In my opinion, when we are talking about people who are victims of injustice, we are being despised by those who are privileged. We must continue striving against all odds in the face of the danger that is approaching. We must eradicate all forms of labeling, such as being termed irresponsible, leftist, disobedient, scaremongering, gossipers, slanderers, and many others.
The advantaged individual would well wish for the disadvantaged person to be alone, excluded, downtrodden and in turn hated by whoever speaks up on their behalf, and is against those who give them strength. Since this looks normal in the eyes of advantaged persons, they will feel threatened if this person speaks up on behalf of the disadvantaged. This is because it is contrary to what normally happens. The politicians and the advantaged persons on one side, and the disadvantaged person striving so that their life would not worsen and become more complicated. The wish of those who keep social justice at the core of their hearts should be to help the disadvantaged and defeat the mighty (in order to clarify); those who wield the most power in society, the so-called sharks.
At times, it is suffocating to encounter a dishonest person talking about the concept of social conscience. Undoubtedly, this person is acting like this in order to be liked. This attitude usually comes from a socially, economic, political, or religiously advantaged person.
For them, social justice means charity to the beggar. This does not only pertain to the barefoot persons seen in holy pictures, but even those who are dependent on the generosity of others, those who associate social justice with kindness, those who ease their conscience by giving some outdated clothes and donate during a marathon on a local television station. Our social conscience is a question of dependent persons who would want to become independent.
If you choose to work for social justice, first and foremost reach out to those who have little to no say in society and let them honour you by regarding you as a friend. Then you must hear their viewpoints, as they can assist in your quest towards the establishment of social justice.
No one has experienced hardship as much as the poor have, as much as the ostracized have, as much as those who have little to no say in society, the isolated, the oppressed, those who have experienced hardships in life, the emarginated, the minorities, the enslaved, the vulnerable, the outcasts, those who are burdened, those who are neglected, those whose occupation involves precarious work. These people will always be by your side. If you reach out to them, you will find them.
Love, listen and trust them. You will gain their loyalty and trust because they will consider you to be different from those who do not acknowledge them. Give them the same importance as one would give to the most honourable in society. The Almighty did not create any of these social titles. God created everyone with the same dignity. It was mankind, who because of the lust for personal advantage came up with bombastic titles, of Honourable, Reverend, Eminence, and Excellence.
An advantaged person consolidates his position in order to convince those who are in a lower position in society, those who do not have an education, that they are lazy, incapable, a slow learner, and tries to gain an unfair advantage over others. Those who are in a lower position in society believed them and this continued to expand the void that others imposed on them.
Those who have the upper hand in society destroy you psychologically but then they speak in a sentimental way.
They treat us as if we were children. As if they were thinking that no one was going to be aware of what they were doing. They treat us like imbeciles making us believe we are unaware of our needs. This is all being done so that they would think that we depend on them. They use their status to oppress the minority, so that these people would automatically think that the person who is being oppressed is so ignorant that to survive, that person needs their help at all costs.
All of this is not only coming from politicians, but it can come from a teacher, police officer, magistrate, director, superior, doctor and a priest too, all of whom have the right to exercise their authority, however this does not mean that they should be paternalistic.
That would be evidence of a poor and inferior, infantile, artificial, fake, and spiritually mediocre personality. The paternalists do not deserve any respect. These are pitiable and pathetic. Bear in mind what type of people they are, but stand up to them.
Do not let them control you or dictate to you how you should live your life. Resist them and do it in a prudent manner. Do not hesitate to let them know how tedious and insolent they are. In this way you will let them know that you do not permit them to humiliate you. Paternalism is profoundly unjust, discriminatory, prejudicial and an abuse of power.
The shout against injustices must never be silent, nevertheless I would be pompous if I had to say that we will one day eradicate the cause of injustices. However, I would be unreasonable if I see an injustice and remain silent. The work towards successful social justice must be done in unison. None of us should be unjust, as otherwise our work would be hypocritical.
Ivan Bartolo is a PN MP and the party's spokesperson for social accommodation and the fight against poverty.