Focus on Ethics & Civility
| Publication year | 2014 |
| Pages | 38 |
| Citation | Vol. 27 No. 6 Pg. 38 |
November, 2014
What About the Other "R"?
Keith A. Call, J.
As I write this, a headline in the Salt Lake Tribune reads, "Three recent flights made unscheduled landings after fights over [reclining] seats." Scott Mayeicowitz, It's No Longer Safe to Recline Your Airplane Seat, Salt Lake Tribune, Sep. 2, 2014, available at http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/money/58364627-79/ passengers-seats-airlines-flight. html.csp. The story reports: "Three U.S. flights made unscheduled landings in the past eight days after passengers got into fights over the ability to recline their seats. Disputes over a tiny bit of personal space might seem petty, but for passengers whose knees are already banging into tray tables, every inch counts." Id. The news story itself is forgettable, but the underpinnings of the story warrant thought and discussion.
The story is about the exercise of "rights" - the right to recline an airline seat vs. the right to protect one's personal space. As a society, we have become quite good at exercising our "rights" muscles. There are many outstanding examples of brave Americans who have stood up for rights, from John Adams to Jackie Robinson. Our country has historically relied on lawyers to protect and promote personal and collective rights.
Today, we still rely on lawyers to be at the forefront of the battle. It's what we do. Most lawsuits are about protecting the rights of our clients. Enormous social change has been brought about by lawyers seeking to redefine and enforce individual rights. The world is a better place because of lawyer heroes like Thurgood Marshall, Clarence Darrow, and, of course, Abraham Lincoln. But isn't there another "R" that has equal importance with "rights"? Imagine the impact in the world if our society placed the same emphasis on "Responsibility" as it does on "Rights." Responsible behavior - and its close cousin, restrained behavior - would greatly mitigate, and possibly eliminate, some of our most pressing social problems, including poverty, crime, juvenile (and adult) delinquency, and maybe even social problems involving reclining airline seats.
As leaders in society, lawyers can also be on the front lines of the battle for responsible behavior. How can lawyers be activists in "civil responsibility"? Here are a few ideas. I'm sure you will have many others.
Represent Clients Competently and Zealously.
Our judicial...
To continue reading
Request your trial