Dear Fordham Law Community,
I hope you are all safe. The events unfolding at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., are shocking to Americans across the country and to those around the world who look to the United States as a beacon of hope.
They are particularly dismaying to us in the legal profession, where commitment to our constitutional system is a bedrock principle as we work to further the project of American democracy.
As you know, at Fordham Law, we stress the ideal of service — of using our skills and talents as lawyers to advance the cause of justice through the rule of law. What is happening in Washington, D.C., today is an affront to the most basic principles of the rule of law and of American democracy.
One thing is abundantly clear: Our mission as a profession and as a Law School is more urgent now than ever before.
We will resolve this crisis, and there will be a transition of power in Washington, D.C., as prescribed by the Constitution. But today’s events underscore the importance of the work that we all must do as citizens and as lawyers to nurture our democratic institutions. We must set examples for how to work through disagreements and differences with understanding, compassion and reason. We must cherish our democracy, work to address its flaws and understand that although it is resilient, it cannot be taken for granted.
We will continue to be guided by our motto “in the service of others” and know that all of you will do your part to help our country learn from this experience and move forward.
Matthew Diller
Dean and Paul Fuller Professor of Law