Now, I know that it has been multiple days (try weeks) since I last wrote, but this is for Day 2 of the Challenge. I will follow the chronological posting guide, but with school/work/any remaining semblance of a social life, I can't promise to post every day.
When considering this post, the first thought that came to mind was justice. Most people would think about family, friendship, morality, etc. All of those things are incredibly important to me as well but what makes me stand out from the crowd is my passion for justice. There is nothing like the sense of accomplishment and pride when the justice system works as it should...and nothing makes my blood boil faster than when it is taken advantage of, abused, or totally destroyed.
Ever since I was a little girl, I have loved watching crime shows and reading true crime novels. From a very young age and through the never-ending court battles of my parents (among other personal situations), I have seen the justice system fail so many times. I was a child lost in a sea of red tape, well-crafted lies and everybody trying to find the easiest way out...not the best way, not in the best interest of the child but whatever would be most time and cost effective.
I watched my mother do everything right in never-ending piles of paperwork and litigation battles. I watched lawyers, judges and mediators decide what was best for my family without discussing it with us...and all of that was just the tip of the iceberg as far as my experiences with justice went. There were cops who bent and broke the rules, there were trusted confidants who broke my trust in ways my innocent mind couldn't comprehend, and there were bad people who got away with bad things.
From the time I was about 12, I knew I wanted to do something with my life that involved the world of law enforcement. In these last eleven years, I have gone from wanting to be a prosecuting attorney to an FBI agent to a homicide detective. Currently, my goal is to serve in the juvenile department of a local police department before graduating into the U.S. Marshals. Why? Because I believe I can make a difference to all of that lack of justice I grew up with and around. I believe that one person can make a difference, even in a world where so many things go wrong. I believe that through my experiences, through my learning at a university so blessed by God, and through my passion, I can be a law enforcement officer that brings light back into a darkened area of our nation's history in dealing with violations of law.
Now, I am not saying that there are no good cops, lawyers, judges, etc. in the world. I would never say that. For the most part, I believe that the law enforcement community is one of good people who sacrifice their time and at least a part of their lives to protect their communities. However, it is the few who stigmatize the many and that is a problem that needs to be dealt with when children don't feel comfortable asking a cop for help, or when people assume to take the law into their hands because they don't believe they can trust those assigned or appointed to help them.
Over the years, there have been several major cases that continue to inspire me to be a cop...so that if I were ever to encounter a situation like that, I could do something different. I could do something better. I could do something right. Among these cases are those of Nicole Brown Simpson and O.J. Simpson, the case of Travis Alexander and Jodi Arias, the ancient case of Lizzie Borden, the case of Laci and Scott Peterson, the few serial killers that have ever plagued this earth, and finally the case of Jon Benet Ramsey. Side Bar: If ever any of you would like to discuss this or other true crime stories, I would truly enjoy that.
I guess I will leave you with a quote, because as it says in the movie American History X, if you can't say it better than someone else, don't try to. Malcolm X once said, "I'm for truth, no matter who tells it. I'm for justice, no matter who it's for or against." Speak and seek truth in all that you do. Justice will follow.
