Doug Huffman
Banned
imported post
http://www.abajournal.com/news/camping_out_to_see_scotus_live/
Here’s some advice: If you are ever going to camp outside the U.S. Supreme Court to hear oral arguments in a high-profile case, as I did along with 100 or so others yesterday, wear two (or three) pairs of socks. Also, wear a suit, especially if you are lucky enough to have a press pass.
I did neither, which only added to my adventurous and exhausting 12-hour whirlwind tour of the court to hear Boumediene v. Bush and Al Odah v. United States, which were consolidated. I arrived at the steps of the grand courthouse at 2 a.m. to experience the pre-rock concert-like atmosphere with 52 others on the line seeking a coveted seat in the public viewing gallery.
I brought my tripod and video camera to collect documentary footage. Then I started interviewing those shuttling between sleeping bags and conversations that can only take place at the base of some of the world’s most famous steps in the middle of a deceivingly clear 20-degree night.
After a few conversations, what I found was that the maligned generation of millennials that has been written off as disaffected and self-absorbed is actually quite inspiring, if given the chance. There was a contingent of students from the University of Texas School of Law who flew to Washington from Austin with tickets purchased by their National Security & Human Rights Clinic, one of the law school clinics that represents Guantanamo Bay detainees. There was a group of George Washington University freshmen on line for the second time in a few weeks, motivated by their writing instructor. And, then there were the two German law students spending the semester at Georgetown, the Allen & Overy associates who flew down from New York, the pair of Yale law students, the high school teacher, the duo from SUNY New Paltz and a former JAG officer who flew in from Germany to hear the arguments.
“At a certain point, you get to know how the world works or how it is working right now for better or worse, but I hope it can be better,” says New Paltz senior Joshua Simons.
More>>> http://www.abajournal.com/news/camping_out_to_see_scotus_live/
http://www.abajournal.com/news/camping_out_to_see_scotus_live/
Here’s some advice: If you are ever going to camp outside the U.S. Supreme Court to hear oral arguments in a high-profile case, as I did along with 100 or so others yesterday, wear two (or three) pairs of socks. Also, wear a suit, especially if you are lucky enough to have a press pass.
I did neither, which only added to my adventurous and exhausting 12-hour whirlwind tour of the court to hear Boumediene v. Bush and Al Odah v. United States, which were consolidated. I arrived at the steps of the grand courthouse at 2 a.m. to experience the pre-rock concert-like atmosphere with 52 others on the line seeking a coveted seat in the public viewing gallery.
I brought my tripod and video camera to collect documentary footage. Then I started interviewing those shuttling between sleeping bags and conversations that can only take place at the base of some of the world’s most famous steps in the middle of a deceivingly clear 20-degree night.
After a few conversations, what I found was that the maligned generation of millennials that has been written off as disaffected and self-absorbed is actually quite inspiring, if given the chance. There was a contingent of students from the University of Texas School of Law who flew to Washington from Austin with tickets purchased by their National Security & Human Rights Clinic, one of the law school clinics that represents Guantanamo Bay detainees. There was a group of George Washington University freshmen on line for the second time in a few weeks, motivated by their writing instructor. And, then there were the two German law students spending the semester at Georgetown, the Allen & Overy associates who flew down from New York, the pair of Yale law students, the high school teacher, the duo from SUNY New Paltz and a former JAG officer who flew in from Germany to hear the arguments.
“At a certain point, you get to know how the world works or how it is working right now for better or worse, but I hope it can be better,” says New Paltz senior Joshua Simons.
More>>> http://www.abajournal.com/news/camping_out_to_see_scotus_live/