Reaction Paper/Initial Thoughts before a study

I just watched The Boy In The Striped Pajamas.

I've been trying to refrain from blogging before I've thoroughly thought about a topic, but I feel that a reaction to this movie should be noted. I won't tell the story though because I would like you to see it for yourself.

It's about a prison camp here in Poland during WWII.

I think that Justice is relational. Injustice is relational too. We see acts through our own eyes. We see things being done from our points of view. I can beat something all day long and you wouldn't think anything of it if it were the ground. But if it were your mom... well that would change what kind of act it was wouldn't it? That would just be wrong.

You can drive your car over a squirrel. And though you may cringe when you look in the rear view mirror and see its tail sticking up in the air and it twitching on the ground, you would keep on driving and no one would think anything of it except for my roommate Sarah who loves animals. However, if someone was driving at night and ran over someone you knew, it would change things wouldn't it? What would you think about the driver of that car? What kind of act of justice would you demand as consequences of the driver's actions? Would you demand that they go to prison? Would you demand that they pay you money? What kind of person would you accuse that driver of being?

What if I told you the driver was me? Does it change things?

Depending on what my relationship with you was, it might change the way you would see justice come about.

I think it is easier to do justly if we can look the person in the eyes. If we can have a conversation with someone without preconceived ideas. If we can put ourselves in their shoes we might be changed. Because in their shoes we might see something different--ourselves, our humanity, our desire for respect.

What is fair and reasonable and just might change in your eyes because in realizing one's humanity, we find answers to what is and is not justice.