Acting Presiding Justice Dianne Renwick of the New York Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, First Judicial Department
This year’s Law Day theme, “Cornerstones of Democracy: Civics, Civility, and Collaboration,” could not have been announced at a more germane time. In recent years, our country’s increasingly acrimonious political battles have raised serious doubts about the integrity of—and sparked threats toward—our democratic institutions, including the judiciary. Citizens on opposite ends of the political spectrum not only disagree on matters of policy, but also engage in vitriolic discourse and some have even gone so far as to engage in political violence. Sadly, the animus that has been setting our country at odds has shown little sign of abating.
Many of us in the legal community have been concerned about this crisis for quite some time, wondering how we, as a nation, can extricate ourselves from these divisive, contentious circumstances. There are certainly several ideas being circulated, but in my view, little will bear fruit unless we teach our younger citizens about the full meaning of democracy and give them a vocabulary and tone with which to speak about it. We must equip our children with the information and values necessary to engage intelligently and respectfully on topics such as the rights and duties of citizenship, our tripartite system of government, and how to debate and disagree about difficult issues without hate, vitriol or violence.
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