I can’t believe I’m saying this in 2020 but…JUSTICE IS NORMAL AND SHOULD BE NORMALIZED.

What I mean when I say that is, getting justice should be very well normalized. Let’s take a moment and think of a case or cases you’ve heard in the news. It could be recent or a case from the past. Let it be a case where justice wasn’t served, but you know very well that it should’ve been. I can think of quite a few and I know for a fact a lot of us are probably thinking about the same type of cases. When you heard the tragic news of justice not being served, did you think “of course, another one slips through.” Did you also maybe expect the lowest sentence possible if ANYTHING was to be given at all? This is because injustice is more normalized than justice getting served.

In fact, let’s be real because we don’t sugar coat here on TBPD, most cases that involve a black person being wrongfully accused, discriminated against, brutalized, etc., won’t receive the proper justice. These types of cases usually just have us hoping and praying for SOME type of sentence. Why? Because it’s normal for there not to be. Now, I’m not just saying this is only related to cases involving black people, but they’re the ones you see the most plus the ones you especially see the most talked about in this current time.

“So what do you mean, Deandra, when you say finding the balance between justice and normality?“

I’m talking about feeds.

Instagram feeds, Twitter, Facebook, all of them. I’ve discussed the cycle before. The feeds are screaming “black lives matter!”…until they’re not. There are two main problems with this in my opinion: thinking that not discussing lives being wrongfully taken or not sharing any information whatsoever is “normal” and people feeling like having these things on their feeds are an all-or-nothing scenario.

1. “Normal” Feeds

Everyone says that when the internet gets to the point of BLM posts, protest photos, and information on donating no longer being shared it means feeds are back to normal. I have said it myself, but I think that should be changed. I think the statement should say something more like “feeds have gone back to being silent” or something along the lines. Saying they have gone back to normal is basically solidifying the statement I made earlier about injustice being normal. IT’S NOT NORMAL. At least it shouldn’t be. Feeds aren’t normal now, the people who are used to being silent have just gone back to being silent. It’s like when a deep conversation is going on between a group of people and you have one or two people who are either shy or don’t care about the topic. Everyone’s talking except them, so they feel like they need to say like a few “mhm’s” and “that’s rights” just to make sure they’re not looking some kind of way. Then they just go back to being silent. I consider that being the same situation, except, you don’t have to say anything with your mouth…just share information here and there. Just don’t be fake about it and let it come from a genuine place.

2. All-or-Nothing Scenario

The all-or-nothing scenario when it comes to posting about social injustice on social media basically means people feel they need to either post about it 24/7 or just not at all. This is not the way to go about it. It’s possible to find a balance. Now, if you’re talking about your beliefs and the black lives matter movement, yea no. That’s not an all-or-nothing scenario. Either you’re with the movement and believe black lives should be cared for just as any other life, or you don’t. That’s a whole different topic at hand. Anywho, it’s important to find a balance because sometimes it can be a lot just constantly posting and either having to feel like it’s your job to inform or reliving trauma.

How To Find The Balance

Finding the balance is pretty simple. All you have to do is share information here and there. It doesn’t have to be your own posts. You naturally share things from other people’s Instagram stories to your own because you like it right? Same concept. But, as I said before, it has to be genuine. Share it because you agree, not because you think you should. If you don’t see anything being shared at all at on your feed, then create your own content or look up some to share and spread to others on your feed. I’d also consider who I’m following if there hasn’t been a single post regarding justice seen on any of my timelines. I know social media are on some weird algorithms, but still.

In conclusion, it’s not as hard as you think it is to find a balance, and the term “normal” when regarding feeds not discussing injustices after a certain period of time should no longer be a thing.

What are your thoughts on this topic? I’d love to hear them in the comments!