Dream vs. wake-up call
| Author | Maurice A. Nernberg |
| Pages | 8-8 |
Equal justice
Apropos was ABA President Patricia
Lee Refo’s “Justice for All,” Febru-
ary-March, page 6, referencing the
long-standing, diligent efforts of the
ABA to ensure such equal justice for all.
Surely we lawyers are well enough
endowed with the skills and inuence
necessary to achieve that “equal justice
for all” under the law both in criminal
and civil proceedings. What we seem
to lack is the collective commitment to
make the required institutional changes
so no litigant would have to rely upon
the off chance a volunteer might step up
to provide pro bono representation.
Regrettably, far too many among
us—often precisely those holding
political power at all levels of govern-
ment—seem dedicated to forestalling
such equal access to justice for all. Are
illustrations really needed?
If only that latter cohort of lawyers
would conscientiously heed the call
sounded by President Patricia Lee Refo.
Thomas Goetzl
Bellingham, Washington
Dream vs. wake-up call
I was somewhat encouraged and
discouraged by “Dreams Deferred,”
December-January, page 44.
I was encouraged because there is
so little recognition of the side effects
of imposing such large debts on young
people for their education. I was dis-
couraged because the article spoke only
to the legal profession.
Student debt is a national problem.
Some have recognized that by offer-
ing some small steps, such as Kenneth
Langone and others who funded the
New York University Medical School to
eliminate all tuition. Their reasoning, as
reported, was because the debt not only
put medical school out of reach for so
many, especially minorities, but it also
forced many to look at making money
in medicine as a necessity to pay down
the debt. It prevented many from taking
up jobs in public health, small commu-
nities or family medicine.
That is true not just in law and medi-
cine, it is true for everyone. It is causing
our youth to put off marrying, having
children, buying houses and everything
else. It is effectively impoverishing them
during their youth, forcing them to take
the path of least resistance to pay off
the debt.
While I am not an economist, I ex-
pect that student debt is overall one of
the major forces holding our economy
back. I look at the GI Bill after World
War II as what drove American superi-
ority. Young people who never dreamed
of college or professional careers came
back from service and found that
they had the ability to gain a higher
education.
The answer to the problem is not
going to be solved by lawyers or
doctors; it is one that must be solved
by a national policy that will allow all
Americans, not just the wealthy, to have
as much education as they can absorb.
Maurice A. Nernberg
Pittsburgh
I have been a member of the ABA
since I was a law student almost four
decades ago. “Dreams Deferred” was
truly a new low for the ABA. Law
school is expensive. Indeed, colleges and
university educations are expensive—
outrageously expensive. Who is sup-
posed to pay for these educations? Why
should someone else assume that debt?
There are paths for reducing such
debt that include public service. There
are few adults who have not had to
“defer dreams” in order to be scally
responsible. We would all like larger,
more commodious homes; we make
sacrices to raise our children, to feed
and educate our children. It’s called
being a grown-up. The pandering is
beyond the pale. Seriously. Please stop.
Denise P. Ward
Port Chester, New York
Corrections
Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice
Bridget Mary McCormack’s rst name
was mistakenly omitted in the table of
contents, February-March, page 1.
“Keeping Up Appearances,” Febru-
ary-March, page 44, should have iden-
tied Brandon Draper as an assistant
county attorney for the Harris County
Attorney’s Ofce.
“Letters from Our Readers,” De-
cember-January, page 8, should have
correctly identied letter-writer
Veronica Chavez Law.
The Journal regrets the errors.
Photos by Bill Wunsch/Denver Post via Getty Images; courtesy of Nadine C. Atkinson-Flowers
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