Social Justice Unveiled: A 10th Grader Perspective

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Jacob A. Chin

Mrs. R. Heywood

English 2

16 October 2024

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Social Justice Explored

Social Justice

Everyone can think a variety of different things when it comes to what social justice is and what it means to a person or group. Social Justice is a very complex topic that is sometimes overlooked and in his book on social justice, 'Ham on Rye,' Charles Bukowski writes in his book “I guess the only time most people think about injustice is when it happens to them.” Social justice, according to me as a 10th Grader, is where everyone, no matter, race, gender, sexuality, or any other identifying characteristic, has an equal chance for anything. These things range from economic, political, and social opportunities in the workplace, personal life, and social settings. A scenario where no matter who a person identifies as or is, they have at least a chance for great opportunities in the world. This scenario of actual true equality is what I view as what social justice truly is, where everyday people can have the ability to gain a high quality of life. My thoughts of Social Justice is a world where everyone is actually equal in every scenario, where only merit decides the outcomes on one’s success and not something out of their control, such as race. Social Justice is the clear view of equality that everyone is given a fair chance in any field, no matter who the person is and where all can succeed with merit and effort.

I have seen injustice numerous times throughout my life as a 10th grade student. I have seen injustice in the schools, public places, private areas, and a variety of other locations. People were discriminated against based on their appearance, behavior, or attire, and all turned down by school, work, and public events due to some things that they can’t control. As a 10th grader I have observed these issues. Friends turned down by school officials for how they look such as looking different than what people expected of them. Friends being rejected at job interviews for how their names or how they look and carry themselves professionally. Friends being denied and discriminated against in public areas because of their religion or political views. I have personally experienced injustice being stereotyped by others and assumed to act and behave in a certain way, facing discrimination in school and in public. These experiences of watching others being affected by discrimination due to how they look or act have influenced my own outlook on the world with my personal outlook changing to become more merit-based and centered around the view of meritocracy and achievements over the years of experiences I have seen.

Some books that have highlighted injustice are “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, “How To Be An Antiracist” by Ibram X. Kendi, as well as “Animal Farm” by George Orwell. These three books have delve into detail about injustice faced by people such as people of color. In “To Kill a Mockingbird” there are several examples of injustice throughout the book. One such example of injustice in the book is the Ewell Family who are a poor white family using their social standing and the biases of the court system to win their case. Another example of injustice in “To Kill a Mockingbird” is the story of Boo Radley who is discriminated against by his community and becomes a recluse despite not being a threat. In “How To Be An Antiracist,” Kendi details the injustices that people of color experienced in the 70s and 80s through his own experience, as well as those family as well as other members of the black community, such as Trayvon Martin, who was gunned down by his neighbor while walking through a gated community. “Animal Farm,” meanwhile, is a satire of the Soviet Union, where Orwell highlights the injustice experienced by the animals of the farm. First, they are oppressed by Mr. Jones, an allegory to Tsar Nicholas II, and then by the pigs and Napoleon, which are allegories of the Soviet government and Joseph Stalin. The plot of “Animal Farm” follows our cast of various animals who symbolize different types of people such as Boxer symbolizing the working class in the Russian Empire being exploited by the humans who are the Russian Empire's royal government, overthrowing them in a revolution similar to the Russian Civil War before the pigs become power-hungry and oppress the other animals like the humans before them through propaganda and manipulation. These examples from these books show how social injustice is displayed within a society and social structure.

The personal experiences I have witnessed and have gone through, as well as the literature I have read, such as "To Kill a Mockingbird," which has truly influenced how I think and act. These experiences have shown me what injustice is and what could be done to achieve my version of social justice. This plan on social justice is how we can rid the world of injustice and give everyone a chance for opportunities. The way this will alleviate the quality of living for those around me and myself, especially those living on, below, or barely above the poverty line through the use of a system of pure meritocracy where everyone has to earn for their advantages through good etiquette and strong work ethic. This system will ensure that no one will receive special treatment or discrimination in school, work environment, or in public, or private areas. This will improve the quality of life of those around me who were previously marginalized due to how they look or act despite having the qualifications, while forcing the people who had a high quality of life handed down to them will have to work in order to maintain and gain said quality of life. Laws and policies must be passed that will tear down the systemic injustice of the government to ensure that this justice will be upheld and that injustice is removed from society with these laws targeting specific parts of injustice in the nation. This plan of evening out the playing field by removing systemic injustice and having so that everyone has to earn their quality of life through hard work and not be handed it and ensuring that society’s systems are able to accept this plan is how I plan to alleviate the quality of life for those around me.

DMU Timestamp: October 30, 2024 00:42