Hi Zonder -
>>They have a particular cold & rational way of expressing themselves, especially in writing<<
Formally, not informally. I know for a fact several other people on SI are lawyers, but you'd never guess it by the way they express themselves informally.
Lawyers love to BS and yadda-yadda more than anything else in the world. At least the ones I know are that way (I hang out mostly with trial lawyers and a few judges. They clown around, tell jokes, tell lies, and generally try to impress each other (including the judges, although the judges don't tell many lies);^)
>>they have absolute respect for law<<
Oh, bosh. Law students, maybe, and law clerks, possibly.
The longer you practice (16 years this April for me) the more jaded you get. Especially trial lawyers. Most especially judges. Seen it all, heard it all.
Maybe your friend never gets turned loose in a courtroom, in which case maybe he has a reason for having "absolute respect" for law.
As for me, I help make law. Sometimes I make arguments that persuade judges to rule a certain way, and that becomes stare decisis. Sometimes I provide input to the legislature, and legislative committees. Sometimes I serve on various judicial committees.
I couldn't possibly have absolute respect for law after watching, and taking part in, the process by which law is made.
Do I make mistakes? Sure. But so far you can only argue that I was wrong about the Geneva convention. Until it's finally resolved, I am not wrong yet.
I was 100% right about the status of US citizens as enemy combatants, so far. Weren't we arguing about that?
As for the Indian reservation, you're being silly. Someone already explained to you that the legal status of Indians is very complicated in the US, and can't be boiled down into a sentence or two.
Good luck with that lawyer ("Mr. Geneva Convention"). Sounds like you have your cap set for him.
If he expresses himself "coldly and rationally" to you in informal situations, you probably need all the luck you can get. |
