Injustice and moral sickness
By Fr. Dan McKean

No sooner then the new cement sidewalk was poured when some kids came and wrote in it. They didn’t just write their initials, they wrote their whole name! It made them easy to find, but what kind of a person would so boldly – or stupidly – want a record of their crime? Are they stupid as grass? Or, are like some other criminals who are proud of what they did? Some brag to their friends from whom they find approval. Some are so morally bankrupt that they think what they are doing is right, or even commendable. Unfortunately there is a market out there for those who have the same sick mind.

Adolph Hitler insisted that every detail of World War II and the entire Nazi operation was documented. Holocaust museums are filled with pictures, films and written record of one of the most heinous human atrocities in modern times. Hitler wasn’t trying to hide what he had done. He was not only proud of what he was doing but assumed that history would share his pride. As a matter of fact, there were a fair amount of people who did approve. To be seen killing or mistreating a Jew, Catholic, or non-Arian, made you a hero. Not only did you earn favor with your superiors, but you fed the German national appetite to see their ‘superior’ race punish the "animals." Instead of a superior race, Hitler documented their moral bankruptcy.

In a museum in Georgia, there is presently an exhibit entitled “Without Sanctuary.” Through pictures and words it describes the history of lynching in America. From 1870 to 1960, there is documentation of hundreds of pictures, or as they were called at the time "souvenirs." The lynched were primarily African Americans, Negro sympathizers and at one point in history even Catholics. These ‘souvenirs’ would be made into postcards and distributed not only to those who were present, but also to those who shared their prejudices. These weren’t just sick lynching gangs, this was a good portion of the nation that lacked the moral ability to see its own sickness.

Now, the world’s attention is focused on atrocities that took place not only in Abu Graib Prison in Iraq, but now we are discovering in many other American-run prisons. We are promised that the true extents of these atrocities are still to grow wider, deeper and more disgusting. And how do we know about these atrocities and unspeakable crimes? There are pictures and videos – all compliments of the perpetrators. Incomprehensible! They sent copies home to their families in letters, videotapes and even over the Internet. They were either complete idiots, or they thought what they were doing was something that they should be proud of, and even worse, thought that others would feel the same way.

Before you get your campaign buttons all in a dither, my goal is not to enter into the political, partisan world. That would be too easy. This is about very foundational and non negotiable issues of dignity, justice and standards of simple human behavior. It is about a nation that is so set on protecting its own holier than thou morality crusade that it seems to ignore the simple demands of justice.

Yes, no doubts about it, the vast majority of our soldiers are fighting the good fight. As a matter of fact it reminds me of the priest abuse scandal – a relatively small number of rotten apples, who make us all look bad. And yes, everybody’s sorry and a good number of us are outraged. Still, there are far too may who are trying to excuse this away and some vocal enough to suggest that these prisoners had it coming to them.

It is even becoming clearer that this was not a few incidents caused by a few wacky soldiers. Were some under orders? How long has this been going on? How many of us actually care? And why is does it seem so difficult for some to say that they are sorry and actually mean it?

The old bumper sticker used to read: "If you want peace work for justice." Perhaps now it should read: “If you want morality, then work for justice.” Until there is a lot more justice and dignity for persons in this world, I don’t think I want to hear from the self-appointed morality police of our day. Until we learn how to treat our neighbors and enemies with justice, our morality lectures are going to fall on deaf ears.