News and Announcements
Message from the President:
Tolerance and Civility
I would like to take the occasion of our national elections to remind everyone of the imperative need to remain civil and tolerant of the differences in people in our democracy. Our university prides itself in preparing outstanding lawyers and leaders in law and business, so as to democratize our community.As lawyers and business people, the primary tools of our trade are our capacity for critical reasoning and the ability to convey our thoughts in a coherent and rational dialogue, embracing the balance of social justice and the tolerance of differences of opinions. Nowhere in that dialogue is there room for violence, threats, or insults as an instrument to gain compliance or acquiescence with a particular viewpoint. Furthermore, the mere threat or hint of violence against any segment of our population will be treated very seriously- and dealt with zero tolerance. Any remarks construed as posing a threat to anyone, or any particular segment, of our society will be vigorously investigated and aggressively addressed with the full force of our resources.
Unfortunately, the rhetoric of our times has caused most of us to be blinded by our emotions and forget that every time there is a difference of opinion, it does not mean that the polar extremes result in a “zero sum game.” Quite to the contrary, we must always look at ways to find solutions that blend the best parts of those opposing viewpoints. That is how we create strengths in our responses to challenging situations and circumstances. Our ability to reason must always compel us to attempt to affect solutions that embrace civility, respect and the willingness to recognize the practices and beliefs of others. The resort to violence against any segment of our society only levels us to our most base instincts, and does nothing to distinguish us as humans, with the capacity for reason, restraint and tolerance.
I call upon each of you to exercise your individual decision making in tomorrow’s elections. The corollary to our ability to exercise freedom of choice is that we must protect and honor the rights of everyone so entitled to participate freely and respectfully in our basic democratic processes. Although we hold freedom of speech as an inalienable right, we must uphold the rights of all to be free of the threat of violence for the exercise of their customs and beliefs.
As members of the UWLA community, we are obligated to honor and respect our differences and nothing less will be acceptable.
Sincerely,
Robert W. Brown, UWLA President