While studying at Houston Christian University, I took a political science class from Dr. Christopher Hammonds. In that class, I learned about two phrases that I didn’t realize were as important as they are. They are “de jure” and “de facto”.

The Latin translates to “of law” and “of fact”. They are used to communicate that something may be law, but what is actually happening is different. Why are these two phrases important?

They are important because it may be easy to believe that because something is illegal (de jure) it no longer happens much or doesn’t happen at all. However, the reality is (de facto) that in spite of the law it does happen and happens often.

There are a number of examples that are too complex to address here. What I want to highlight is the need for us to think critically, listen to others who have had different experiences than we have had, and look for blind spots that keep us from “forming a more perfect union.” We should avoid the comfortable assumption that leans on a legal system that is not always fair, and lean into the lived experiences of those around us who are telling us what is really going on.