Friday, 9/25: True Justice Film

Why did I teach "Law and Justice" by Howard Zinn?  
As we embark on the "Justice Project" and study various philosophies of justice, the goal is to critically examine our current legal system and societal practices and decide what laws are just and what SHOULD our laws and social practices be to ensure justice. Howard Zinn argues that the first principle of education is to question every premise.  And he argues in the essay that when laws are at odds with justice, we have an obligation to violate the law.  So, I wanted us to have a common reading that lays out some arguments in support of that thesis and encourage you to think about the way things are now through the lens of justice. Is this the way it should be?

Why are we watching the film, True Justice?
This film explores one man's journey to achieve more justice within our criminal justice system. It explores how both the laws and the way the laws are enforced have led to inequality.  It provides us with a good case study to apply the philosophies we're studying and specifically consider whether our criminal justice system is fair/just, and whether the death penalty is fair/just.
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True Justice (1hr 40 mins)
About True Justice: This HBO documentary follows Bryan Stevenson and EJI's struggle to create greater fairness in the criminal justice system.

While you watch:Take notes!! In your discussion groups you will be asked to reflect on specific examples from the movie, so be prepared. 

​Not at school today?  Watch the film (link is above!) and answer the first three discussion questions listed under "Part 1" below and choose 1 of the additional discussion questions from "Part 2 Discussion"

Group Discussion Questions for the movie - True Justice
Part 1: Answer the following questions as a group:

1. Reflect on a moment or statement in True Justice that stands out or challenged your thinking in new ways. Share with your group your reflection. 
2. What is your understanding of Bryan Stevenson’s statement, “We’re all more than the worst thing we’ve ever done?” 
3. What did you see or hear anything in the film that was new or surprising to you?

Part 2: Pick a group facilitator and read through the questions. Pick your top 3 and use the other questions as back up if you have more time. 

1. What are the political forces that you see shaping what is fair, just, and legal? To whom do those forces apply?
2. African Americans make up less than 13 percent of the nation’s population, but 42  percent of the over 2700 people currently on death row are black, and 34 percent of those executed since 1976 have been black. The victim was white in over 75 percent of the cases resulting in execution since 1976, although only 50 percent of murder victims nationwide are white. The chief prosecutors in death penalty states are overwhelmingly white; only about one percent are black.  Discuss what the statistics and Walter McMillian’s story reveal about the death penalty.
3. What are your reactions to reading the Sixth Amendment after watching True  Justice? (google the 6th Amendment and read it!)
4. What is your reaction to the idea that fear and anger have been the fuel of mass incarceration? 
5. What other examples can you think of where the politics of fear and anger become a justification for systems of oppression? 
6. Discuss the through-line that you see in how the legacy of slavery is connected to child sentencing in today’s criminal justice system.
7. What larger historical narrative is Equal Justice Initiative changing with their campaign “All Children Are Children?”
8. What role do you see for public markers and memorials in moving our society forward towards equal justice for all? 
9. What does it mean to be complicit, especially in the context of the criminal justice system? What about in other instances of injustice?
10. How do we integrate difficult truths into our understanding of our national false narratives?
11. In what ways have you learned from the film or in this discussion that our history of racial injustice is not told, or changed, or masked? Why does truth-telling matter?
12. Bryan Stevenson shared, “Right before Mr. Hinton was released, we were talking. He was telling me, ‘I can’t hate people. I don’t want to stay in a prison when I leave here.’ He said, ‘It’s going to be hard. But I think I’ve actually decided that I’m going to forgive.” What are your thoughts and reactions to Mr. Hinton’s decision to forgive? 
13. Bryan Stevenson believes that in order to give rise to the full strength of this nation it is incumbent to understand and address all the brutal, ugly details of our nation’s history. What is your reaction to his assessment? 
14. What is the role of hope in creating a future of racial equity in our nation?

Homework: 
Due Monday, 9/28: The Dalai Lama’s “Compassion as Justice”

1. Discussion Questions (for your reference. We’ll discuss these in online class on Monday, 9/28)
2. Essay (read the entire thing)

Required for Honors: "Equality and American Democracy”