At 10:58 AM 4/5/2002 -0500, Faustine wrote: >-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- >Hash: SHA1 > >Richard Fiero wrote: > > >Question for Faustine: Is what is, right? Or is it man-made and > >can be changed by men? > >Faustine may want to rethink this. Social Darwinism does not > >square with the Thomas Paine quote. > > >There's a reason I contrasted the American conception of "ideal justice" >with real justice: the latter has absolutely nothing to do with right or >wrong, it just is. Read some Nietzsche.
One of the keys to real justice is how far those adjudicating it are willing to go. If they are unwilling to offend powerful interests or indeed key interests of the state or society in reaching their decisions then it cannot approach any ideal of justice. This principle has been a cornerstone of western law since Roman days. Its even emblazoned on the exterior of the U.S. Supreme Court, though its quite evident that few if any inside take it to heart (if they ever did). steve "Fiat justitia et ruat caelum" (Let justice be done though the heavens fall.) --legal maxim originating with the Senate of Rome.
