Thanksgiving Roundup

So many fun things have happened recently!  My cousin Dana was in town for a conference the weekend before last, so we went on a long walk to see all of the monuments and memorials on the Mall at night.  The FDR Memorial continues to be my all-time favorite.  Also that weekend, Cal played Stanfurd in the Big Game.  Alas, we did not win, but Jess and I had a good time at Spider Kelly's in Arlington with Mike, who hosted a pre-game party since he lives right by the bar.

I only had class on Monday and Tuesday, but I was working hard because I had a draft of my Law of War paper due.  So, it was a welcome relief to have the remainder of the week off for Thanksgiving!  I wish I had time to fly home to California, but it takes so long, costs a lot, and I'll be home in three weeks anyhow. I cannot wait to be in the Bay Area next year; maybe I'll host Thanksgiving for my family!

My dear friend Alissa (whom I've known since middle school) made the day before Thanksgiving memorable by inviting me to join her family vacation to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter!  This is, of course, the Harry Potter theme park that is a part of the Universal Orlando Islands of Adventure.  Her family had managed to get free tickets, and included me!  I had just enough frequent flyer miles to make it to Orlando and back, so I flew down on Wednesday morning and made it back just in time for Thanksgiving the following morning.  It was a whirlwind day, to say the least!  We saw the Hogwarts Express, strolled the streets of Hogsmeade, drank butterbeer, ate lunch at the Three Broomsticks, shopped at Dervish and Banges, flew on a hippogriff and even went inside the Hogwarts castle!  It was incredible.  Photos are here.  I would very much like to live there.  If only...

Thanksgiving day was lovely, because Sister Dorinda always hosts a big Thanksgiving dinner for all of the law students who cannot go home for the holiday.  I was most excited about Thanksgiving because it means it's almost time to go home for Christmas!  I'll be back in three weeks.  In the meantime, Jess and I decorated our apartment for the season.

Last night, Jess and I took advantage of the holiday season by going on a nighttime candlelit tour of Mount Vernon, George Washington's home!  I had been there many times, but never at night.  It started off in the lobby with twelve Christmas trees decorated to represent different aspects of George Washington and Mount Vernon.  We then went outside and enjoyed hot apple cider and ginger cookies served to us by costumed actors.  There were large fires in cauldrons, a choir singing carols from the 18th century, and even a Christmas camel!  Then, we went on our tour of Mount Vernon, where we met a guest's female servant, Martha Washington, a female house slave, the Washingtons' granddaughter Nelly, one of the male guests, and a servant in the kitchen.  The actors were all incredible!  There was also 18th century dancing in the greenhouse.  We were very impressed with everything that the tour included, and would recommend it to anyone looking for a study break!  It's only an hour long.  More photos here.

I'm so glad that the weekend isn't over yet, because I have a lot of work to do!  There are many papers to write, but I will try to not let that get in the way of enjoying the season.  Peace, friends.

SCOTUS

Today, I saw an oral argument at the Supreme Court!  My Public Interest Advocacy professor, Deepak Gupta, was arguing for the respondents in AT&T Mobility v. Conception.  The case raises the question of the enforceability of class action bans in employment and consumer contracts.  SCOTUSblog gives a plain English summary of the issue:

Parties may sometimes settle disputes through arbitration, rather than litigation. When the dispute involves numerous similarly situated individuals, a few individuals may conduct the arbitration on behalf of the larger groups (similar to a class action lawsuit). Does the Federal Arbitration Act prohibit states from mandating that class arbitration be available as a part of every arbitration agreement?

It was very exciting to actually see a full oral argument.  I attempted to attend an oral argument during my 1L year, but I did not arrive early enough to be seated for the full argument.  They only let in the first 50 or so people, whilst the rest are relegated to a line that cycles through the back-most seats in three-minute intervals.  Thus, for this oral argument, I was determined to get in line early enough to get a seat!  My classmate and fellow journal member Amy and I met at the Supreme Court shortly before 6:00 am, and were the first two people in line.  (Full disclosure: I was actually the fifth person, but persons two through four let me cut in line to be with Amy, who was legitimately first in line.)  We got there waaaaay earlier than was necessary, but made some friends in line while waiting for the sun to rise and warm us up.  Amy went on a coffee run at one point, thank goodness.  Around 7:20 am, they handed out little cards with numbers on them so that we wouldn't have to stay in line:

Sadly, they didn't let us keep the cards, but at least I got a photo.  At 7:30 am, the Supreme Court cafeteria opened, and most people in line (around 65 people at that point) went inside because it was so chilly.  (Marble is cold to stand upon--go figure!)  Around 8:15 am, we went back outside, because the security guards warned us that the line sometimes moves as early as 8:30 am.  However, the line didn't move until 9:00 am, at which point we went through security, put all of our belongings in lockers, and then went through some more security.  Finally, at 9:25 am, we entered the courtroom!  I have been in the courtroom several times before, but I always appreciate the grandeur of the room.  The sense of justice is nearly palpable!

