Today, I am thankful for those who keep us on the straight and narrow, avoiding the extremes in life.
A few years back, my wife and I ventured to Athens for a business trip. We arrived a few days early to the capital city of my motherland so we might visit with some family and partake in some of the amazing historical artifacts. On the Sunday before the commencement of my conference, we decided to join a touring expedition to the ancient city of Delphi, where the famous Oracle resides on the southern side of Mount Parnassus. This craggy outpost is not exactly in the most opportune locations. Situated on the side of a precipitous slope, Delphi will test your aerobic capacity, as you climb upwards from the entrance to a plateau where the Temple of Apollo once resided. According to tradition, Delphi was chosen by the king of all the Greek gods, Zeus. Seeking to find the center of Mother Earth, known as Gaia, the omnipotent ruler released two eagles from the heavens, from two distant, extreme locations. Where they would cross would symbolize where the navel of Gaia must reside. So, as the eagles finally crossed over the southern side of Mount Parnassus, the Greeks built the Temple to Apollo, where many of my ancient ancestors would travel to seek knowledge about the future. Inscribed at the entrance to the temple was a fitting phrase to serve as a reminder to all those entering to seek enlightenment: μηδὲν ἄγαν, or ‘Nothing in Excess’. The Greeks believed life should be lived to its fullest, but, with the full understanding that individuals often needed to ‘moderate’ the choices they made.
Our forefathers created the foundation of the United States government on this same principle of balance of power. The three branches outlined in the US Constitution have various ‘checks’ in the system to ensure that no one entity (the Executive, Legislative, or Judicial) can assume ultimate control. I receive comfort in the knowledge that the system has worked successfully for nearly 250 years, and I entrust it will do so for many years to come.
All that said, the Constitution is not perfect. Our political system, with its two extremes of political parties, has evolved to a point that might raise the chagrin and ire of the ancient Greeks. Sadly, as time has passed, the Democratic and Republican Parties have entrenched themselves in their own corners, rarely reaching across the aisle to exhibit compromise and moderation. These days, it’s rare to find a situation where the ‘two eagles might cross.’ Moreover, the US political system is predominantly dominated by the white male. Sadly, none of the 44 United States presidents has ever been of the female gender, and only one has been of African American race. Things are slightly better on the US Supreme Court, where 2 women (reduced by 1 with the passing of RBG) and 1 African American man help to fill out the 9 seats. However, this was not the case until relatively recently. It wasn’t until Thurgood Marshall joined the US Supreme Court this month in 1967 that the highest court in the land saw its first sign of diversity. It would be another 14 years before Sandra Day O’Connor would become the first woman selected to the bench.
As I think about moderation, I frequently turn to the life of first female Supreme Court Justice. Born 90 years ago in Texas, O’Connor grew up on a ranch, where she learned how to navigate a highly male-dominated society early in her life. In 1950, she graduated with a degree in Economics from Stanford University, where she would also receive her law degree a few years later. Despite finishing third academically in her class, she struggled to find a job in the then male-dominated legal profession of the 1950s. So, she accepted a job as a San Mateo county attorney, with no pay, just to get requisite legal experience. She eventually moved to Frankfurt, Germany, where she could garner further experience as a civil lawyer. After returning to the US, she opened a private legal practice before being recognized for her intellectual acumen and sound philosophy. In due time, she was selected as the Arizona Assistant Attorney General in 1965. After a few years as an Arizona state senator, she was elected as judge to the Maricopa County Superior Court in Phoenix, Arizona.
What I admire most about Justice O’Connor is that she never wavered in her even-keeled philosophy. She was highly respected for her moderate thinking, devoid of any extreme viewpoints. So, when President Ronald Reagan selected her to sit on the US Supreme Court in 1981, she received unanimous support, 99-0, from the US Senate. What the world quickly realized is that Sandra Day O’Connor made decisions without the influence of politics. She quickly became recognized as a fair, firm, and thoughtful member of the Supreme Court. Moreover, because she was not apt to go to extremes, she served as a crucial swing vote in key controversies, such as Mississippi University for Women v. Hogan, Planned Parenthood v. Casey, and Bush v. Gore. When her husband fell ill with Alzheimer’s Disease, Justice O’Connor stepped away from the bench in 2006. As she cared for her husband, she also introduced a new program called iCivics, dedicated to teaching middle school students about the core principles of government and civil responsibility. She’d inspire thousands of young girls to pursue careers dedicated to law and social service. Eventually, in a letter issued this day (Oct 23) in 2018, Justice O’Connor would effectively retire. In that note, she noted that her decision was predicated on her having early signs of Alzheimer’s dementia.
Although Justice O’Connor is no longer in the public limelight, she still serves as a beacon of justice, one who sat at the crossroads of disparate viewpoints. In a world dominated by the fractionated extremes, she taught us that a little moderation goes a long way.
Somewhere on the side of Mount Parnassus, I’m sure the Oracle is smiling.
Comentarios