Justice is more than just the strict legal definition of the word. A just person feels a moral responsibility to his fellow man that may exceed the legal requirements. It is a sense of fairness toward others, an appreciation of all people’s humanity, and the need to treat others with kindness and respect. It is a sense that our belief about what is right and wrong for us, apply to others as well.
Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi are good examples of the virtue of Justice in action. Both reacted to a system they saw as unjust and morally bankrupt. However, their response did not undermine their need to treat others with respect and shared humanity. So they opted for nonviolent disobedience rather than jeopardize their sense of justice by treating others in a way that compromised their values. It cannot have been easy for them at times, but they did it because they believed it was right for everyone on both sides of the issue.
Strengths that accompany this virtue include those that build a healthy and stable community:
• Teamwork
• Fairness
• Leadership
People who identify with justice have an innate moral code that drives their actions and understand the need to treat all people fairly. When channeled well, they can be both good team leaders and team members willing to do what is necessary to achieve the best result for everyone.
