I have frequently criticized the American Bar Association for being excessively woke. It claims to represent the legal profession, but its policy positions reflect solely those of the left wing of the profession:
The ABA committee that evaluates nominees to the federal bench consistently treats liberal judicial nominees better than conservative ones.
The ABA has supported:
Abortion rights
Affirmative action
Gun control
Claims that the ERA has been adopted
The ABA council that accredits law schools has adopted a slew of mandates over the years relating to DEI and other issues that reflect progressive policy preferences.
A Heritage Foundation report on the ABA accreditation council details not only the council’s political biases but also the way it protects the legal profession cartel, documenting mandates that “serve the interest of ABA members while increasing costs for students.” In sum, the report concludes (correctly IMHO), that “the ABA uses its accreditation standards to infringe on law schools’ autonomy in ways that serve its own interests rather than the interests of students.”
The ABA Caves
Back in May, I reported that the ABA was considering ditching at least its DEI mandates in order to retain its status as the main law school accreditation body:
American Bar Association May Ditch DEI to Retain Accreditor Status
The fifth episode of season 1 of HBO’s magnificent series Rome was entitled “The Ram has Touched the Wall.” The title was taken from the Latin phrase Murum aries attigit describing the Roman military policy in which, once a battering ram touched a city's walls, all offers of surrender were revoked and no mercy was shown to the defenders.
According to Bloomberg, the ABA has now done so:
An American Bar Association council that accredits law schools voted Tuesday to kill a diversity, equity and inclusion rule for law schools in a bid to protect its accreditation powers.
The now defunct rule, known as Standard 206, had required law schools to show “concrete” action toward gender- and race-based diversity and inclusion for students, faculty, and staff.
“The Council believes that national accreditation of law schools is in the best interests of law students, the legal profession, and the public, and we can best serve in this role with continued recognition by state supreme courts and the Department of Education,” council chair Melissa Hart said in a statement. “Repealing Standard 206 was necessary to preserve recognition by a growing number of state courts as well as the Department.”
So it seems that the ABA’s commitment to woke policies is skin deep.
Not a Profile in Courage
I recently ran across something actress and activist Alexandra Paul said about the folks who hold views different from hers:1
I actually respect folks who stand up for their beliefs — even if I disagree with them — more than the folks who do not care, are afraid to 'get involved', or who cannot be bothered. I admire passion and commitment. A woman once told me she could not watch those slaughterhouse videos because she 'loves animals so much' and it would upset her. I would prefer to hang out with a hunter who believes he is doing the right thing, than a wuss like her.
I get that. I admire it. I agree with it (not the part about veganism, of course).
So, candidly, I view the ABA with even greater disdain today than yesterday. It abandoned its purported principles, which it imposed with such smug sanctimony, so as to protect its position as the chief gatekeeper to the profession.
Spineless upper class twits.
Don’t ask how. It’s a long story that started off with looking up something about Stephen King and then following a small legion of clicks.