Justice

   “Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.” Is 1:17

 

  “I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and will execute justice for the needy.” Rom 13:4

 

  Somebody flicked the summer switch and sent a blast of heat our way. Plants exploded so the yard and gardens needed some TLC. The veggies are planted and doing well. The new shed is now 75% completed, just waiting on some more barn boards to finish it up. I also returned to work last week, doing my part to get our temporary location up and running: sign painting mostly.

  My group has started, too, on a Tuesday evening.

  Most of all, I needed a break.

  It rained a much needed dose of rain most of the day, shutting down any outside work. I hadn’t thought I’d be painting today but here I am.

  There hadn’t been much in the way of information from TMH regarding the ongoing investigations until yesterday. Police have arrested and charged Bruxy with sexual assault. I don’t know if this is connected to the circumstances at church or if it is a separate charge.

  CBC News posted an article. The press doesn’t know either.

  In the article, police stated they want all sexual violence survivors to know the service believes them.

  It’s about time.

  Justice has turned a blind eye on far too many women. I have heard story after story of how police downplayed, blamed the victim, or out and out ignored a woman’s story of abuse and assault.  He said, she said always favoured the man.

  There is no statute of limitations on sexual offenses. This is a good thing but utterly useless if police don’t do their part and take victims seriously.

  My friend asked me if I had thought about what had happened to Bruxy that led him down this dark path. My gut response was, “Don’t know. Don’t care.”

  But as I sit here and write, the hard truth of multiple offenses by one person has me wondering if the men who abused me also abused others. Have I, by being silent, granted tacit permission for them to hurt others?

  There is no statute of limitations on sexual offenses.

  This means if Bruxy was abused, he also can come forward.

  99.9% of the time abusers were themselves abused. I just can’t wrap my head around why they do this when they know how much damage and pain it causes. Is it because if a boy has been abused by a man, he grows up needing to go the extra mile to prove his manhood and sexual prowess with women? How do adults who molest children fit into this puzzle? Do I even want to know?

 

  I’d rather be in the garden right now rather than think about all this. I’d rather be inhaling the sweet fragrance of the peonies that always bloom the day before it rains. Rain isn’t kind to the massive blooms. They end up a pink, soggy, ground kissing mess. I am thankful that only one of my half dozen plants has flowered. The rest have yet to open. The necessary ants are hard at work to help them along. They have a symbiotic relationship with the flowers, feasting on the sticky excretions of the buds. Without ants, the peony flowers would stay stuck closed.

  Maybe that’s what justice is. It plays a crucial role to help a flower bloom.

  So, Lord, where there needs to be justice, grant the people involved the courage, the integrity, and the desire to see it done.

  Wikipedia notes the blindfold on the justice figure was originally a satirical addition intended to show justice as blind to the injustice carried on before her. Even though it’s now interpreted as impartiality, there is still far too much truth in the original intent.

  Lord, here’s another prayer thanks to Wikipedia. Let justice be applied without regard to wealth, power or other status. AMEN!