How are we to love the unlovable of society? It’s one thing to love a common criminal for example a thief or a brawler, but what about the worst of the worst? What about the ones, often judged to be worthy of death by many, such as the rapist, the “school shooters” or paedophile?
What kind of person could ever love a one of these? I have had this reflection and came to the conclusion that the only person who could love one guilty of such crimes is a father or mother. The reasoning is as follows: although there is no agreement with the crime committed, the heart of a parent would be torn to pieces to see a son or daughter fall to such depths of depravity. I can only imagine the pain that a loving parent would feel about the child they nurtured for so many years. The only thing that could remain in such tragedy (if anything) would be that which is unmovable, the real.
Which brings me to the following question: What does love look like in this circumstance? If I don’t agree with a person’s actions, words or thoughts can I still love them? Obviously the answer is yes or we couldn’t love anyone, I know nobody that I agree with 100%. Of course the victims are the first ones we care for, but I wish to specifically address the perpetrators in this article as society is composed of both victims and perpetrators and to bring restoration to society, both categories need to be addressed. Love can look like a lot of things but in these kind of circumstance it could look like any of the following:
Confrontation: confronting a person with their responsibility.
Assistance: helping the victims deal with the consequences of another’s actions.
Conciliation: Bringing peace to a tortured mind and soul (many abusers have been abused and have never found peace, although this doesn’t excuse their actions it is still an issue that needs to be addressed if they are ever to re-integrate society or for society to continue living in any kind of peaceful context and be restored.
Redress: Compensating a victim in some way.
Justice: Rendering justice as opposed to revenge allows for peace to return to society, revenge only calls for more revenge, or violence and never brings closure for a victim, just more pain. Justice can help bring closure and restore peace for society as a whole.