Legal vs moral
One might say that in addition to my addiction to books, I have, in recent years, expanded my addiction to podcasts and Ted Talks which arrive via the internet on my phone, watch or computer. Of course, as a proud father my favorite podcast is now giantpanda which is hosted by my son, Jamie Pickett. Although his guests are restricted to published authors he follows in the footsteps of talented interviewers such as Terry Gross, host of Fresh Air. On February 4th Ms. Gross’ guests included Bridgett M Davis, author of The World According to Fannie Davis, My Mother’s Life in the Detroit Numbers. Prior to legalized lotteries in the United States there was a lot of unofficial or illegal gambling. One form of gambling was the numbers which was very similar to what has become the legal lotteries. When Bridgett’s mother, Fannie, became a single parent to 5 children she needed to physically take care of her children and earn a living. She started her own neighborhood numbers business and was able to purchase a house and provide well for her children. As Bridgett Davis states in her interview with Ms. Gross the primary risks associated with this business were:
As Ms. Davis also points out there were not , at that time, many good paying jobs in Detroit for an African American women. She chose a profession which, although illegal was, in fact, moral. People enjoyed playing the game, sometimes winning, visiting with each other on the phone or in person, and it was a job which not only provided for her children but allowed her to work from home and take care of the children.
The terms legal and moral are frequently used as if they have the same meeting. Yet, many will agree that it was moral for the civil rights workers in this country, the early underground railroad participants, those who’s helped to protect those being systematically rounded up and killed in Nazi Germany and those oppressed by despotic groups or rulers in any country to violate the law.
In the examples I have just listed the line between moral and legal is very clear. . I love the example of Fannie Davis. Other examples might not be that clear. Some actions might be both illegal and immoral. Others might be immoral but clearly legal. In Richard Wright’s novel Native Son, the actions of Bigger Thomas in attempting to stand up for himself is very moral. The fact that he accidentally killed a young girl and then disposed of the body may have been the most moral decision he could have made at that time in history. Clearly disposing of a body = even one whose death was accidental –was illegal . Yet, standing up for himself in a racist society which was unlikely to believe or forgive an African American man for a tragic accident was the most moral action available to him.
It is easy to judge another person if one has not walked in his or her shoes. I am often reminded of the concept of iatrogenic which refers to the illness or conditions caused by a treatment. Adverse side effects of medications are the most common example. The term is also appropriate as an explanation for the behavior caused by mistreatment or systematic oppression of an individual or a group of people. While one has to be careful so as to not help to engender a victim mentality one cannot discount the factors helping to shape a person or group of people. Bigger Thomas was determined to not be a silent victim of a racism system. Rosa Park, Martin Luther King. Jr., Frederick Douglas and a host of others managed to find a way to be voices for justice in spite of oppression sanctioned by the larger society. Fannie Davis, a numbers runner, found a way to support her family despite a system designed to keep her and her children de facto slaves.
These are the seemingly opposing messages many of us must give our children:
Poverty affects all aspects of one’s heath and make it nearly impossible to succeed.
Poverty plus racism creates more gigantic hurdles.
Poverty plus racism plus sexism creates mountains covered in ice.
Poverty plus racism plus sexism plus homophobia covers the mountain in -50 degrees F temperatures.
We can find creative ways to affirm and help each other not be a victim of oppression.
We can make our voices heard and we can make them count.
We can refuse to hate ourselves or others.
We can overcome.
Jimmy F Pickett
February 12, 2019
Coachpickett.org
One might say that in addition to my addiction to books, I have, in recent years, expanded my addiction to podcasts and Ted Talks which arrive via the internet on my phone, watch or computer. Of course, as a proud father my favorite podcast is now giantpanda which is hosted by my son, Jamie Pickett. Although his guests are restricted to published authors he follows in the footsteps of talented interviewers such as Terry Gross, host of Fresh Air. On February 4th Ms. Gross’ guests included Bridgett M Davis, author of The World According to Fannie Davis, My Mother’s Life in the Detroit Numbers. Prior to legalized lotteries in the United States there was a lot of unofficial or illegal gambling. One form of gambling was the numbers which was very similar to what has become the legal lotteries. When Bridgett’s mother, Fannie, became a single parent to 5 children she needed to physically take care of her children and earn a living. She started her own neighborhood numbers business and was able to purchase a house and provide well for her children. As Bridgett Davis states in her interview with Ms. Gross the primary risks associated with this business were:
- Being arrested since it was illegal to be numbers runner.
- Having to pay out more money than one could afford.
As Ms. Davis also points out there were not , at that time, many good paying jobs in Detroit for an African American women. She chose a profession which, although illegal was, in fact, moral. People enjoyed playing the game, sometimes winning, visiting with each other on the phone or in person, and it was a job which not only provided for her children but allowed her to work from home and take care of the children.
The terms legal and moral are frequently used as if they have the same meeting. Yet, many will agree that it was moral for the civil rights workers in this country, the early underground railroad participants, those who’s helped to protect those being systematically rounded up and killed in Nazi Germany and those oppressed by despotic groups or rulers in any country to violate the law.
In the examples I have just listed the line between moral and legal is very clear. . I love the example of Fannie Davis. Other examples might not be that clear. Some actions might be both illegal and immoral. Others might be immoral but clearly legal. In Richard Wright’s novel Native Son, the actions of Bigger Thomas in attempting to stand up for himself is very moral. The fact that he accidentally killed a young girl and then disposed of the body may have been the most moral decision he could have made at that time in history. Clearly disposing of a body = even one whose death was accidental –was illegal . Yet, standing up for himself in a racist society which was unlikely to believe or forgive an African American man for a tragic accident was the most moral action available to him.
It is easy to judge another person if one has not walked in his or her shoes. I am often reminded of the concept of iatrogenic which refers to the illness or conditions caused by a treatment. Adverse side effects of medications are the most common example. The term is also appropriate as an explanation for the behavior caused by mistreatment or systematic oppression of an individual or a group of people. While one has to be careful so as to not help to engender a victim mentality one cannot discount the factors helping to shape a person or group of people. Bigger Thomas was determined to not be a silent victim of a racism system. Rosa Park, Martin Luther King. Jr., Frederick Douglas and a host of others managed to find a way to be voices for justice in spite of oppression sanctioned by the larger society. Fannie Davis, a numbers runner, found a way to support her family despite a system designed to keep her and her children de facto slaves.
These are the seemingly opposing messages many of us must give our children:
Poverty affects all aspects of one’s heath and make it nearly impossible to succeed.
Poverty plus racism creates more gigantic hurdles.
Poverty plus racism plus sexism creates mountains covered in ice.
Poverty plus racism plus sexism plus homophobia covers the mountain in -50 degrees F temperatures.
We can find creative ways to affirm and help each other not be a victim of oppression.
We can make our voices heard and we can make them count.
We can refuse to hate ourselves or others.
We can overcome.
Jimmy F Pickett
February 12, 2019
Coachpickett.org
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