THE JUSTICE PROJECT
Overview
The justice project is a project in which we study multiple areas of philosophy, ethics, and ideals. We studied case studies, including the issues with oil and gas in the Chaco Canyon area. We also read many articles and book excerpts about racial, social, and environmental justice. Beyond standing rock is another great source that we looked at to deepen our understanding of relationships to the land. After we learned about the many layers of what justice and morals mean, we created the justice project.
This is a project in which we find an area of injustice that we are passionate about, and take it into our own hands. During the process of creating this project, we learned how to reach out to organizations and professionals beyond our school. We also presented monologues that represent our own, individual ideals around certain case studies. The final justice project was a product that showed what we learned in class, and on our own regarding a specific case.
This is a project in which we find an area of injustice that we are passionate about, and take it into our own hands. During the process of creating this project, we learned how to reach out to organizations and professionals beyond our school. We also presented monologues that represent our own, individual ideals around certain case studies. The final justice project was a product that showed what we learned in class, and on our own regarding a specific case.
Justice Monologue #1
The Dalai Lama said in Ethics for a Whole World, “Given that we find it so easy to forgive ourselves, surely we can extend the same courtesy to others.” In his own perspective of justice, he discusses the importance of forgiveness not only for the benefit of a wrongdoer, but also for self. When we think about justice, we often think about punishment. In a lot of minds, it is an automatic association. But, to me, they are two seperate ideals. Justice is a very broad term and does not just represent one set of ideals. Justice represents all types of values from independent principles.
In Equality and American Democracy, Danielle Allen talks about equality and how there are four main types: Economic, moral, political, and social equality. In her perspective, even equality can be separated into different forms, as well as justice. She says that in order to have a proper system that works for a society, we must account for every type. Justice, in my opinion, can also be categorized and shaped based on each individual. It does not have to be about punishment, like the Dalai Lama says. It does not have to just be about the different types of equality that Danielle Allen talks about or have to be about the system in which we live. To me, justice is a part of our everyday lives. Justice is about realizing the importance of other people's perspective on fairness and treating others with the compassion that we would hope to receive ourselves.
As we go throughout our everyday lives, we experience feelings of resentment for the world around us. We grow throughout our entire lives thinking that life isn't fair, which in a lot of ways it isn't. Our current system is based on deep rooted bias. This is not justice… and I believe we can never live fair lives until we begin to focus on the base of justice. This is my issue with most philosophies of this subject, is that it is largely focused on a big picture. When we begin to realize the beauty of individuality, we begin to realize that respect for the world and people around us is the baseline of justice. Just like John Rawls explains, the key to true justice is equal opportunity, which I completely agree with. But, how can we expect to have a system that is fair for everyone if we do not treat everyone with the respect and fairness in our smaller actions. We must begin to forgive and treat others with the same respect that we would expect for ourselves in order to build a proper system of justice for society as a whole.
In Equality and American Democracy, Danielle Allen talks about equality and how there are four main types: Economic, moral, political, and social equality. In her perspective, even equality can be separated into different forms, as well as justice. She says that in order to have a proper system that works for a society, we must account for every type. Justice, in my opinion, can also be categorized and shaped based on each individual. It does not have to be about punishment, like the Dalai Lama says. It does not have to just be about the different types of equality that Danielle Allen talks about or have to be about the system in which we live. To me, justice is a part of our everyday lives. Justice is about realizing the importance of other people's perspective on fairness and treating others with the compassion that we would hope to receive ourselves.
As we go throughout our everyday lives, we experience feelings of resentment for the world around us. We grow throughout our entire lives thinking that life isn't fair, which in a lot of ways it isn't. Our current system is based on deep rooted bias. This is not justice… and I believe we can never live fair lives until we begin to focus on the base of justice. This is my issue with most philosophies of this subject, is that it is largely focused on a big picture. When we begin to realize the beauty of individuality, we begin to realize that respect for the world and people around us is the baseline of justice. Just like John Rawls explains, the key to true justice is equal opportunity, which I completely agree with. But, how can we expect to have a system that is fair for everyone if we do not treat everyone with the respect and fairness in our smaller actions. We must begin to forgive and treat others with the same respect that we would expect for ourselves in order to build a proper system of justice for society as a whole.
