For all who struggle for justice, please never forsake the work you do! You are the best guardians of liberty and builders of quality life for all Americans. Without you, our country will never fully achieve ‘Equal Justice Under Law'; nor will we fulfill our pledge in the Declaration of Independence to give to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.”
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.
This week, the pursuit of justice has been on our mind, particularly after the execution of Marcellus Williams, a Missouri man convicted of a 1998 murder that he consistently maintained he did not commit. Despite the lack of DNA evidence and opposition of Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell and the victim’s family, Governor Mike Parsons declined appeals for clemency. Mr. Williams was executed on Tuesday.
Our quote comes from an address Sargent Shriver made to his fellow alumni of the Yale Law School Association of Washington, DC, in the year 2000. In the speech, Shriver discusses the importance of public service for the legal profession, citing his own advocacy of the poor and disenfranchised.
An attorney by profession, Sargent Shriver frequently spoke to members of bar associations and other legal professionals, stressing the importance of their role in the pursuit of justice for all.
We salute all of the individuals and organizations who serve to combat injustice and to make the world a more just place, including our friends at the Shriver Center on Poverty Law. And we invite everyone to support the groups and organizations that work to promote justice in our communities.
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