Monday, July 06, 2009

Law School - among other things

As many of you know, I am a paralegal in the Army National Guard. I have a great respect and interest in the study of law and today is my first day as a student at Taft Law School. It one of the few law schools that allow you to study law, at a distance and qualify to sit for a state bar exam. In this case, the state of California. Now honestly, I am not sure I want to practice law in California...or at all...but still I think a law degree can very handy. One of my great roles in theater was when I played the role of Drummond in Inherit the Wind. Drummond was the Clarence Darrow inspired character that defended the Scopes-inspired character in the famous Monkey Trial. I think of myself as a "underdog" kind of guy and I admire those who take unpopular stands to do the right thing. Darrow would have been my kind of lawyer. Check out his summation from the Leopold and Loeb murder trial from the 1920s:

Clarence Darrow's Summation from the Leopold and Loeb Case:

So I Be Written in the Book of Love

Now, I must say a word more and then I will leave this with you where I should have left it long ago. None of us are unmindful of the public; courts are not, and juries are not. We placed our fate in the hands of a trained court, thinking that he would be more mindful and considerate than a jury. I cannot say how people feel. I have stood here for three months as one might stand at the ocean trying to sweep back the tide. I hope the seas are subsiding and the wind is falling and I believe they are, but I wish to make no false pretense to this court. The easy thing and the popular thing to do is to hang my clients. I know it. Men and women who do not think will applaud. The cruel and the thoughtless will approve. It will be easy today; but in Chicago, and reaching out over the length and breadth of the land, more and more fathers and mothers, the humane, the kind and the hopeful, who are gaining an understanding and asking questions not only about these poor boys, but about their own,--these will join in no acclaim at the death of my clients. These would ask that the shedding of blood be stopped, and that the normal feelings of man resume their sway. And as the days and the months and the years go on, they will ask it more and more. But, your Honor, what they shall ask may not count. I know the easy way.
I know your Honor stands between he future and the past. I know the future is with me, and what I stand for here; not merely for the lives of these two unfortunate lads, but for all boys and all girls; for all of the young, and as far as possible, for all of the old. I am pleading for life, understanding, charity, kindness, and the infinite mercy that considers all. I am pleading that we overcome cruelty with kindness and hatred with love. I know the future is on my side. Your Honor stands between the past and the future. You may hang these boys; you may hang them by the neck until they are dead. But in doing it you will turn your face toward the past. In doing it you are making it harder for every other boy who in ignorance and darkness must grope his way through the mazes which only childhood knows. In doing it you will make it harder for unborn children. You may save them and make it easier for every child that some time may stand where these boys stand. You will make it easier for every human being with an aspiration and a vision and a hope and a fate. I am pleading for the future; I am pleading for a time when hatred and cruelty will not control the hearts of men. When we can learn by reason and judgement and understanding and faith that all life is worth saving, and that mercy is the highest attribute of man.
I feel that I should apologize for the length of time I have taken. This case may not be as important as I think it is, and I am sure I do not need to tell this court, or to tell my friends that I would fight just as hard for the poor as for the rich. If I should succeed in saving these boys' lives and do nothing for the progress of the law, I should feel sad, indeed. If I can succeed, my greatest reward and my greatest hope will be that I have done something for the tens of thousands of other boys, for the countless unfortunates who must tread the same road in blind childhood that these poor boys have trod,--that I have done something to help human understanding, to temper justice with mercy, to overcome hate with love. I was reading last night of the aspiration of the old Persian poet, Omar Khayyam. It appealed to me as the highest that I can vision. I wish it was in my heart, and I wish it was in the hearts of all:


"So I be written in the Book of Love
I do not care about that Book above.
Erase my name or write it as you will,
So I be written in the book of Love."
Now that is a summation I'd love to give someday!

Wow!....and the argument worked. The judge sentenced Leopold and Loeb to life. They were spared death, even though just about everyone was calling for their heads. That's something.


Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Duty First

Working with homeless veterans is a tough job but it has great rewards. Since January of 2008 I have worked as the Director of Veterans Services for the Albany Housing Coalition. Every night when I go home I know that today I made a difference to some veteran in need. Part of my job is to supervise a case management team that manages the Veterans House in Albany. The Vet House is a 28 bed transitional housing for veterans. The Vets who come to our home have multible challenges in their lives. Substance abuse and mental health issues are at the top of the list. Some have serious criminal histories. Others have been out of contact with their families for years. They come to us with broken hearts and broken spirit. They come to us with little more then the clothes on their back and two duffle bags of trouble. But when they come to our house...we don't focus so much on where the've been. We don't much care. The only thing that really matters is they used be soldiers and marines, airman and sailors. They were brothers and sisters in arms. Now they are veterans. They served. Now we serve them. And honor them. So when someone asks what I do I tell them. They served. Now I serve them. Duty first!




-- Post From My iPhone

Friday, June 26, 2009

The pipes the pipes are calling


Over 3 years ago I starting this blog to let folks know about what I was up to as I prepared to deploy to Iraq. I kept the blog going all through my training, deployment and redeployment. I have been lax in writing this year but in the last few weeks I have been working on the next phase of my military career. I am currently in Vermont working with a deploying unit headed to afghanistan in 2010. They need a senior paralegal NCO to go with them and I have been asked if I am available. My response is yes. So now the paper chase begins. It will be awile before I know definite dates but I am now preparing mentally and physically to go to war again.

-- Post From My iPhone

Monday, June 22, 2009

I lit a Candle

This past weekend I went to Montreal and had a great time. The last time I was in Montreal was around 2000, when I went on a bus trip sponsored by the agency I was working with at the time. I really don't remember much about the trip but one thing stood out for me. Our bus driver was a catholic priest who worked with persons with HIV/AIDS and organized trips like this for our clients. I became close with father John who did so much for so many people. I can really say I loved him. That day father John invited me to go with him to St Joseph's Basilica and the grave of Brother Andre. Father John told me that he make a pledge to Brother Andre that he would visit the Basilica when ever he came to Montreal. So off we went. I remember he prayed and lit a candle. Father John and I became very food friends over the next few
years. We went to conferences together. He heard by confession. (I didn't have to say much, he knew all the details, ha ha.) Sadly, he died of a stroke in November of 2003. I was devastated by this loss. His death effects me today. I really miss my old friend. I would love to have the chance to spend just one more day with him. I thought of him Saturday as I was looking up at the ceiling at the Notre Dame Cathedral in downtown Montreal. I felt a surge of emotions. The I realized what I needed to do. I needed to light a candle for Father John. I took a crumpled one dollar bill and put it in the slot, and picked up a stick and lit a candle. And I make this pledge. When I go to Montreal from now on, I will go to Notre Dam and light a candle for Father John Lysongorski. A great man, a great priest, a great friend.

-- Post From My iPhone

Friday, June 19, 2009

Preparing others for war

For the last week I have been in Vermont at a SRP (soldier readiness preparation). The 86th infantry is deploying later this year to Afghanistan and I am here to assist deploying soldiers with the legal issues. It is very interesting and laid back. Today I spent some time with a kid who is 18, just out of high school. I was impressed with him. As we spoke I couldn't imagine what was going through his mind. He's infantry and going off to war instead of going off to college. Wow. I was a chicken shit at 18. Never could of done what he is doing at his age. Then he told me something else. His power of attorney is his grandmother instead of his mother. You know why? Because his mom is going with him! She's deploying to Afghanistan for the second time. What must be going through her mind????? But this is not unique. Families are serving together in the warzone all the time now. For them both I am proud. If anything bad happens, they will be there for each other. I pray that they get back to just do normal mom-son stuff. No more family outings to war.


-- Post From My iPhone

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Hello..it's been a long time

It has been a long time since I have written. So many changes. A new president..a bad recession. But we have survived. But now there is so much to talk about and I feel like I am going to start writing again. For now I just wanted to say hello and let you all know I am still around. So I promise to write again soon and let you know what I am up to. Hang tough my peeps!


-- Post From My iPhone