Justice Monologue #2
Humans. Intelligent, high functioning creatures. We have built a plethora of intricate systems for just about everything. Politics, education, machines that take us from point a to point b; Our food and water covered in plastic, as well as just about everything. But through these systems, we have created an over abundance of waste and pollution. We have taken over vast stretches of land as if it is filled with limitless resources. Without thinking of the effects, we have begun to kill mother earth piece by piece. Among some of the most recent cases of this fact lies not far away from our own home. Like many other pieces of land we have overtaken, Chaco Canyon has been a site full of deep rooted history since before the time of western civilization. A home to many artifacts, ruins, and sacred areas to the Puebloen culture. Recent developments by the Bureau of Land Management have allowed oil and gas drilling to spread like a disease. It can lead to dangerous spills, impact wildlife, and pollute the air in surrounding communities. It has not only affected the environment, but our own citizens.
In The Land Ethic by Aldo Leopold, he says, “The complexity of co-operative mechanisms has increased with population density.” Growth of society deepens the challenge of saving our habitat, but it is something we must account for. As our communities increase in size, the more we begin to focus on economic justice rather than environmental justice. As we continue to grow, we develop more complex ideologies that blind us from these issues. As Leopold explains, the less we account for these types of factors, the more difficult it becomes to create balance between nature and the economy. In a perfect world, we would be able to have all the luxuries we have created and a healthy planet. Though, this can never happen if we continue to be the consumers of our own desires. I challenge you to consider your necessities. Bottled water, using a ziploc bag everytime you need food to go, and using a straw at every restaurant. These are all unnecessary “delights' ' that we allow ourselves because we dont believe that we have an impact, but we do. Think about every time you have produced some type of waste. Imagine if you had not. Everyday, I see the same people who claim to care about the environment, consume and waste carelessly. So where do we start?
The seventeenth principle of the Principles of Environmental Justice states, “Environmental Justice requires that we, as individuals, make personal and consumer choices to consume as little of Mother Earth's resources and to produce as little waste as possible; and make the conscious decision to challenge and re-prioritize our lifestyles to ensure the health of the natural world for present and future generations.”
A healthy climate does not have to seem so far away. It is time we take our own accountability. It's time we start to have value for earth in our everyday lives. Always remember, every process has to begin somewhere, even small steps. It starts with creating instead of buying, choosing containers over bags, saying, “I don’t need a straw, thanks.” to the server. It starts with you.
In The Land Ethic by Aldo Leopold, he says, “The complexity of co-operative mechanisms has increased with population density.” Growth of society deepens the challenge of saving our habitat, but it is something we must account for. As our communities increase in size, the more we begin to focus on economic justice rather than environmental justice. As we continue to grow, we develop more complex ideologies that blind us from these issues. As Leopold explains, the less we account for these types of factors, the more difficult it becomes to create balance between nature and the economy. In a perfect world, we would be able to have all the luxuries we have created and a healthy planet. Though, this can never happen if we continue to be the consumers of our own desires. I challenge you to consider your necessities. Bottled water, using a ziploc bag everytime you need food to go, and using a straw at every restaurant. These are all unnecessary “delights' ' that we allow ourselves because we dont believe that we have an impact, but we do. Think about every time you have produced some type of waste. Imagine if you had not. Everyday, I see the same people who claim to care about the environment, consume and waste carelessly. So where do we start?
The seventeenth principle of the Principles of Environmental Justice states, “Environmental Justice requires that we, as individuals, make personal and consumer choices to consume as little of Mother Earth's resources and to produce as little waste as possible; and make the conscious decision to challenge and re-prioritize our lifestyles to ensure the health of the natural world for present and future generations.”
A healthy climate does not have to seem so far away. It is time we take our own accountability. It's time we start to have value for earth in our everyday lives. Always remember, every process has to begin somewhere, even small steps. It starts with creating instead of buying, choosing containers over bags, saying, “I don’t need a straw, thanks.” to the server. It starts with you.
Final Products
Defense
Your project defense needs to answer the following questions:
What did you end up doing for your project?
What did you end up doing for your project?
- For my final project, I decided to create a product that would allow me to donate to the cause. I created handmade t-shirts with a logo that includes a snake and a slogan. “Think Reptile” is a representation for all reptiles and other animals subjected to neglect and abuse. I also created price tags, an artist statement business cards, and an informational poster that provides prospective customers with the facts and link to the petition.
- How did your project reflect your personal philosophy of justice?
