Western Perspectives

Monday Mrs. Krog spoke to our class about Restorative justice and Truth Commissions. What many of us may have been thinking, and Tommy articulated, was the question of whether this type of justice could be effective in a society like the one in which we all thrive. Could we have, as Americans in the truest sense of the word, seen ourselves allowing our country to rehabilitate Osama bin Ladin ? I thought back to post September 11, when Wal-Mart had "Made in America" sections, and any little statement had to be carefully articulated as to not be interpreted as anti-American. The policeman I knew spoke of revenge and violence daily, the soldiers spoke of murder. Never, and still not to this day, have I come across someone who was willing to work with the perpertrators in an attempt to rehabilitate them. When addressed with the question as to why these concepts could not function in a Western culture, Mrs Krog focused in on the African philosophy of interconnectedness and humanity. Initially I thought, in the aftermath of September 11, we could not have been a more united front, so we could adapt this idea again. But then I remembered that with that interconnectedness, there also came the alienation of those who "looked" or "acted" like terrorists. There was the mistreatment of those who grew up in the "melting pot" just like the ideal American. There was the problem. Not only did the American sense of interconnectedness lack real interaction, but it lacked the essential  sense of humanity. In the wake of death and turmoil, we as a country, mustered up enough spirit to simultaneously mourn a inhumane act and dehumanized many of our fellow countrymen. My questions to you all are: Is it possible for America to have a sense of interconnectedness and humanity?What would it take to get to that point? Another tragedy?  A revolution? If we were to reach this point, would we allow restorative justice or are we too set in the ways we have?