The justices entered the courtroom promptly at 10:00 am.  It was very exciting to see the newest additions to the court, Justices Sotomayor and Kagan.  Before the proceedings began, they swore in a bunch of lawyers to the Supreme Court bar--so jealous!  Members of the bar don't have to wait in line, and get to sit closer.  I truly enjoyed watching my professor argue before the Supreme Court; I think he did a great job, and handled tough questions from Chief Justice Roberts exceedingly well, especially given that it was his first time arguing before the Supreme Court.  I would have been so nervous!  Later this afternoon, I attended a panel discussion with my professor and a couple of authors of amicus briefs, which was very interesting.  I have no idea which way the court will come out on the issue.  It seems that Justices Breyer, Ginsburg, Sotomayor, and Kagan were on the respondents' side, but it's difficult to tell whether they can get a fifth vote--perhaps the mysterious Justice Thomas?

Anyhow, Amy and I had a wonderful time, and I highly recommend the experience to anyone in D.C. who doesn't mind getting up early.  Now, if I could only find a way to get a White House tour (I've been on a waiting list with Eshoo's office for two years), my government branches experience would be complete!

October

I completely neglected to post last month, which is a testament to the busyness of this semester.  Here are some highlights.

I saw the National Symphony Orchestra perform Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, which was incredible.

I went to Paradise Springs Winery in Clifton, VA, with Brad and Marie, and enjoyed a gorgeous, lazy afternoon in which we were only slightly harassed by bees.

I was an usher at the Red Mass.  I escorted important people (e.g., diplomats from other countries) to their seats, and even got to shake hands with Justice Scalia!

I met some awesome Dominican brothers at an event the CSA held for the Feast of the Holy Rosary.

For Columbus Day weekend, I went to Boston for the first time, and saw Matthew and Tiffany!  Highlights included Harvard Square, the JFK Presidential Library, the Institute of Contemporary Art, the Boston Public Library, the Boston Symphony Orchestra (performing Mahler's Symphony No. 2, Resurrection), MIT, the Freedom Trail, Old Ironsides (a.k.a., the U.S.S. Constitution), the Museum of Science, and apple picking with Theresa. See all of my photos, with lovely captions, here.

I went for a hike with Jess and Gabe at Great Falls Park.  Photos here.

I had a job interview through DOJ Honors to be a judicial law clerk with the San Francisco Immigration Court.  Keep your fingers crossed!

My Fact-Finding Mission officially decided that we'll be going to Jamaica in January to do research related to the repatriation of persons with mental disabilities.

Jess and I saw All's Well that Ends Well at the Shakespeare Theatre Company (and thus, I get to check that off of my D.C. to-do list, yay).

I began to study for the MPRE, the lawyer's ethics exam, which I will be taking on Saturday.

I rallied to restore Sanity!

I went as Brian Wilson for Halloween, and the Giants WON THE WORLD SERIES! Coincidence? I think not.

That's all for now, folks.  November shows no signs of slowing down.  Four weeks until finals?  Madness!

Thinking About What I Saw

Today, I decided to spend some time at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM). The permanent exhibition is divided up into three floors: the Holocaust (1933-1939),  the "Final Solution" (1940-1945) and the Last Chapter. The Nazi propaganda about the so-called "science" of race was disturbing, as was the scale model of the gas chambers at Auschwitz-Birkenau. The exhibition allows you to walk through a musty rail car, inviting you to imagine what it would be like to be crammed in and shipped off to a ghetto, concentration camp, or killing center. The USHMM has a much different feel from other museums in DC; while crowded, it was very quiet, and there were very few children. There seemed to be a collective understanding amongst the museum-goers that we had come to be ongoing witnesses to the atrocities that had occurred, and I was impressed by the respect and introspection that ensued.