- In the Land Ethic by Aldo Leopold, he explains that nature is something we must live with, not against. He discusses the idea of letting nature flow, and letting each natural process take its course. I also believe that we should be less disruptive to the laws of nature. Which is what my project is about, allowing animals the same rights as us. I believe that owning reptiles can be uncruel when providing excellent conditions. As an avid reptile and fish caretaker, I have learned to treat animals with respect for their laws of nature. In my opinion, harming any innocent being with intrinsic value is not right unless it is humane and used for good purpose (hunting for your own meat is a great example) . My goal with this project is to represent that idea; that animals should not be in tortuous parameters only for our consumption. I believe that educating yourself before making any decision is crucial, but many people refuse to be educated on this subject and affect the animal because of it. The goal of my project was to spread a message to protect innocent creatures. By using my proceedings to donate to the organization, and getting people to sign this petition, I hope to raise awareness around the matter. I hope to contribute as much as I can to get large corporations to stop selling animals.
- In the Land Ethic by Aldo Leopold, he explains that nature is something we must live with, not against. He discusses the idea of letting nature flow, and letting each natural process take its course. I also believe that we should be less disruptive to the laws of nature. Which is what my project is about, allowing animals the same rights as us. I believe that owning reptiles can be uncruel when providing excellent conditions. As an avid reptile and fish caretaker, I have learned to treat animals with respect for their laws of nature. In my opinion, harming any innocent being with intrinsic value is not right unless it is humane and used for good purpose (hunting for your own meat is a great example) . My goal with this project is to represent that idea; that animals should not be in tortuous parameters only for our consumption. I believe that educating yourself before making any decision is crucial, but many people refuse to be educated on this subject and affect the animal because of it. The goal of my project was to spread a message to protect innocent creatures. By using my proceedings to donate to the organization, and getting people to sign this petition, I hope to raise awareness around the matter. I hope to contribute as much as I can to get large corporations to stop selling animals.
- Did you do sufficient research and background work to pull off your project, take an informed stance or succeed in your endeavors? Explain!
- I was able to find some sufficient information, though, due to lack of awareness on the matter, there is a lack of public input. PETA was the only organization that I could find that is bringing attention to the situation. In their many articles and videos about the negative actions performed by staff in these industries, they were able to gather terrifying information. I successfully found enough information to present on my information poster and also information that I can verbally present. In the future, I hope more people begin to see the problem and address it in order to bring down these immoral beliefs.
- I was able to find some sufficient information, though, due to lack of awareness on the matter, there is a lack of public input. PETA was the only organization that I could find that is bringing attention to the situation. In their many articles and videos about the negative actions performed by staff in these industries, they were able to gather terrifying information. I successfully found enough information to present on my information poster and also information that I can verbally present. In the future, I hope more people begin to see the problem and address it in order to bring down these immoral beliefs.
Reflection
- To what extent did you SHOW UP for this project? How engaged/committed/involved were you in the work? How much did you strive to create beautiful work worth doing? To what extent were you accountable to yourself and others if relevant?
- I wanted to take as much initiative with this project because I was working by myself. I own reptiles and fish of my own; one of them being a rescue. When I accepted them into my home, I knew that I was taking an unspoken vow to provide these animals with every single parameter necessary to make sure they do not develop any illnesses or mental issues. However, a lot of buyers do not have this same perspective. I constantly see younger people purchase animals with no prior knowledge which leads to an extreme amount of neglect in the reptile community. Because there are no laws or regulations regarding buying reptiles, it is not required for any staff to do a background check. With that said, I wanted to create a realistic goal to contribute to the cause of banning big corporations to exploit animals. This matter, because of my own experience, is very close to my heart. Because of that, I really strived to put more effort into this than I have in past projects.
- I wanted to take as much initiative with this project because I was working by myself. I own reptiles and fish of my own; one of them being a rescue. When I accepted them into my home, I knew that I was taking an unspoken vow to provide these animals with every single parameter necessary to make sure they do not develop any illnesses or mental issues. However, a lot of buyers do not have this same perspective. I constantly see younger people purchase animals with no prior knowledge which leads to an extreme amount of neglect in the reptile community. Because there are no laws or regulations regarding buying reptiles, it is not required for any staff to do a background check. With that said, I wanted to create a realistic goal to contribute to the cause of banning big corporations to exploit animals. This matter, because of my own experience, is very close to my heart. Because of that, I really strived to put more effort into this than I have in past projects.
