Spot mentioned last week that Katie had written a column about the Merchant Marine during the Second World War that Spot liked. Sigh. Two in a row was pretty improbable. Nearly as improbable, Spot finds himself defending Dorsey & Whitney, one of the local law factories that has helped turn law practice into a smokestack industry.
Katie’s latest tirade is about how some law schools, including the University of Minnesota Law School (housed in the Walter F. Mondale building; oh, the horror), were denying military recruiters access to law students. Why, oh why, would law schools do that? Antipathy toward the military, says Katie. It all goes back to the Vietnam War. And probably to the 60s in general. Wow, Spotty had no idea.
And all this time Spot thought it was because of the continuing denial of civil rights to gays and lesbians through the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell policy” and its dismissal of every one it finds. Katie kinda tries to brush that aside. Katie says well, Dorsey & Whitney and other big law firms represent all kinds of mean people: death row inmates, those unlawful combatant detainees, and assorted corporate flim flam men. Ah, yes Katie, but there is a difference, and since you’re a lawyer, Spot is surprised you didn’t spot it.
Katie, if you think way, way back to when you went to law school, you probably took a class in ethics that told you it was the law profession’s duty to insure that all people receive adequate legal representation, including people who have done heinous things or hold unpopular opinions. Spotty suspects that any other organization that would ruthlessly root out any gay or lesbian it found would also get the pariah treatment from the Law School. (Spotty has heard that D&W is actually a pretty gay-friendly place to work, and the firm does a lot of pro bono representation.) Lawyers and law professors as a class of people generally like civil rights, although as Katie will tell you, there are exceptions!
Spot has told you before, gentle readers, that Katie will try to cram almost anything up your arse using “we were attacked by terrorists” as the tamping rod. Letting the military off the hook for its bigotry is just the latest example.
Tags: Katherine Kersten hearts don't ask, don't tell
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