Achieving Justice Through...Injustice?

One of the themes of Boris Pasternak's masterpiece, Doctor Zhivago, is the attempt, and utter failure, of bringing about justice through unjust means. Although the lessons of history and sound reason teach us that the only way to build the just society is through just means, modern-day politians seek to convince us that the only way to acheive fairness is by being unfair to those who are not loud enough in their views to offer any resistance. If this policy is named for what it is and presented to any rational human being, that person will, without hesitation, denounce it as utterly preposterous. However, we live in a society that wishes to impose guilt upon the guiltless and punishment upon the innocent.

Of which policy am I speaking? None other than the one that President Obama's nominee for supreme court justice upheld as a federal judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals. Upon hearing the case of Frank Ricci, Sonia Sotomayor agreed that the city of New Haven, Connecticut does indeed have a right to discriminate against him and seventeen other non-black firefighters. Why does the city have this right? Because upon taking a standard test to determine who is qualified for promotion within the fire station, no black firefighters passed the test. Since no black men passed the test, it must have been racist and, therefore, unjust.

Rather than pounce upon this story as yet another example of the injustice of our society, the New York Times merely offers it in passing as one of the objections of Republicans. Why do Democrats not object to it? Why doesn't all of America object to it? We must learn that racial equality, if that is our stated goal, can only be aquieved through racial equality. Can it be obtained in any other way?

If our country is to live up to its ideals of freedom and justice for all, if it is to follow Martin Luther King's dream, and if it is to continue to be a light on a hill and a beacon of democracy to all nations; then it must stop rewarding people based on color, but on talent; it must stop giving a helping hand up to one group, by allowing them to step upon the backs of another. Only justice will bring about a just society. May we always remember to promote those who promote equality, not of race, but of ability.