
Our Quote of the Week celebrates those who dedicate themselves to the fight for greater justice. Sargent Shriver’s statement reminds us that it is essential to protect the liberty and quality of life of all people who come into contact with our justice system.
This quote comes from an address Sargent Shriver made to his fellow
alumni of the Yale
Law School Association in the year 2000. In the speech, Sarge discusses the
importance of public service for the legal profession, citing his own advocacy
of the poor and disenfranchised. He mentions that among their peers from
Yale are “two
men who became Justices of the United States Supreme Court; one [who] became
President of the United States, five [who] became U.S. Government Officials;
two United States Senators; twenty Heads of Law Firms, and many others [who] became
superb, imaginative leaders in other projects.” These examples demonstrate the
far-reaching influence that the law and attorneys have in our country, as well
as their great capacity to do good.
We must take the management of our justice system seriously so as to ensure liberty and equal treatment under the law for all. Every person and every issue that passes through our justice system, whether at a local police station or before the Supreme Court of the United States, deserves to be treated with fairness, objectivity, transparency, and integrity.
Like this quote? Read the speech and subscribe to receive our Quote of the Week by email.