“Injustice Within Our Justice System” by Dr. Lavarn Watson is a haunting story of the doctor’s experience as a law enforcement officer. Throughout the story, it focuses mainly on the downs of this young man’s life. Starting with him growing up in the segregated south town of Albany, Georgia and in the Army, where white supremacy has always had the upper hand. Later on in life Watson joined the Albany Police Department in hopes of making a difference in his community, survive a struggling marriage and the loss of a few family members. Little did he know that fatal decision would leave a permanent scar on his soul for the rest of his life.
Early in the book it was clear that Watson had experienced unfair treatment through his process of growing up and becoming who he wanted to be. You witness his troubled family life, becoming a self-discovering adult who was unable to find his calling when it came to his career, and standing up for what is right. Most blacks had a difficult time in the south during the 1970’s where very few of them were successful according to economic research of the past. Watson, who believed in the power of education, received his GED and went on to college. Although he was forced to transfer due to racism, he eventually was able to complete his studies and go on to be a successful member of his community.
Convinced by a relative, Lavarn was mindset on joining the Albany Police Department; he already possessed all the educational requirements needed thus he figured it would be easy to get his foot in the door. Then the drama of prejudice reared its ugly head when an educated black man walked in looking for a decent way to make a living.
Hearing about rumors of racial injustice involving the police force and getting the run around from the Chief of Police, Watson took his issue to the Mayor of Albany. Following the rules on the job and dedicating himself to making a difference for blacks in the workplace and witnessing the suffering and betrayal that occurred because of the color of his skin, he took upon himself and along with other officers to start a committee to educate other African-Americans who wanted to stand up for themselves. That type of heroism was a threat to the City of Albany, and he also he suffered as he watched his ex-girlfriend try to frame him through certain connections in the workforce, which led later led to being charge of a horrible crime that he knew he was not guilty of.
Watson’s “Injustice Within Our Justice System” is a powerful story that needed to be told about one man’s struggle for equality and justice when it came to the value of his life. We see him overcome his journey of race relations, tragedy, death, and find his self-discovery. Also, this moving story will be able to wake up young and naive readers about the reality and dangers of race relations in this country. This book reflects on the history of the harsh reality African-Americans face in this country. Many African-Americans wake everyday and fear for their lives, knowing that their soul has no real value in the eyes of the law. Even today with the situations where race relations have occurred in the media, we still feel the same feeling Lavarn Watson felt in the 1970’s. Family and citizens all over the United States mourn slain teenagers Trayvon Martin and Mike Brown who both lost their lives due to senseless acts of racism. Dr. Watson teaches you that for change to occur it is up to the black community to practice the act of unification when it comes to surviving in the United States.
To buy “Injustice Within Our Justice System” download the Kindle Edition on Amazon.com.
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