The politics of law ignites a political maelstrom

Derek Joy
Derek Joy

The politics of law ignites a political maelstrom

By Derek Joy

Take a look at the television commercials being aired by Governor Rick Scott and Charlie Crist.

A real bare knuckles brawl.

Scott, the Republican incumbent, blasts Crist the former Republican Governor, turned Independent turned Democrat, with allegations of being in the pocket of convicted Ponzi schemer Scott Rothstein.

Scott flat out accuses Crist of having sold judicial appointments in exchange for big campaign contributions.

Crist counters with poignant accounts of the number of times Scott invoked his Fifth Amendment rights when his health maintenance organization was under federal investigation for Medicare fraud.

This is a haunting confirmation of just how the law works at different levels of American life. Damning evidence of how apathy among voters can fester and a prima facia case establishing an unquestioned need for campaign/political reform.

Another chilling statement is made by both candidates and both political parties.  Neither is advertising in the Black American media. Wonder why?

They – Democrats in particular – profess to covet the Black American vote. Each political party sees fit to have its candidates attend Black American churches. Conversely, both political parties gets an emergency case of selective amnesia when it comes to advertising in the Black American media.

Now, here they are political candidates stomping in the Black American religious community while conveniently failing to patronize economic enterprises in the Black American community.

That’s downright scandalous. There’s no other way to say it. Systemic racism within American institutions.

Economic discrimination designed to perpetuate subservient status for Black Americans.

American Jurisprudence takes its twists and turns. Does so in a way that disgraces the meaning behind the symbol of justice being a blind lady balancing scales?

And if that doesn’t paint a clear picture of the injustices in justice, consider the plight of two Black Americans recently suspended from their NFL gigs. Baltimore Ravens’ running back Ray Rice and Minnesota Vikings’ running back Adrian Peterson.

Rice became the whipping boy after videos exposed him cold decking his fiancé’ – now his wife – in a Casino elevator. The NFL upped his two game suspension to indefinite.  The Ravens terminated his contract.

Peterson is suspended indefinitely as a result of being indicted on aggravated child abuse charges in Texas. A volatile situation in the evolution of American Jurisprudence and American social values.

You see, the law regulates corporal punishment as a parental right. Corporal punishment is now construed to be child abuse.

Yet, at times we see law enforcement officers arrest Black Americans for crimes and alleged crimes. We see more than enough cases where police physically abuse, even kill unarmed Black Americans without penalties.

So, where is the justice in law beyond the forked tongue political rhetoric?

 

About Carma Henry 24363 Articles
Carma Lynn Henry Westside Gazette Newspaper 545 N.W. 7th Terrace, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33311 Office: (954) 525-1489 Fax: (954) 525-1861

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