This is my PART 2 of my blog about outside plaques at the Boston Federal Building during my time at ActiveRain's Boston RainCamp. Here's a link to my PART 1:
http://activerain.com/blogsview/1851194/profiles-of-justice-from-the-american-legal-system-part-1
I believe we should all think about these plaques and their meanings, since sometimes we have to review what they mean and help others remember what their original thoughts might have been. Of the 9 plagues the next 5 are my interpretations!
The 5th plaque stated: “OUR GOVERNMENT IS THE POTENT, THE OMNIPRESENT TEACHER. FOR GOOD OR FOR ILL, IT TEACHES THE WHOLE PEOPLE BY ITS EXAMPLE. – Louis D. Brandeis, 1928.”
This means our government should set the example to the people. This is done when government can correct the injustice within their own corporations or outside private business corporations and the people they are guarding will watch and mimic by example. Therefore, if we want our people to be just and follow the rules, then corporations & government need to begin with the example, so the people don’t run rampage. An example of this concept is the way President Obama met his obligation to defend the Constitution. Though there was popular consensus by the people that a mosque should not be built in close proximity to ground zero, Obama supported the freedom of religion on which the US was framed.
The 6th plaque stated: “THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THOSE WHO EXERCISE POWER IN A DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT IS NOT TO REFLECT INFLAMED PUBLIC FEELING BUT TO HELP FORM ITS UNDERSTANDING. – Felix Frankfurter, 1958.”
People in power should represent the people, but should also mold some of the opinions to reflect the understanding of the constitution to those who don’t understand the constitution or the Bill of Rights. Education is critical to the understanding of our rights and religions should never play a role in our laws, since we are a “melting pot of people from all over the world”, otherwise, we are eliminating others to their rights & the laws of our country. Again with my previous example Obama supported the freedom of religion. With the latest issue brought up by the Gainesville, FL minister that wanted to have a public burning of the Koran, Obama supported his freedom of speech. Though the burning of the Koran publicly had popular support President Obama went against the popular support to encourage moderation over an inflammatory issue.
The 7th plaque stated: “WE ARE CONFRONTED PRIMARILY WITH A MORAL ISSUE. THE HEART OF THE QUESTION IS WHETHER WE ARE GOING TO TREAT OUR FELLOW AMERICANS, AS WE WANT TO BE TREATED. – John F. Kennedy, 1963.”
This I remember from my childhood (this also tells you how old I really am). The Kennedy & MLK years really hit home! We really need to treat anyone from any country the way we want to be treated, period! We can’t go to other countries and be insensitive to their ways, but we should try to improve their ways by creating brainstorming to allow them to change it themselves and only if they want to. People change the country only when they are ready as a people! This is something we should never try to push on others.
The 8th plaque stated: “THE BEST ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE MAY BE MOST SAFELY SECURED BY ALLOWING THE REPRESENTATION OF ALL CLASSES OF THE PEOPLE IN COURTS OF JUSTICE. – Lelia Josephine Robinson, 1881.”
No matter how mad we are about what a convicted person did to another, we should always give them sound representation, if they can’t afford a lawyer or if they are from another country. We can’t say we are civilized if we don’t treat all men & women from all countries the same in our justice system!
The 9th last plaque was my favorite and was also the oldest quote, which probably says something about the person who wrote it. It states: “THE DIGNITY AND STABILITY OF GOVERNMENT IN ALL ITS BRANCHES, THE MORAL OF THE PEOPLE AND EVERY BLESSING OF SOCIETY DEPEND UPON AN UPRIGHT AND SKILLFUL ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE. – John Adams, 1776.
Hopefully, Congress, who create many of our laws, are thinking about this everyday, so we can jump out of our current economic situation and begin to flourish again. Let’s begin to hold the businesses and their CEO’s responsible for their actions to our country and their fleecing of our people!
Finally, I would love to be able to go into the Boston Federal Building, since the guard did inform me that their were more plaques inside! I hope I can see them one day, but not have to go there for any other reason!
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