Social justice has become a common catch phrase for talking heads, academic programs, and habitual Facebook sharers over the past several years. Social justice can seem like a form of entitlement; "we want the equality we have coming due!" In a neoliberal era, social justice can also seem like a catchy form of branding. An unexamined, feel-good political nebula. Over the past two years, the contributors to Lehigh Valley Vanguard have shaken the rug to explore commonly accepted views of how to achieve a just society for all. We've explored what it means to be poor, disenfranchised, and enslaved; institutional racism and classism are frequent topics. The essays in this volume reflect a dialectic inquisitiveness you will find frequently in Lehigh Valley Vanguard. A pleading that our systems do not go unexamined or neglected. From the first essay by Mark Blasini, "The Hell with Rights," we are asked to analyze the minutiae we take for granted in our (sometimes blind) quest for jurisprudence by questionable authority figures. In "How Often Have You Felt Free?" Karen Henninger explores our fractured thinking around structures of oppression along with our tendency towards self-imprisonment. Rob Los Ricos explains the development of the Western world and its precipitation (and perpetuation) of slave culture in "Overcoming a Culture of Slavery." Philadelphia representative Jordan Harris implores us to recognize our implicit racism and its degenerative effects on our culture in "The Dying American Dream of Equality." Jake Johnson takes a look at pressures towards "normalcy" through the lens of Aldous Huxley and Erich Fromm, commenting on our unquestioned obedience to warmongering and self-doubt in an insane world. In "The Language of the Law: a Question of Ownership" I deal with institutional racism, neoliberal erosions of justice, and economic inequality. Along with discussing police brutality and the ever memorable "Stars and Bars" flag controversy, Wes Bishop forces us to search our understanding of equity. Randall Allen glimpses into the life of a literary scholar to uncover historical voices explicating years of cultural violence. Finally, Maximo Vasquez leaves us with some resonant points about poverty and Social Darwinism. Hopefully, this collection will be a companion to your own quest to define a socially just world in spite of convoluted brands and campaigns that claim "social justice" as their empty moniker.
About the Author: Lehigh Valley Vanguard resides at the intersection of art and politics. Founded in March 2014, we have sought to saturate our area with cultural analysis, grassroots organization, and cutting dialogue aimed at promoting a critical culture. Locally grown yet nationally and internationally read, LVV is concerned with providing a voice to the voiceless. We started with the simple idea to become the media we longed to see. As we approach our second year, we are thankful to all the contributors who have lent their voices to this cause. Thank you for reading.