- What TWO key lessons did you learn from this project that you can apply to senior projects?
- The justice project is similar to the senior project in the way that we must be passionate about it. I learned many valuable lessons and skills throughout this project that I found to relate to my senior project. One specific lesson I learned was that getting responses/ communication is extremely hard. Especially with a subject that is super focused. Even when I reached out to small authors or even peers, it was hard to obtain input. With problems related to justice, it is easy for people to not care. Because of this challenge, I learned how to connect with author agents. This will help me with my senior project when I need to reach out. Another lesson that I found within this project was the use of rhetoric. As an AHS student, I have spent years studying the intricacies of rhetoric. When it comes to selling my product and getting others to sign the petition, I will be able to trigger an emotional, trusting, and concerned response. Empathy encourages humans to participate on matter of injustice. This will be extremely helpful when I need to convince professionals to take my study seriously and invoke a sense of passion in them as well.
- The justice project is similar to the senior project in the way that we must be passionate about it. I learned many valuable lessons and skills throughout this project that I found to relate to my senior project. One specific lesson I learned was that getting responses/ communication is extremely hard. Especially with a subject that is super focused. Even when I reached out to small authors or even peers, it was hard to obtain input. With problems related to justice, it is easy for people to not care. Because of this challenge, I learned how to connect with author agents. This will help me with my senior project when I need to reach out. Another lesson that I found within this project was the use of rhetoric. As an AHS student, I have spent years studying the intricacies of rhetoric. When it comes to selling my product and getting others to sign the petition, I will be able to trigger an emotional, trusting, and concerned response. Empathy encourages humans to participate on matter of injustice. This will be extremely helpful when I need to convince professionals to take my study seriously and invoke a sense of passion in them as well.
- In what ways were you successful in meeting the goals you established in your project proposal? What contributed to your successes?
- In my project proposal, the ultimate goal was to make an impact in the world of reptile injustice. Yes, there were many sublayers to that goal, but this was the main idea. In terms of what contributed to my success, I believe that I had many. Though I experienced many challenges, I was able to do what I set out to do. The successes I found were with the research and written aspects of the project. With the help of teachers, family, and peers, I was able to create a successful project that represented the ideals that I hold.
- In my project proposal, the ultimate goal was to make an impact in the world of reptile injustice. Yes, there were many sublayers to that goal, but this was the main idea. In terms of what contributed to my success, I believe that I had many. Though I experienced many challenges, I was able to do what I set out to do. The successes I found were with the research and written aspects of the project. With the help of teachers, family, and peers, I was able to create a successful project that represented the ideals that I hold.
- In what way were you unsuccessful in meeting the goals you established in your proposal? What contributed to your failures? What did you do to try to overcome the obstacles? What should you have done differently?
- I faced many challenges when creating my final product. Among those challenges, there were two that were the most prevalent. One being the participation of others in the petitioning process. Though, this pushed me to market even more. I designed a social media post for my accounts to spread awareness about my project and the issue at hand. I plan to post this before selling my t-shirts. I was able to turn my original marketing plan and form it into something even better through failure. The other challenge I faced was printing my logo onto the t-shirts. When I originally planned to print the t-shirts, there was a compilation that led me to be set back by a few days and cost me extra. Luckily, I planned ahead with the possibility that something like this would happen. Because I scheduled it ahead of time, I was actually going to print them at the perfect time. This situation furthered my time-management and planning skills. I am satisfied with my project and there isn't much that I would have changed. Though, I would have printed more t-shirts if I had more materials. For future projects I will make sure to purchase extra material just in case.
- I faced many challenges when creating my final product. Among those challenges, there were two that were the most prevalent. One being the participation of others in the petitioning process. Though, this pushed me to market even more. I designed a social media post for my accounts to spread awareness about my project and the issue at hand. I plan to post this before selling my t-shirts. I was able to turn my original marketing plan and form it into something even better through failure. The other challenge I faced was printing my logo onto the t-shirts. When I originally planned to print the t-shirts, there was a compilation that led me to be set back by a few days and cost me extra. Luckily, I planned ahead with the possibility that something like this would happen. Because I scheduled it ahead of time, I was actually going to print them at the perfect time. This situation furthered my time-management and planning skills. I am satisfied with my project and there isn't much that I would have changed. Though, I would have printed more t-shirts if I had more materials. For future projects I will make sure to purchase extra material just in case.