Justice In The Eyes Of Whom

These days many are asking who we can trust. Justice is perceived by each individual through a different lens. Remember how it used to be if you happened to find yourself in danger? You'd immediately move into a shop, doorway or away from the problem area and just yell out “Police!” if necessary. I know of many people who would hesitate, in both Turkey and the United States, to holler the English or Turkish word for “police” (“polis” in Turkish, pronounced the same as in English).
Every day we hear of political events around the world where injustice occurs. It is believed by many Westerners that if a true form of democracy was practiced in other parts of the world, these problems would not be so bad. Today, the question is being raised about democracy and justice in the US, as individuals are angry about the lack of an indictment in the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.
Protesters across the United States have taken to the streets of major cities. Furious about the decision, violence has broken out: Some businesses have been set on fire, windows shattered, people injured and arrests made. The difference in what is happening in the United States and elsewhere in certain parts of the world is that Americans can exercise their right of free speech. They can protest and stand up for what they believe, as long as it is not violent. Orderly protests are legal and allowed in the United States.
In my piece “Stand up for what you believe” (March 10, 2010) I talk about one of my favorite BBC television series -- “Judge John Deed” with Martin Shaw, who plays the role of the judge. If only real life were like this!
Fair justice is hard to come by. Unlike some countries, in the United States you are innocent until proven guilty. Any fan of Deed will tell you it's his sharp intellect, charm, keen wit and, most importantly, his passionate belief in fair justice. In one program of the series Deed dares to stand up for what he believes to be right even though it goes against public opinion in the case of a producer of a TV game show after a contestant has died. Before Judge Deed gives the sentence, he says to the court: “Celebrity. The pursuit of the talentless, by the mindless. It's become a disease of the 21st century. It pollutes our society, and it diminishes all who seek it, and all who worship it. And you must bear some of the responsibility for foisting this empty nonsense onto a gullible public…”
These are words that are not spoken easily in real life scenarios. Individuals are afraid they may lose their position or upset the wrong influential people.
For a while now, Turkish newspapers have been focusing on debates about the judiciary and it exercising its muscles, so to speak. Many are disillusioned with the current situation, which discourages free speech and the right to protest. Discussions have been held on talk shows debating the judicial system and the reforms needed. Arguments among politicians continue about corruption and injustice.
I've always been of the opinion that it is best if you can settle your problems out of court. However, this is not always possible. Let me chase a rabbit here briefly and just ask you if you are an expat who speaks Turkish and has had the occasion to go to court. If it was to the red-collar judge, the first judge, who serves at a penal court, you would have heard words such as: courts (mahkemeler), high criminal courts (ağır ceza), courts of first instance (asliye ceza) and criminal courts of peace (sulh ceza). The green-collar judges serve at civil courts (sulh or asliye hukuk mahkemeleri) and the brown-collar judges serve in administrative courts (idari mahkemeler). Then you have the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (Hâkimler ve Savcılar Yüksek Kurulu). You will have noticed that the origin of many of the words of the judicial system come from Ottoman Turkish. It's a whole new vocabulary!
Coming back to current events in America, what has happened in Ferguson raises all kinds of issues such as gun rights, the “shoot to kill” practice and the exercise of law and order and justice. The question is being asked: Justice -- in the eyes of whom?
Sadly, no nation is perfect. But every citizen can make a difference, if they have the right to practice freedom of speech. Learning from the Ferguson case, I would like to believe that “wrongs” will be reviewed and made right in time.

CHARLOTTE MCPHERSON (Cihan/Today's Zaman)