A friend faced injustice recently. It is an injustice that has had a trickle down financial and capacity impact. Basically, a professional acted callously, and that resulted in injustice and harm.
What should my friend do?
This is a tricky situation as my friend has already incurred extra costs, worry, and loss of capacity due to this injustice. Further, the perpetrator is acting strangely to my friend. His actions are somewhat threatening and worrisome.
If my friend reports the injustice, there's a chance she could endure greater harm from the perpetrator, but if she does not report the injustice she may endure greater costs and loss of capacity. Further, if she doesn't report the injustice, others may face this injustice.
It takes courage to speak up to and act against injustice. It's also hard to call someone out for a poor choice or callous behavior because we all make poor choices and act callously at times. But should my friend have to incur the extra costs of the professional's poor and dangerous choice? What if that professional continues to act in this manner?
I suggested that she call the Attorney General's office for consultation in the matter. We have a great Attorney General in Massachusetts, Maura Healey. It's likely that they can advise her in this situation.
I've been in situations like this before. You're just going about your business, and then staring you right in the face is an injustice that requires courage, strength, and good knowledge. You want to bury it because it's not pleasant, but you know you must act in some way for your own good work and values and to ensure that others don't meet with the same injustice.
In a just society with good laws and policies, it's much easier to act against injustice, and it's probable that there is less callous and unjust actions too. That's why it matters that we have good laws, norms, and policies at play--that's a way to keep all of us safer, better, and happier in just, right ways.
What injustices have you faced? How have you acted in light of these injustices? What strategies and people have helped you out?
Working against small injustices is preferable to waiting until that great and life-harming injustice occurs. In my friend's situation, it's clear that others knew about the injustice and let it happen, and that's why my friend was harmed. They could have spoken up and protected my friend and potentially others too. A good public example of injustice like this was the sexual abuse that so many gymnasts faced--that happened for too long before people got up the courage to do what was right to counter the abuse.
Working against injustice helps all of us--starting with small injustices diminishes the chance that great injustices will occur. Onward.