Fitz File

          Former President Trump did not create the self-interest or isolationism sweeping the Republican party, he merely took advantage and exacerbated it.  Yet his attitude and mannerisms shined and even greater light on those that came before him.  Searching through the spotlights show two figures in particular, highlighting their greatest attribute: their compassion.  These past few months, as I finished law school, two biographies have truly touched my spirit: David L. Roll's George Marshall, and Ron Chernow's Grant.  Extracted from these tomes were two stories from the lives of George Marshall and Ulysses S. Grant that highlighted this unique trait.           In 1953, George Marshall was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.  While this was met with some controversy, it is his speech which truly displayed his larger vision for the world, buttressed by compassion.  As Chief of Staff, and la...

               Cartoons may be silly, but often they host talented writers who can really turn a phrase.  Seeing the sudden and alarming uptick in Covid cases in Michigan brought back a memory from the early 2000s.  As Bender from Futurama speaks to a massive, galaxy-spanning entity on the morality of his recent destruction of an entire civilization living on his backside, the entity consoles him.  Concerned that he never knew how to effectively play god, the entity urged a “light touch”, saying “when you do things right, people won’t be sure you’ve done anything at all.”           The morality and inherent good-ness of humanity aside, the line reminds me of the principles of governing.  It is often a thankless job and a favorite punching bag of the conservative right and apathetic left alike.  Yet the very nature of essentially social maintenance is designed to prevent things from happe...