Tom Kirvan
Legal News, Editor-in-Chief
Legal News, Editor-in-Chief
“For Whom the Bell Tolls” is arguably Ernest Hemingway’s greatest novel, although the title of the 1940 book about the travails of an American munitions’ expert during the Spanish Civil War actually dates to 17th century England.
The phrase, according to literary historians, was coined by English writer John Donne in 1624 and is part of the sentence, “Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore, never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.”
Here endeth the literary lesson for the day.
But not quite.
In fact, we also could use a refresher course in history, especially at a time when technology has promoted a sense of interconnectedness and has brought the world to virtually everyone’s doorstep.
Donne’s words have been given modern-day meaning in the wake of the seemingly unending bloodshed in the Middle East and the corresponding tragic loss of life that reverberates around the globe.
The writings of Donne also contained what would become another famous phrase, “no man is an island,” serving as a reminder that no one is separate from this metaphorical “continent” that connects all of humanity.
It dovetails neatly with the concept of “six degrees of separation,” a curious phenomenon built upon the premise that “all people on average are six, or fewer, social connections away from each other.”
Little more than a century ago, the “war to end all wars” came to a merciful end at a cost of 18 million lives, spawning a League of Nations created in the hope of preventing future worldwide conflicts.
Some two decades later, a second world war broke out, lasting six years and claiming tens of millions of casualties. In its aftermath, the United Nations was formed, ostensibly to prevent history from repeating itself yet again.
All this means that we – no matter our race, origin, or cultural background – have a stake in the nation’s future and should feel a sense of responsibility to be good stewards of a civilized society.
Which is why it’s important to support the work of a Boston-based organization, Lawyers Defending American Democracy. Its mission is centered on upholding the rule of law, and correspondingly to become a powerful force in promoting the fundamental concepts of freedom, liberty, justice, and equal opportunity for all.
In a recent mailing, LDAD promised to address a number of challenges in the year ahead.
“We will expand our compelling focus on Project 2025, the extremist blueprint for dismantling the justice system and federal agencies, and that seeks to erase important legal rights,” LDAD officials wrote. “We know that the architects of this manifesto will serve in key roles to implement an agenda that seeks to eliminate statutes, rules, norms, and freedoms that have been built over decades during Republican and Democratic administrations alike.”
Secondly, “We will speak out to support Senators of both parties who are resisting efforts to circumvent the Senate’s constitutional role in approving appointees to the Executive Branch,” they pledge.
“We will continue our focus on the Supreme Court and will speak out when it fails to enforce its own ethics code, issues opinions that reflect an extreme agenda while abandoning long-held precedents, and subverts transparency through an over-reliance on its ‘Shadow Docket,’” LDAD officials stated.
Notably, officials said that “we have plans to expand our outreach to lawyers and bar associations across the country, seeking their active engagement in protecting the rule of law,” while providing “other ways for lawyers to fulfill their obligation to the justice system at a time when it has never been more critical.”
The organization’s efforts hopefully will ensure that elected officials are representing the collective voice of the voters, not the select wishes of an elite few or a fringe group with a political axe to grind.
Otherwise, the funeral bell that tolls for democracy’s death also portends what figures to be history’s darkest chapter yet, an ending that we need to do everything in our power to prevent.
The phrase, according to literary historians, was coined by English writer John Donne in 1624 and is part of the sentence, “Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore, never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.”
Here endeth the literary lesson for the day.
But not quite.
In fact, we also could use a refresher course in history, especially at a time when technology has promoted a sense of interconnectedness and has brought the world to virtually everyone’s doorstep.
Donne’s words have been given modern-day meaning in the wake of the seemingly unending bloodshed in the Middle East and the corresponding tragic loss of life that reverberates around the globe.
The writings of Donne also contained what would become another famous phrase, “no man is an island,” serving as a reminder that no one is separate from this metaphorical “continent” that connects all of humanity.
It dovetails neatly with the concept of “six degrees of separation,” a curious phenomenon built upon the premise that “all people on average are six, or fewer, social connections away from each other.”
Little more than a century ago, the “war to end all wars” came to a merciful end at a cost of 18 million lives, spawning a League of Nations created in the hope of preventing future worldwide conflicts.
Some two decades later, a second world war broke out, lasting six years and claiming tens of millions of casualties. In its aftermath, the United Nations was formed, ostensibly to prevent history from repeating itself yet again.
All this means that we – no matter our race, origin, or cultural background – have a stake in the nation’s future and should feel a sense of responsibility to be good stewards of a civilized society.
Which is why it’s important to support the work of a Boston-based organization, Lawyers Defending American Democracy. Its mission is centered on upholding the rule of law, and correspondingly to become a powerful force in promoting the fundamental concepts of freedom, liberty, justice, and equal opportunity for all.
In a recent mailing, LDAD promised to address a number of challenges in the year ahead.
“We will expand our compelling focus on Project 2025, the extremist blueprint for dismantling the justice system and federal agencies, and that seeks to erase important legal rights,” LDAD officials wrote. “We know that the architects of this manifesto will serve in key roles to implement an agenda that seeks to eliminate statutes, rules, norms, and freedoms that have been built over decades during Republican and Democratic administrations alike.”
Secondly, “We will speak out to support Senators of both parties who are resisting efforts to circumvent the Senate’s constitutional role in approving appointees to the Executive Branch,” they pledge.
“We will continue our focus on the Supreme Court and will speak out when it fails to enforce its own ethics code, issues opinions that reflect an extreme agenda while abandoning long-held precedents, and subverts transparency through an over-reliance on its ‘Shadow Docket,’” LDAD officials stated.
Notably, officials said that “we have plans to expand our outreach to lawyers and bar associations across the country, seeking their active engagement in protecting the rule of law,” while providing “other ways for lawyers to fulfill their obligation to the justice system at a time when it has never been more critical.”
The organization’s efforts hopefully will ensure that elected officials are representing the collective voice of the voters, not the select wishes of an elite few or a fringe group with a political axe to grind.
Otherwise, the funeral bell that tolls for democracy’s death also portends what figures to be history’s darkest chapter yet, an ending that we need to do everything in our power to prevent.
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