Virginia is for lawyers....

So I went to a fantastic lecture this morning. It was a little bit of an effort to get to school early on a friday (and i got there 5min late,story of my life) but it ended up being SO worth it

The guy's a VA lawyer who has been nationally acclaimed for this work defending/protecting the 1st Amendment (freedom of speech) and recently won a "Human Rights Hero" award from the American Bar Association, really interesting guy, does a lot of work for the ACLU. Very liberal, but also just a great thinker. One of the cases that got him a lot of attention was when he represented a KKK grand wizard who was on trial for cross burning. He is black, but he talked a lot about how he felt compelled to take this case because freedom of speech is a line that shouldn't be crossed. His point was that hateful ideas wouldn't be stopped by not allowing them to be said, but that things need to discussed and have people think and talk about them in order to get anywhere as a society. The only way we can improve is through thoughtful discussion. In thinking about these things, people will be able to see hateful or stupid ideas for that they are. He pointed to the Bill of Rights as what raises us up as a society, and as standards we must vigilantly protect.

Anyways, really wonderful talk. Thought I'd share a bit....oh! and his other big point, which is less specifically legal-related, which was it is every person's duty to try and be happy in life--that it is your job to find your niche in life and excel at it.

It was a good way to start the day....especially as literally 5min later in the library someone freaked out as they had "lost their lucky highlighter". Oh law school.