Aggravated Injustice

Pic: Sowetan, 15 Sep 2010

Learning to love the man and not the evil is a toss between heaven and hell.

I sometimes wonder how shallow the grave he is lying in is. They beat you up, kill you and throw you by the wayside; they leave you lying in the very same rubbish they deem you to be. I often think about how cold his skin is lying unidentified in a morgue somewhere. I find myself wondering if they did stop to consider, when they beat him publicly and senselessly, that he was only a kid possessed by the pleasures of doing evil in order to feed this monster that lies agape in his stomach. Could they have paused to look at an alternative punishment for his crimes other than do away with him – do away with one of them? Perhaps the others will learn, and maybe his death would not have been in vain. The neighbourhood will possibly be at ease, at last, and will be saved the headaches and ruins it used to suffer. He will perchance become the sacrificial lamb that opens our eyes to the realities of drug abuse, family responsibility, neighbourly love and the value of our young. We could learn a thing or two about the ancient saying: “It takes a community to raise a child.”

Mob justice is a vehicle that never sees us arrive as a community. It has turned many-a-man into murderers; accessories to murder; sinners; corpses; bereaved... It has corrupted the souls of some, while it has snatched those of many. Some, it has their hands drenched in blood. Some it has turned into A-Grade hypocrites – those who are with sin now not only afforded the opportunity to just throw a stone, but can now land a whole building block on the accused. Mob injustice has silenced many consciences and excited many crowds. It has rekindled the flame of hatred in the hearts of others, while causing others to settle old scores. We have come to the point where eyes that never witnessed the crime are feet and hands that decide the fate of the accused. Mob justice is aggravated injustice. It has solved a few cases and yet has filled many graves. What was supposed to be a lesson to the accused and an opportunity to repent is now the anticipation of ambulance and morgue. What was meant to be justice is now injustice. The unjustly accused are pushed through hospital corridors and ferried to grave sides.

It’s amazing what the combination of fear and revenge breed. We are a sick society.