LONG WINDED By: Jason H. Long Lowe, Yeager & Brown
WORST OF LUCK TO YOU Marsha has completely given up on me. She knows I am bereft of wish the graduates “good luck” and “best wishes” for their future. In fact, ideas. A formless void, sucking up column space in a publication that he did just the opposite. He told them he wished that, in their future, is otherwise cutting edge and first class. In desperation this month, they would be treated unfairly. He hoped they would suffer betrayal. she actually fed me an idea for this column, like a mother bird making He wished them loneliness and bad luck from time to time. He said he sure her young do not starve. I am sure she thought, “if I just give him wanted opponents to gloat over them when they lose. He hoped they the idea, and all the research materials, surely he can pound out 1000 would be ignored, and they would suffer pain. Just your normal everyday comprehensible words before publication deadline.” Nope. Not even commencement speech to a bunch of ninth graders. Who brought the close. Well, a little close. In any event, this month’s column comes jerk Chief Justice? directly from the mind of our fearless bar leader. The concept was hers, Of course, he had a point to make. Thank goodness or he would the execution is mine. have just gone down as an evil, vindictive, sadistic windbag wishing I received an email from Marsha last week containing a link to the misery upon the next generation. I’m not saying those people don’t exist transcript of the commencement speech United States Supreme Court in Washington D.C. Fortunately, they are not sitting on our Supreme Justice John Roberts gave to his son’s ninth grade class graduating from Court. Rather, Chief Justice Roberts wished all of these “Job-like” Cardigan Mountain School, a New burdens upon these privileged young men Hampshire boarding school for boys so they could learn. He wanted them t gives me hope to know that the most in grades 6-9. The preceding sentence treated unfairly so they would know visible jurist in our country has a strong merits a few side notes. First of all, I the “value of justice,” betrayed so they moral compass and that he will take it out am really impressed with the breadth of would appreciate loyalty, loneliness to Marsha’s reading. She does an excellent and show it to a group of young people to help value true friendship. They should suffer job of keeping our bar informed of bad luck so they would know the role show them the way. developments in the profession and of chance in life and that their successes goings on in east Tennessee and the or others’ failures are not completely surrounding community. Apparently, deserved. Opponents should gloat over her thirst for knowledge on the legal community goes so far as to keep them to remind them of the importance of sportsmanship. They should tabs on even minor SCOTUS speaking engagements. Either Marsha is be ignored so they understand the importance of listening to others, and a super woman who reads everything, or she is so deep in the weeds in they should suffer pain to learn compassion. her job that we should really consider taking up a collection to send her I think these are important lessons, and I think they are only truly on a vacation to get away and clear her mind. I suspect both propositions learned by those who suffer. I am glad to know our Chief Justice feels may be true . . . at least I am sure she would not turn down a vacation. the same way. It gives me hope to know that the most visible jurist Second, this article concerns a speech given by our Chief Justice, John in our country has a strong moral compass and that he will take it out Roberts, not to be confused with my son, James Robert. The poor kid and show it to a group of young people to help show them the way. It was born to two lawyers and has grown up in the company of lawyers gives me comfort to think that failure and suffering brings strength and who instinctively call him John Roberts by accident. To his credit, he just character. I hope I am strong enough to let my own kids and loved ones smiles and ignores the faux pas every time it happens. The good news suffer because I am sure they are strong enough to grow from it. I hope I for him is that, as he has grown older, he has outgrown the forced double remember this speech the next time I fail. name his parents placed on him and he will now answer to just about Thank you. Marsha, for passing along the email. Reading these anything ( James Robert, JR, James, Jimmy, Jim, stretch or knucklehead. words from another lawyer makes me, once again, very proud of my Just don’t call him Jim Bob). Third, when did we start having graduation profession. ceremonies for kindergarten? fifth grade? ninth grade? Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy celebrating the accomplishments of our children, but it seems a little overkill. I would write the ninth grade graduation off as just a feel good event for fun, but when the United States Supreme Court Chief Justice is your commencement speaker, it starts to feel like a pretty big deal. (I know for a fact that bar executives around the country are keeping close tabs on it.) My daughter Janie will be completing her second year of piano lessons at the end of the summer, and I’m thinking about asking President Trump to come speak . . . or at least Sean Spicer. If you can get past the idea of a full blown ninth grade graduation, I have to say the remarks of Chief Justice Roberts were really inspiring and thought provoking. He did all of the things a normal commencement speaker would do. He thanked the school, he thanked the families, he reflected on the past, looked forward to the future, quoted Socrates and Bob Dylan, and gave sage advice to the graduates. However, what struck me about the speech was what he refused to do. He refused to
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August 2017
DICTA
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