15 Feb 2006
Why Lawyers Are Liars

The subtitle on this piece by Michael Kinsley is "They don't want to: It's their ethical obligation!" Provocative and thought provoking stuff - well worth a read, especially in light of the recent Supreme Court vacancy hearings.

As a loyal member—well, as a member—of the District of Columbia Bar for more than a quarter of a century, I was aware of the tension between advocacy and honesty. But until the recent controversies over Supreme Court nominees, I was unaware of the scope and depth of my professional obligation to avoid telling the truth. Sometimes this merely means evasion, but often it encourages or even requires outright lying. In other lines of work—journalism, for example—the truth is a standard that is not always met. But judging from the arguments made successfully for John Roberts and Samuel Alito, and unsuccessfully for Harriet Miers, the truth is something a good lawyer must constantly struggle to overcome.

(link) [Slate]

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Faith: Ray of light for state inmates

Nice to see a mention of Asatru behind bars that doesn't involve a lawsuit or prison gangs... and actually notes the Nine Noble Virtues. How refreshing!

Geoffrey Burbank knelt in the corner of a prison chow hall, a small silver hammer medallion on his right shoulder. Burbank, 32, has been in and out of prison in three states, but this time, he says he has found something that just may change the course of his life: faith. More specifically, Asatrú, an ancient Norse religion that espouses family and nine "noble virtues" such as courage, honor, trust and discipline.

(link) [Arizona Republic]

00:00 /Asatru | 0 comments | permanent link