“I affirm the necessity of social justice.”
Social justice is the natural corollary of the sanctity of human life. We are designed to live in community, to thrive together, to bear each other’s burdens, to not only pursue happiness but to find it in love. No man is an island. Civilization is the realization of the uniquely human capacity to work together for the common good. Justice IS social responsibility. The right to life finds fulfillment when the basic needs to sustain life are met, and opportunities for human flourishing abound. The preamble to our Platform states, “We have an obligation to care for our neighbor, and especially to defend those who are most vulnerable. We believe that ensuring every person has access to essentials such as food, shelter, education, and healthcare is an achievable goal in our society.” Solidarity speaks to our mutual responsibility for the good of each other, with a preferential concern for the poor, the vulnerable, and marginalized groups.
The advantages of privilege far outweigh effort in determining inequalities of opportunity and wealth, especially in today’s highly competitive and connected global economy. Health, wealth, intelligence, and influence are gifts largely beyond an individual’s control, making meritocracy a misnomer. Privilege is not a source of shame, but it is a call to responsibility for assisting those who are less fortunate. Participation and community are essential to justice. Citizens must have an influential voice in community decisions. Workers deserve fair compensation for their labor and a role in decision-making for the enterprises that they animate. Parents, who invest so much of themselves into the future flourishing of society, deserve support from that same community, and a primary voice in the education of their children. Private property rights are necessary for a well-ordered society but must be tempered by the responsibility to pay fair taxes and observe reasonable regulations for the needs of the community. Patient-centered essential healthcare should be available to all without regard to wealth or preexisting conditions.
Historical injustices continue to have lasting impacts on certain populations and call out for thoughtful reparative measures. Slavery is rightfully called America’s original sin, and racial discrimination has continued in many forms long after the Emancipation Proclamation. While dominant “white” European immigrants used coercion and deception to claim the country from its native peoples in past centuries, certain immigrant groups continue to experience blatant discrimination and unjust deportation to this day. Standing in solidarity with the entire human family, we cannot tolerate any policies that treat certain “tribes” as superior to others or more worthy of human rights protections, but we do support efforts to correct past wrongs. We invite you to read our Platform to learn more about specific policies that we support and oppose as part of our commitment to the necessity of social justice.https://solidarity-party.org/platform/
