What Holds Us Together

I don’t believe that our country is teetering upon the brink of chaos, but I do believe we have taken the first step towards it. The 2016 election had exposed elements of our society that many believed were ideals long since vanquished and has brought about the death of modern civility. There was an agreement about what was acceptable and a collectively understood line that would not be crossed. But recently, it seems like the cultural norms surrounding the interaction between citizens supported by nothing more than an unspoken understanding has been eroded almost entirely. In a time of hyper partisanship the laws the only thing that is the great equalizer. In a way, this partisanship is being rewarded with clicks or screen time or a presidency. It is in this climate that the importance of the law of the land is highlighted to an extreme degree. That if civility and cooperation is not enough of a motivation to keep the society together, then it needs to be strengthened by the rules and those who enforce it.

         I have always been fascinated with the law. From the basic understanding of what constitutes a valid argument to the almost poetic writings of the Supreme Court, I found every part beautiful. As I grew up reading presidential biographies I understood that there was a set of principals inherit in the law that supported a life of public service and problem solving. Analytical thinking, valid argumentation, and a basic understanding of what can and cannot be done, these were a common theme surrounding federal, state, and local governments.

         When I entered college I saw the role laws played in the lives of everyday people as well. My mentor Paul Fritz brought me along into different court proceedings and mediation meetings showing not only what the law required but what the parties needed. At the end of the day, these cases weren’t about winning, and they weren’t about exacting revenge on another party, they were a last resort. Something that needed to be in a society, but was a tool, not a lifestyle. The law needs to be there in a society as a backstop for the worst case scenario. If the society was perfect, there would be no need for laws. And with most disputes in life, they are almost entirely handled outside of the legal system. It is only when the civility and understanding of society breaks down, does the legal system need to be a part of the solution.

         But in the past few years since college, and most recently after the election, did I see the other side of the law as a fabric for holding society together. A culture depends on basically two pillars of interaction, and understanding of laws, and the laws themselves. The understanding most of the time makes the laws irrelevant, when every person follows the law it would work just as well if there was no law at all. It is a belief in the commonality of experience that drives people to adhere to the law, we all want to be treated fairly and expect the system to treat us as such, so we follow the rules. Each and every person could run red lights or cut in lines, they could steal or murder, but the vast majority doesn’t because of the commonly held belief of all people that there is a right thing to do and a wrong thing to do. It is this civility that is eroding and makes the law ever more important. It is in these times that ordinary people or groups get trampled in the greater swell of disorder. The always discouraged habit of pointing fingers suddenly becomes the norm in the society.

         Every day there are new stories breaking about norms being broken by the public or elected officials. Neo-Nazi rallies, the lack of condemnation of those rallies, the potential persecution of political rivals, the continuation of a campaign in spite of allegations of sexual misconduct, what prevented these from happening in the past weren’t laws, but an understanding of what was right and what was acceptable. As a society we collectively held the same beliefs of decency. But when that ideal erodes, it falls to those in the legal field to defend the fabric of society. For my whole life I have wanted to be a lawyer but I didn’t realize what an important role I might be able to play within our society. The increasing reliance on lawyer in the US will put each in a unique position to truly make a difference in people’s lives. What I want is to be able to be a part of this bulwark against a disillusion of what is means to live together and cooperate.

         The comedian Jon Stewart recently reflected to Charlie Rose that the more natural state of humanity was tribalism, that it was easier to separate from each other. What the United States had sought to do is something very untried in the world, taking groups and mushing them together and while acknowledging our differences, always accepting that there was no way forward but together. I have wanted to be a lawyer for as long as I can remember. It was always a fantasy to help those disenfranchised by a powerful corporation or a hateful group, but this has changed. The abuse of people's rights has always been an issue but I never thought it would get worse. I didn't consider it a possibility that a national figure would actively encourage the disenfranchisement of groups of people and the wholesale dismissal of social norms. These are real consequences that enable others to ignore the first pillar of what it means to live in a society, the belief in the society itself. This is why I want to come to your school and learn to be a lawyer, not for me but for those who still believe in civility. 

@FitzFile