Justice… I still believe in it!

Today, I was informed that the judgment in my recent Employment Tribunal has been appealed and is now to go before an Employment Appeals Tribunal.

Before I received the ruling of the lower employment court in February 2012 after a 6-week hearing, I had written a blog about Justice and asked ‘Is there such a thing?’.

The ET verdict which ruled that I had been discriminated against, harassed and victimised on the grounds of my race and sexuality, went some way in helping me come to terms with my past negative experiences which made me unwell.

Now, with a step having been taken backwards it’s hard for one to ‘move on’ and put the past behind him or her whilst continuing to fight for justice now for a second time.

Bluntly, I don’t think it is right and fair considering what Alex and I have had to endure over the past 3-years even if just morally, including the breach of our privacy. Unlike some, we don’t sleep comfortably at night.

That said, the world hasn’t got time for ‘poor me’ as I write often. Although life can be tough at times, I still fundamentally believe that people on the whole are good. Some I guess, do not always see the consequences of their actions or lack of them.

Having no parents about for support, suffering with depression through racism and homophobia, the leaking of my private data to a newspaper to discredit me and the strain on my relationship together with the loss last month of Uncle Billy (98) who remains dear to me – one would think, I might have thrown the towel in a long time ago.

I honestly don’t know why, but My Mum just didn’t raise weak children… maybe, it was something she put in our food. I’ve never professed to be perfect and in the past have stated I haven’t yet worked out how to walk on water, but I do know the difference between right and wrong and when enough is enough.

I’ve had a few of life’s hard lessons, and this is why I strive not to judge others. However, those who pursue people like myself for ‘speaking out’ must know that when you really believe in fairness, tolerance, social justice and equality like I do – I will continue, to do the right thing.

Without sounding like a victim, my treatment at the hands of others has caused me great public humiliation and embarrassment which I wouldn’t wish on another person. If it wasn’t for my employer leaking my private data to The Sun newspaper for its personal gain, I would never have had to ‘out’ myself publicly with my sexuality and mental illness as I did.

It wasn’t a great moment in My Life, but was a defining one. When you’re threatened, there’s not much choice. You can either fight or fly, I chose the former. I came across this quote earlier by Abraham Lincoln

“The probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not deter us from the support of a cause we believed to be just.”

The title of this blog is ‘Justice… I still believe in it!’ This is because, it’s the belief in this that keeps the small person like me going when we have been wronged. I might not be a powerful institution, but I do have a voice.

My blogs are my way of ensuring my views are heard in a non-sensational way, even if they are not listened to. Denial in my experience, gets you nowhere.

Please note: My views about fairness, tolerance, justice and equality are not those of the Metropolitan Police Service.

This has been a… down, but not out, ‘View from the Bottom’.

Enjoy your weekend, Max x.

Live Healthy, Laugh Often & Love Yourself!

Published by My Mum. Copyright © Kevin Maxwell Film, Media & Performance 2012.