We are taught in schools that our country is a nation of justice for all. We look at other countries and demonize their lack of just laws and rules of governance. The world is a hostile place, and for many people, they do live under oppressive regimes. There are however many social-democratic societies that have better criminal justice systems.
To understand the problems in our country, I am recommending two documentaries. The first one is Who Killed Garrett Phillips. This is a unique story set in the farthest region of Upstate New York. The second one is the Confession Killer which is set in Texas. The reason I like the choices are that each movie is set in a state that has different political spectrums, yet injustice can happen anywhere in our country.
Injustice is built in our court system. The most common injustice discussed is the issue of race. Yes, this is a large part of the problem. However, there is so much more to injustice in our country. For example, the election of key positions causes political consequences for individuals caught in the crossfire of getting elected. (You will see this in both movies)
Another problem in this country is the "thin blue line." An unspoken rule that mistakes cannot be challenged at all levels. Local law enforcement has rules. Cross that line, and you can be taken to task, attacked, and jailed. It is random, caused by the systems in place.
The biggest problem is the lack of protection for people that are in the crosshairs of local law enforcement. Once you are sent to prison, injustices do not correct themselves. If they do, the victims could be long gone due to the length of time an investigation takes place. It is set up this way for a reason. People will forget the event over time, and the political consequences are not as severe. The system protects the oppressors of injustice.
Both documentaries are a wake-up call. While watching them, think about the lessons taught in school. Truth and transparency are not characteristic of our current system. The burden of proof can quickly revert to the victim that is falsely prosecuted. The biggest problem is we think it is limited to certain individuals. It can happen to anyone of us. There are so many twists and turns in the documentaries, each one should shake the viewer to their core. Finally, here is the big question, after watching these documentaries, what will you do to increase awareness about the injustice caused by systems that fail to protect the very citizens it claims to protects?
