After the encouraging response to
my last framing example, I was inspired to write another. Once again, in an effort to create broader resonance through repetition, I base my work on a Lakoff frame. Today's example is public protection law and the value of justice.
In this letter to the president, anyone can see how important it is to maintain our system of legal protections currently under attack by Bush and company.
George,
Why don't you trust ordinary Americans?
Ordinary Americans, after all, are the ones who sit on juries. Ordinary Americans make the decisions when an injured person comes to court to get the justice due under the rule of law.
Why do you want to limit the protection available in a court of law? Why do you want to limit the power of a jury of ordinary Americans? Don't you trust their judgment?
Under the American Constitution, an ordinary American has one means of directly achieving justice: the courtroom. When one person is injured by another, or by a corporation, the law (written by democratically elected legislators) provides for justice. Thus is the rule of law realized. We fight and die to establish and defend this principle.
Justice results from the diligent efforts of the people's advocates, judges, and juries. You belittle the efforts of public protection lawyers and mock the suffering of those they defend when you call their pleas for justice "junk."
When you declare jury awards unjust, you declare the juries themselves unjust. You scorn the judgment of ordinary Americans.
How dare you undermine our democratic justice system! How dare you force ordinary Americans to accept some "limited" form of justice! You should be ashamed, George.
Trust ordinary Americans, and justice will be done.
Limit their ability to serve justice, and ordinary Americans are the ones who will suffer.