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Why Progressives and Conservatives Can’t Seem to Agree about Justice
Foundation for Economic Education ^ | February 14, 2021 | Kyla Hatcher

Posted on 02/15/2021 10:49:20 AM PST by Twotone

Many Americans today continue to talk past each other in their discussions of justice.

Progressives often see conservatives as insensitive and lacking compassion for the poor and oppressed. They march and protest in the streets for justice and view conservatives’ lack of protest as signs of their racism and privilege. Meanwhile, many conservatives cannot understand how progressives can see their tactics as just. They watch the protesters loot and burn cities and gape at the lawlessness of these social “justice” warriors.

The reason why there can be no actual conversation between these groups is that they do not share the same definition of justice. No one explains this better than Thomas Sowell in his book, The Quest for Cosmic Justice.

Cosmic Justice vs. Traditional Justice Sowell explains that there are two ruling concepts of justice in America: traditional justice and social or, as he calls it, cosmic justice. Cosmic justice is what someone would choose if they were creating the universe from scratch. For example, if I were to create my own cosmos, I probably would not choose to include racism or poverty. I could eradicate human suffering and pain. Maybe I would ensure total equality of opportunity and outcome. Each of these things have to do with end results; they have nothing to do with the means which would have to bring about these results.

Traditional justice, as Sowell explains, is about, “impartial processes rather than either results or prospects.” Sowell gives the example of a law court. A trial is just if handled in accordance with the law and with an impartial judge and jury, no matter the verdict. A baseball game is fair if it was called according to the rules of the game, no matter which side won.

(Excerpt) Read more at fee.org ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bloggers; justice; thomassowell
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1 posted on 02/15/2021 10:49:20 AM PST by Twotone
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To: Twotone
Conservatives are concerned with true Justice as the term was used historically.
Leftist just want their criminal supporters to get off no matter what they have done as long as it furthers their Leftist goals
2 posted on 02/15/2021 10:52:31 AM PST by HP8753 (Live Free!!!! .............or don't. )
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To: Twotone

What about divine justice?


3 posted on 02/15/2021 10:53:17 AM PST by fishtank (The denial of original sin is the root of liberalism. )
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To: Twotone

Because one side is American and the other side is Communist. Shall I describe which is which?


4 posted on 02/15/2021 10:53:39 AM PST by Afterguard (Deplorable me! )
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To: Twotone

Conservative believe there should be one law and everyone is equally subject to it.

The left wants selective enforcement depending on subjective criteria.


5 posted on 02/15/2021 10:53:50 AM PST by Lurkinanloomin (Natural Born Citizens Are Born Here of Citizen Parents)(Know Islam, No Peace - No Islam, Know Peace)
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To: Twotone

Easy answer.
For Conservatives, it’s “justice”.
For the slime, it’s “just-us”.


6 posted on 02/15/2021 10:54:43 AM PST by Da Coyote
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To: Twotone

Progressives have no interest in or use for justice of any sort. They use their distorted definition of justice as the sheep’s clothing with which to lure dissatisfied people to their side. And, they spend most of their time manufaturing that dissatisfaction in order to gain power. . . to destroy justice in their favor.


7 posted on 02/15/2021 10:58:33 AM PST by gspurlock (http://www.backyardfence.wordpress.com)
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To: Twotone

Some folks want to follow the law.
Others want to settle some scores.


8 posted on 02/15/2021 11:00:09 AM PST by ClearCase_guy ("I see you did something -- why you so racist?")
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To: Twotone

Just bought it from Amazon in paperback and have it for free on my kindle until it comes tomorrow.

The Quest for Cosmic Justice
Sowell, Thomas
$14.52 Condition: New
Condition: New


9 posted on 02/15/2021 11:01:54 AM PST by Grampa Dave (Law & order took the last train out of DC & America on election/coup/night, Tuesday, Nov. 03, 2020!!)
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To: Twotone

Conservatives are hunted down by every LEO and Libs are welcomed freely do Burn Baby Burn and murder for the cause!


10 posted on 02/15/2021 11:03:07 AM PST by Harpotoo (Being a socialist is a lot easier than having to WORK like the rest of US:-))
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To: Da Coyote

Great Answer!:

Easy answer:

For Conservatives, it’s “justice”.
For the slime, it’s “just-us”.

posted on 2/15/2021, 10:54:43 AM by Da Coyote


11 posted on 02/15/2021 11:04:24 AM PST by Grampa Dave (Law & order took the last train out of DC & America on election/coup/night, Tuesday, Nov. 03, 2020!!)
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To: Da Coyote

I was just about to post that. 😄🙌


12 posted on 02/15/2021 11:06:04 AM PST by rktman (Destroy America from within? Check! WTH? Enlisted USN 1967 to end up with this?)
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To: Twotone

If we had an HONEST justice system, Biden and his kid would both be in jail.


13 posted on 02/15/2021 11:07:03 AM PST by CMailBag
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To: Twotone

For the democrats, justice is subjective, just as truth and facts are subjective.


14 posted on 02/15/2021 11:08:29 AM PST by The_Media_never_lie (I do not regret my decision to cut all ties with Fox News. )
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To: Twotone

Oil and water don’t mix.....trying to get them to is fruitless.


15 posted on 02/15/2021 11:12:27 AM PST by caww
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To: HP8753

Individual versus group justice
Individual versus group salvation
Pope John Paul versus Pope Frankie
Trump versus Obama


16 posted on 02/15/2021 11:12:35 AM PST by steve8714
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To: Twotone

Conservatives view justice based on the truth. Progressives view justice based primarily on a pack of lies. For example, they want to believe that Trevon Martin was murdered and are like an OJ Jury, i.e., a jury that will not even look at the evidence.


17 posted on 02/15/2021 11:15:18 AM PST by libertylover (This is not your Founding Fathers' United States of America anymore.)
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To: Twotone

Well, that the Left wants Just-Us may have something to do with it.


18 posted on 02/15/2021 11:33:36 AM PST by Rurudyne (Standup Philosopher)
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To: Twotone

bookmark


19 posted on 02/15/2021 11:33:41 AM PST by GOP Poet (Super cool you can change your tag line EVERYTIME you post!! :D. (Small things make me happy))
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To: Twotone

Because one side believes justice is necessary for a civilized free society and the other side believes the legal system is just another tool to gain power.


20 posted on 02/15/2021 11:34:58 AM PST by Kid Shelleen (Beat your plowshares into swords. Let the weak say I am strong)
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