BUT TO DO JUSTICE, AND TO LOVE MERCY . . .

Senior Judge's portrait unveiling, celebrating thirty years of service, occurred this afternoon. Such a moving ceremony, unexpectedly so. In my three and a quarter years in the Courthouse, I had heard passing comments about SJ's smarts, integrity, kindness, humility. But to hear such personal, reverential and even loving tributes from former and present colleagues before a stunning portrait was revealed was truly moving to me, both as a person and as an attorney.

Two things from this afternoon persist in my memory. First, one of SJ's former law clerks related an anecdote in which a plaintiff's attorney, moments before his medical malpractice trial commenced, frankly informed SJ that he had not even looked at his client's medical records. SJ, the former law clerk recalled, responded not in rage and frustration, but in some deeper emotion akin to pain and sadness, saying to the plaintiff's attorney merely this: "How could you do this to your client?" Certainly we all have moments, whatever our industry, of laziness, petulance, indifference ... but my fervent prayer is that I would never hear those words, from another person ... or from my own conscience.

Second, a colleague, speaking glowingly and humorously about SJ, ended his comments with the simple and true acknowledgement that SJ "has done so much for justice." Oh, to be one who has DONE SO MUCH FOR JUSTICE. Not to enact it or enforce it, and certainly not to suppress it. Simply committed his life FOR justice. Thirty years from now, will someone be saying that about me, that I did so much for justice? ...

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WHY . . .

I had a moment of clarity, responding to JWu's recent blog post regarding his ambiguous and conflicted feelings about the upcoming presidential elections. I had to share because there is no other way I can explain why it is important that we vote and speak forth, no matter what or who our choices are. After all, how can we Americans, the most opinionated people in the world, NOT express our opinions by voting?

I wrote:

It doesn't matter if we have to choose b/w the lesser of two evils. At least we have the ability, the right TO choose. Consider those in other countries who are marginalized and unable to vote. Consider those who are slain for expressing or attempting to express their choice. Consider those who live in nations where there IS no choice.

It is unrealistic to think that a perfect candidate will appear before us this year, or perhaps even in the future. But to give up and turn away is not an option, unless one wants to give up and turn away from the entire process, our country's entire history, and the potential that our voices have to effect positive change and do justice in this nation.

Vote your conscience. Vote with knowledge and confidence and edjumacation. Vote prayerfully and with hope. Do not flip a coin, b/c you won't be happy about it afterwards, knowing that you spoke out with zero conviction.