The Danger of Dismissing Justice: What Online Debates Reveal About America’s Divide
A short social media exchange can often reveal far more about the state of our democracy than a thousand speeches. Consider this one:
Person 2: “Let Kilmar Abrego Garcia have his day in court, like everyone is entitled to.”
Person 1: “Everyone entitled to? Even Trump?”
Person 2: “He had his day in court. Convicted on 34 counts if I recall.”
Person 1: “’Convicted’ by the swamp dwellers, who have been stealing from the American taxpayer for decades. ‘Convicted’ by the very criminals that are scared to death he will expose them. But ok *shrug* nevermind, lol……”
At first glance, it’s just another online spat. But beneath the emojis and dismissive tone lies something deeply dangerous: the rejection of the rule of law itself.
The Entitlement to Justice
The starting point here is basic civics: in America, everyone accused of a crime is entitled to their day in court. That’s not a partisan idea; it’s the foundation of due process. Person 2 correctly points out that Donald Trump, like anyone else, had his chance to present evidence, make arguments, and appeal. He was not tried in secret or denied access to lawyers. The process happened in the open, with all the legal protections afforded to every citizen.
The Shift to Conspiracy
But Person 1 doesn’t accept the outcome. Instead, they dismiss the court itself as illegitimate, calling the judges and jurors “swamp dwellers” and “criminals.” This is the core of the problem: once people believe that every institution is corrupt, no verdict will ever be trusted unless it aligns with their personal beliefs. That’s not skepticism; it’s a complete rejection of democracy.
Why This Is So Dangerous
- Rule of Law Undermined: If people decide verdicts don’t matter, trials lose all authority. Justice becomes a matter of opinion, not fact.
- Conspiratorial Thinking: Labeling courts, prosecutors, and juries as “criminals” shifts debate from evidence to conspiracy. Once you enter that space, no amount of proof matters.
- The Authoritarian Temptation: If courts are dismissed as corrupt, the logical next step is turning to “a strong leader” to deliver “real justice.” That’s exactly how democracies collapse.
A Country on the Edge
What this little back-and-forth shows is how everyday Americans are being taught to distrust the very system that protects them. If Trump’s conviction is dismissed as “fake,” then why should any citizen respect any conviction, verdict, or ruling? That path doesn’t lead to freedom; it leads to chaos and authoritarianism.
The Takeaway
The fight over Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s right to a fair trial is the same fight over Trump’s conviction: whether Americans still believe in due process, or whether they will discard it whenever it produces an inconvenient result.
The danger isn’t just that people disagree about politics. The danger is that people are being conditioned to believe courts, laws, and even facts themselves are illegitimate. And once that belief spreads far enough, justice isn’t possible—for anyone.
