I just returned from a week-long trip to Washington D.C., the highlight of which was a day on the Mall listening to speeches commemorating the 1963 March on Washington and MLK's "I have a Dream" speech from 50 years ago. I was reminded that a week ago, I suggested to our entering 1L students that one aspect of being a law student is that they will never read (or listen) to the news again in the same way. As I listened to speakers who reflected on the changes in American law and policy over the past 50 years, it was an opportunity to reflect on my role as a legal educator.
If I had been a law professor in 1963 (I was only 8 years-old at the time), would I have marched? Would I have been a freedom rider? Would I have used the law school classroom to encourage students to find their voice in the civil rights debate?
. . . and as I considered these questions, I realized that they are as pertinent today as they were 50 years ago. We may not know which issues of our time will be remembered 50 years from now as a crossroad of social change . . . but we certainly have no shortage of issues facing our country . . . immigration, gun control, campaign finance reform, civilian use of drones, NSA surveillance, fair wages, health care, "stand your ground laws", abortion restrictions . . . and the pending question this week . . . possible US military action in Syria.
As law professors, what is our role in these current debates? Will we march? Will we ride? Will we incite civil debate in our classrooms and in our communities?
If you haven't taken the opportunity to listen to the speeches from Wednesday, August 28th (all easily available on YouTube by searching for "50th Anniversary of the March on Washington"), I highly recommend doing so. Most are 2-10 minutes long and are quite though provoking.
I would be interested in your reactions . . .
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