What Does 12 Angry Men Have to Teach Us About January 6th and George Floyd?
February 10, 2022 | Nicole Chavers Stratton
How do you feel about justice? Or maybe the better question is, how do you feel about injustice? Looking at the headlines of today, maybe we are more likely to hear about that: injustice. The discussion mostly centers around the perceived failures of a justice system no one seems to understand anymore. But as we rehearse our upcoming production of 12 Angry Men, I am reminded of one of the great blessings of American citizenship: our justice system. Is a man condemned to die in some secret corner of a powerful man’s office? If you were accused of a crime, would your fate be sealed by the rule of the mob? Popular vote? One of the most precious rights we have as Americans is one that our modern media would almost certainly like to forget: a man is innocent until proven guilty.
I don’t mean to disparage the principles of a free press. It is in fact necessary to a free society, but to look at the way judgment is passed by the media against the accused before they ever even make it to court leaves a sour taste in my mouth. But as I look at 12 Angry Men, I am encouraged. In this production we see our justice system in action and particularly the merits of trial by jury, or as Thomas Jefferson once stated, ”Equal and exact justice to all men…freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom of the person under the protection of the habeas corpus; and trial by juries impartially selected—these principles form the bright constellation that has gone before us.” A bright constellation! But in the end, what good are the constellations if we never look up at the night sky? If we want them to mean something to us, to our children, and to our country, we have to talk about these things, appreciate them, and speak out when we see them being misused or misrepresented.
What does it mean that “the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed”? Why is this so foundational to our justice system? I want us to all think back to the very recent past with the Kyle Rittenhouse trial. The young man was declared guilty by the media and a large portion of society. But 12 jurors looked at the actual facts and declared his innocence. They were normal, everyday people, with faults and failures, strengths and ambitions of their own. And as people who lived and worked in the area, they had a vested interest in looking at the facts honestly, in hopes of making certain justice was truly served. It’s a great responsibility. But the weight of the responsibility on that impartial jury is nothing when compared to the moral culpability of our society if we were to allow the rule of the mob to determine the course of justice in our country. Give me twelve honest individuals who are willing to look at the facts and act accordingly. I will trust their word above the mob, the media, and any political figure who would distort the truth for their own ends.
Of course these twelve individuals are imperfect. Indeed, the system itself can never achieve perfection. The fact of the matter is that no fallen individual can be trusted to perfectly mete out justice, but on that jury of 12, all it takes is 1 individual standing up and questioning the majority. In 12 Angry Men, Juror 8 is the only one who votes Not Guilty in the beginning. He has a reasonable doubt in his mind and his intention is to discuss and explore all the possibilities. Why? Because “No jury can declare a man guilty unless it’s sure.” One man questioning the prejudice, the perspective, and that was all it took to prevent a potential miscarriage of justice. This is a rich privilege that we cannot forget, or minimize.
One of the rights protected by the constitution is the right to a fair and speedy trial. It would seem like a simple thing. If someone has done wrong, they can be arrested, tried, and sentenced, correct? But in our current political climate, a person who has been arrested for disturbing the peace and trespassing can be held for over a year without having a trial. They can be labeled an insurrectionist. Is this blind justice? Or is it a political tactic? How can the citizen enjoy the benefits of trial by jury if they are never brought to trial? John Adams called trial by jury, “the heart and lungs of liberty.” That, along with representative government was our, “fortification against being ridden like horses, fleeced like sheep, worked like cattle, and fed and clothed like swine and hounds.” His views on the matter were strong, but I wonder how much stronger they would be if he could have known about the issues and challenges American citizens are facing today. None of our founding fathers could imagine what the future held, but they didn’t need their imaginations when they had an understanding of human nature. They knew the weaknesses and propensities of man, and they wrote of them often. And so, the government they set up nearly 250 years ago reflected that knowledge. They were wise. They knew one man alone may not always see clearly. So the power was never put on the shoulders of one man. In every area of government there were checks and balances set up, and the justice system is no exception.
Chief Justice John Jay once said, “Justice is indiscriminately due to all, without regard to numbers, wealth, or rank.” It’s quite a statement for our justice system to live up to. The kind of justice that stands up to the powerful and the wealthy, or those with particular social status is bold. But more importantly, it is blind, and in our day and age, deaf as well. There are so many voices now, making demands, casting judgment, and oftentimes twisting the truth to match their own political narratives. The George Floyd case in many ways has transformed the way a large segment of our country views the justice system. The division that has come from the entire affair is extreme, but for a very long time, it seemed that no one expected justice to be served at all. The narrative seemed to paint the police force as something wholly corrupt and completely above the law. And it made everyone very angry. But the trial was held, and the officer responsible for the death of George Floyd was found guilty. But has the fervor lessened? Now that the case is closed, and justice has presumably been served, have the wounds begun to heal? Injustice in any situation should be confronted, but the confrontation should come from a desire to make things right.
That is the difference really between justice and revenge. Revenge would hurt, as it has been hurt. And destroy as it has been destroyed. But justice sees the wrong, and does what it can to punish it fairly. It is limited. It is blind. Justice does not expect to heal any wounds. It knows healing is not the purpose of justice. It knows healing can only come from Love, and it does not try to usurp those responsibilities from their proper place. When we forget the purpose of justice, we place an impossible burden upon our justice system. It cannot fix what is wrong, it can only punish it. It is up to us, God’s people, to love others, help them, and point them to the Savior that can heal them of their wounds. No law or judgment can mend what is broken. It cannot go back in time and undo the damage of sin. Even the law that God gave His chosen people was not intended to bring about their salvation or their healing, rather it was meant to be a schoolmaster, pointing them to Christ, the true source of forgiveness and healing (Galatians 3:24-26).
12 Angry Men is a masterful piece of theatre. Brilliantly written and wonderfully performed, it is a truly gripping drama. But as we present it here at The Logos Theatre, we want to inspire more from our audience than just an appreciation for fine theatre. We want people to be reminded of the blessing that it is to be an American citizen. We want our audience to have a renewed vision of what justice should be. But most of all, we want to embolden every individual who enters through our doors to fight for the truth. Whether it is one against twelve, one against a million, there is nothing so precious—so worth fighting for—as the truth. So come see 12 Angry Men at The Logos Theatre. Tickets are available on our website now. The seating is limited, and this is a production that is well worth seeing, so get them before they are gone!
