About Justice

by Mary Ann Imm’s son, Jeffrey.
March 19, 2018 – a year after Mary Ann Imm passed away, and whose life was testament to Justice and Real Courage.

For too long, we have let bullies, the arrogant, and thugs act as the pretender voices of Justice.
They have abused their authority, power, and position given by the people for their own purposes.
The price of allowing them to be “voice” on Justice has been steep.
We have too many, across our generations, who question if there is any such thing as Justice anymore.

We need different voices. We need responsible voices. We need voices with a conscience, compassion, and an Outstretched Hand.

Our friends in faith may ask why should we look for Earthly justice, when the only real justice is in their eternal faith.
But no religion of peace wants us to hate one another, and act with conscious injustice towards one another here.

We can and we must – do better.

My own path to justice started with failure, inability to defeat a mob against my brother, as a young boy – outnumbered by vicious adults.

I could have allowed my life to be defined by Justice with an Upraised Fist – like so many others.
Like today’s bullies, I could have justified every weapon, every cruelty, every hostile act, every abuse of authority – as justification for a form of “Justice.”

But I know better. Because I KNOW Justice.
I have seen what Justice truly looks like – fearless, responsible, and most importantly – compassionate, Justice.

My mother was a policewoman without a gun – protecting children every day.

She protected them not with bullets, but with virtue.
She protected them not with venom and hate, or even an upraised fist, but with an outstretched palm – reminding offenders of the Law, and setting a living example for what Justice truly is.

Even when she faced her own mortal challenges, and struggles with Alzheimer’s Disease, she never forgot her commitment to Justice, defending the vulnerable anywhere she went.

The face of courage is an elderly woman defending a crying child who is afraid of a bully – a bully that did not learn Justice begins with compassion – especially to the weak and vulnerable.

Today, we see those individuals who profane the term “Justice,” by abuse, arrogance, viciousness, cowardice, and manipulation.
For those who have never seen “Justice,” let me stand in testament to you – such disgrace is not “Justice.”

Those abusing Justice not only abuse the idea of Justice to our public.

They also undermine the courageous acts of compassion by men and women across the nation who give their lives for the protection of others.

Someone needs to speak out for the many who are anonymous sentinels defending the law and safety of the public.

These people you may never get to know are the real face of Justice in our nation.

They offer an Outstretched Hand, not an Upraised Fist – to a society they seek to serve and defend.

When we lose one of our Earthly defenders of Justice, it is heartbreaking.

But if we can remember the lessons we learned from them, we can keep their commitment to Justice Alive.