Restorative justice principles offer more inclusive processes and reorient the goals of justice. Restorative justice has been finding a receptive audience, as it creates common ground which accommodates the goals of many constituencies and provides a collective focus. The guiding principles of restorative justice are: [1]

1. Crime is an offense against human relationships.
2. Victims and the community are central to justice processes.
3. The first priority of justice processes is to assist victims.
4. The second priority is to restore the community, to the degree possible.
5. The offender has personal responsibility to victims and to the community for crimes committed.
6. Stakeholders share responsibilities for restorative justice through partnerships for action.
7. The offender will develop improved competency and understanding as a result of the restorative justice experience.

Restorative Justice is commonly known as a theory of criminal justice that focuses on crime as an act against another individual or community rather than the state. People harmed by wrongdoing may play a major role in the process and may receive some type of restitution from the person who caused the harm.

Definition of Restorative Justice:

“Restorative justice is a broad term which encompasses a growing social movement to institutionalize peaceful approaches to harm, problem-solving and violations of legal and human rights. These range from international peacemaking tribunals such as the South Africa Truth and Reconciliation Commission to innovations within the criminal justice system, schools, social services and communities. Rather than privileging the law, professionals and the state, restorative resolutions engage those who are harmed, wrongdoers and their affected communities in search of solutions that promote repair, reconciliation and the rebuilding of relationships. Restorative justice seeks to build partnerships to reestablish mutual responsibility for constructive responses to wrongdoing within our communities. Restorative approaches seek a balanced approach to the needs of the victim, wrongdoer and community through processes that preserve the safety and dignity of all”[1].

So what is the difference between a ‘black’ journalist and any other kind of journalist? Does she only cover ‘black’ issues? Or are there special rules that do and don’t apply to her that all other journalist have to follow?

Her race is very important here. If she screws Palin in this debate with bias, her credibility is shot. She’ll look like a hack or a racist. As a black moderator with an Obama book about black issues she has to walk a very fine line. If she does a great job, she’ll get a lot of respect and career opportunities. She’ll be looked at as a genuine professional. If she screws Palin, it will look like the “race thing” got in the way, and I would expect a voter backlash. Her reputation would be damaged, and she’ll likely wind up hosting some Sunday afternoon show on BET for the next 30 years, and doing a column for Essence.
The race factor is important here, and she can’t screw this up.

Michelle [Obama] takes pains to be self depracating and to talk about her concerns and fears about her girls. She insists she couldn’t do what she does withour the help of her mother.

I remember Palin speaking more than once about not being able to handle her family life without the help of her parents, aunties, and uncles. The writer is being disingenuous.

Gov. Palin has not presented herself as a superwoman, but the term comes to mind naturally when a woman with so many professional responsibilities is also the mother of five.

From the first day, Palin has presented herself as shooting a bear in the morning, field dressing it, cooking up the breakfast, diapering the babies, passing legislation in the afternoon, cleaning the house, satisfying her husband, etc., etc., etc., and it’s just not true.

Where are the interview transcripts? Who are Sheryllin sources? Bloggers?
**the part about her “satisfying her husband” is rude and incredible.

If Sheryllin ‘knows’ so much about Palin, then she should have listed the sources of all these intimate details of the Gov.’s personal life.

This is more like creative writing, journalism?….. not so much.

On October 2nd, 2008 at 2:16 pm, mistressjustice said:
I do believe that Ms. Ifill is a pro, and wouldn’t do anything to damage her reputation as a black journalist in front of 70+ million viewers.

So what is the difference between a ‘black’ journalist and any other kind of journalist? Does she only cover ‘black’ issues? Or are there special rules that do and don’t apply to her that all other journalist have to follow?

mistressjustice said:
I do believe that Ms. Ifill is a pro, and wouldn’t do anything to damage her reputation as a black journalist in front of 70+ million viewers.

and wouldn’t do anything to damage her street credit

I agree that Ifill should step down or be replaced to avoid the appearance of impropriety.

We are of the same mind on this.

I do believe that Ms. Ifill is a pro, and wouldn’t do anything to damage her reputation as a black journalist in front of 70+ million viewers.

She just forgot to tell anyone about the book, and it’s meticulous timing.

If anything, I think she’ll overcompensate by being harder on Biden(Obama), because he can handle it as a vet of these proceedings. Palin will crash over the basic questions, and Biden’s calm(hopefully) attempts to challenge her.

Interesting.

On October 2nd, 2008 at 1:11 pm, MtsEdge said:

I agree that Ifill should step down or be replaced to avoid the appearance of impropriety. I do believe that Ms. Ifill is a pro, and wouldn’t do anything to damage her reputation as a black journalist in front of 70+ million viewers. Remember the hit Obama took after SNL lampooned how the media was harder on Hillary than Obama? White voters would lash back if Ifill sandbagged Palin, and she knows that. If anything, I think she’ll overcompensate by being harder on Biden(Obama), because he can handle it as a vet of these proceedings. Palin will crash over the basic questions, and Biden’s calm(hopefully) attempts to challenge her.

“It’s hard to be an average working mom, really hard. And when women who are privileged present as though they have it all together, it’s offensive to black women.”

Michelle [Obama] … insists that she couldn’t do what she does without the help of her mother.

Strong woman from average means, works hard and gets it done, is “privileged”, and the woman with an Ivy-league background and top 2% income needs the help of her mother.

Uh-huh.

On October 2nd, 2008 at 1:08 pm, Ilovemycountry said:

Lame. Is that the best you can do? You come here and say the stupidest things, like some 12 year old.

Now go finish popping those pimples.

Dimsdale said:

On October 2nd, 2008 at 8:41 am, lgm said:

MM is not stupid. Playing stupid does not become her.

There is nothing wrong with Ifill rooting for blacks to succeed. The fact that both Powell and Obama are the first says something.
It is no different than insider trading or taking a fall in a prize fight. If Ifill was an honest journalist, she would have told the committee that she was writing the book, and that the income from that will be directly dependent on the outcome of this election, and the proposed publication date confirms this.

Playing stupid does not become you either.

Kapo lgm is not playing stupid. It’s real.

“…and it’s probably going to really force her to be fully even-handed,”

Oh No! Not that! Not even-handed!

“I’ve got a pretty long track record covering politics and news, so I’m not particularly worried that one-day blog chatter is going to destroy my reputation,” Ifill said.

Gwen, it’s not the blogs that are going to destroy you, it’s you baby, just you!