a subpoena mailed or hand delivered for a nice date to show up in a suit with a set of attorneys. Even though our symbol of justice is blindfolded, we all dare not be blind to this. However, I will offer you some insight that DOES say that there is justice in the American court system even for the poor and here's how.

If you know my background you know that I am no stranger to the court, jail and prison system. And if you think I'm just this low down, dirty, criminal felon, you know absolutely nothing about me and your perception of judging people is heavily flawed. But I offer you a solution to a biased mind. Read my book "Muay Thaiger" and learn some truths about moral and immoral convictions. Moving ahead...

I must testify that there has not been a moment when I was arrested, tried, convicted and even jailed that I was treated unfairly. In fact, I have to admit that there were times when those who held me probably should have whipped my @$$ or even shot me! Heck, I would've. Regarding the court system and "buying justice", I attest to you that I always "bought my way" not just to justice, but sometimes even to favoritism, but I didn't use money. I used my personality and honesty.

I can recall once being charged for a crime that I DID NOT commit and I was assigned a public defender. I spoke the truth and that public defender defended me and got the charges dropped as quick as a New York hot shot attorney. Additionally, when I was honest about that which I did do, my public defenders negotiated for me, spoke for me, and always got from the judge that which they promised they would get for me. This was because I treated my attorney and everyone else with respect and as an individual person. This made me an individual person to them who they wanted to help find justice for, and even a little "injustice" that leaned in my favor. I learned at a young age that money wasn't the only thing that could buy it's way through the system. Character and honesty could too!

Getting back to JUSTICE we must understand what it means to provide justice. We all want "justice" or punishment for the criminal terrorizing the community until we learn that the criminal is our son, daughter or friend. Then we want favoritism or what actually is injustice. We can never be a servant of justice if we want mercy, leniency and forgiveness for our cared ones for committing the same offenses as a stranger who we DEMAND punishment and cruelty towards. When we behave in this manner, it isn't our system that's the problem, it's US!

Bias and justice can not coexist. Bias itself is unjust. If we want drunk drivers jailed and given high fines for their crimes, we have to demand that the same punishment is given to our teen when he or she is caught doing the same thing. Does this upset you? Of course it does and probably should because the act of showing "true justice" towards a loved one is viewed by us as being non-caring, un-loving or even hateful. It is "wrong" for us to issue the same justice towards our cared ones that we would issue towards strangers. And we will snub our noses to the air and claim to be righteous while doing this unrighteous deed. It is the norm. We will use our money or power to assure justice never lands on us or those that we care for.

To serve justice we have to serve it even when serving it means we will be punished, or that we will lose something. This can be EXTREMELY hard to do. No person wants to accept punishment or loss especially if they can dodge it. But until we have accepted punishment or loss while serving justice, we have yet to truly serve justice. It is easy to claim to be just when someone else's neck is on the chopping block or we are going to gain from the "just deed". But when it is time for us to sacrifice our self so that others can receive justice, where and how will we cower? Behind lies, ...manipulation, ...THREATS!? This behavior only leads to the inevitable destruction of us all.

"EVERY KNIGHT FIGHTS FOR HUMAN DIGNITY AT ALL TIMES!" As hard and almost IMPOSSIBLE as it is for us to truly serve justice in this world where we can buy our way into and out of almost everything, I think this phrase in the the code can help us to stay somewhat just. If we can look at every situation that we face and assure that we are not robbing or expecting the person that we are dealing with to surrender their dignity or honor so we can gain that which we want, we can stay somewhat "just". I admit that it is hard to be just and I am more than sure that even the knights of the old code found it hard to be just. If the King that they served was an unjust King and they did this King's bidding, that Knight was unjust and was failing the code simply by existing. We face the same issues today when we choose to follow a political leader, our boss at work, or the social group that we want to be accepted by.

I keep it simple for you when it comes to serving justice at least in a manner where we aren't totally mistreating others and that is the "Golden Rule". Treat others as you want to be treated. I have added a translation of my own to even the "Golden Rule" to make things more descriptive for my students and that is, "Don't expect or try to force someone to do that which you wouldn't do." If we can keep this idea in our mind with all of our dealings, how can we ever cheat, degrade, disrespect or be cruel to another. Then when we can at least treat others the way that we want and expect to be treated, we can move up the ladder to become a warrior who is fit to serve justice instead of self. To serve justice is to serve the greater good.

And THIS, ...is a "way" of the "Warrior's Edge!" -Jermaine Andre'