Beyond educating the public about the horrific events of the Holocaust, what impresses me the most about the museum is how it connects those events to the contemporary considerations of international human rights, including genocide, crimes against humanity, and protection for refugees. In particular, I think it is important to explore the Holocaust in terms of the world's failure to provide asylum to the Jewish refugees attempting to escape from Germany. The United States' immigration policy, for example, was exceedingly slow to change to accommodate the significant number of refugees, leading to tragedy, as with the voyage of the St. Louis. As the USHMM Holocaust Encyclopedia explains:

In a highly publicized event in May-June 1939, the United States refused to admit over 900 Jewish refugees who had sailed from Hamburg, Germany, on the St. Louis. The St. Louis appeared off the coast of Florida shortly after Cuban authorities cancelled the refugees' transit visas and denied entry to most of the passengers, who were still waiting to receive visas to enter the United States. Denied permission to land in the United States, the ship was forced to return to Europe. The governments of Great Britain, France, the Netherlands, and Belgium each agreed to accept some of the passengers as refugees. Of the 908 St. Louis passengers who returned to Europe, 254 (nearly 28 percent) are known to have died in the Holocaust. 288 passengers found refuge in Britain. Of the 620 who returned to the continent, 366 (just over 59 percent) are known to have survived the war.

I cannot imagine a world without the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, which prohibits the refoulement (return) of refugees to places where their life or freedom would be threatened on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. Visiting the USHMM today was an affirmation for me of the importance of refugee law issues to which I hope to devote my legal career.

When I stepped out of the USHMM, I was momentarily stunned by the relative brightness of the sunny day. I went for a walk to mull over what I had seen, and took some photographs along the Mall.  I'll conclude this post with a couple of classic shots.

Koi Oh Koi

In the right-hand column of my blog, as you can see, I have added many new items to my DC to-do list.  Having covered most of the more obvious DC adventures to be had, my list grows ever more obscure.  Actually, I've already checked off a few of the new items on my list!

For instance, Jess and I had lunch at the Mitsitam Café of the National Museum of the American Indian a couple of weeks ago.  The Native American food is organized by region, and is so delicious!  I opted for the Indian Taco, a dish from the Great Plains region that consisted of buffalo chili on fry bread with pickled chiles and pinto beans, lettuce, tomato and shredded cheese.  Wow, just wow.  First off, fry bread is incredible; it's kind of like naan, but much thicker and softer.  Also, I very much enjoyed the buffalo meat.  It seemed leaner than beef, and the flavor was great in the chili.  After lunch, I explored the museum itself.  I loved the art, and was particularly amazed by the bead work on display.  I bought myself a little owl made from a gourd in the gift shop, which has made a happy little home out of my school locker.

Jess and I had a great time at the National Arboretum yesterday.  Though there were trees aplenty, I was blown away by the koi pond and the bonsai trees.  Here are a few of my favorite photos:

The Arboretum sells koi food from a gum-ball machine dispenser.  For only 25 cents, you can entice dozens of koi to swim right up to you!

Their colors were gorgeous, and some of the koi were huge!

These bonsai trees are incredible.  Some of them are over 350 years old!

My favorites were the bonsai trees that looked like small forests.  This one has its own little path!  As Jess aptly put it, they look like dioramas.

After the Arboretum, we checked off another item on my to-do list by eating French fries with ranch dressing at The Tombs, a popular haunt for Georgetown undergrads.  The fries were just as delicious as they rumors had made them out to be.  The atmosphere of the place is... well, an undergrad bar/restaurant with sticky floors and no windows (because it's in a basement).  Some people tout the place as a great study spot, but I could not see myself getting work done there, even with free wifi.

We rounded out our Saturday afternoon with a spontaneous trip to the National Cathedral.  I had last visited in the spring of my 1L year, so it was nice to visit again.  The stained glass is so beautiful.  The Bishop's Garden seemed a bit small after the Arboretum--right down to its tiny koi pond--but it smelled wonderful, and we loved the little boy who shrieked with unadulterated delight when he got to pet two lovely chocolate brown labrador retrievers.  All in all, Jess and I had a fantastic, relaxing Saturday that renewed our spirits for the inevitable busyness of the week to come.

International Read a Book Day

In response to Burn a Qur'an Day, two of my friends from high school, Nathan and Isaiah Sage, put together International Read a Book Day. It's a great idea: instead of burning books, let's read them! Check out their video:



I love this idea, and decided to participate by reading an excerpt from The Imitation of Christ, by Thomas à Kempis:



I hope that you, too, will reject Burn a Qur'an Day by reading a book on Saturday. Also, check out the Facebook group and YouTube channel for International Read a Book Day!

Bouquet of Newly Sharpened Pencils

The start of a new school year always makes me think of Tom Hanks' quote from You've Got Mail about wanting to give Meg Ryan a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils.  Last week was my first week of school, so I thought I'd tell you a little bit about my classes...

Public Interest Advocacy is a seminar about the public interest law movement.  As a future public interest attorney (I hope), I'm excited to learn more about the history of the movement, and to discuss possible answers to tough questions, including what is in the public interest, and who gets to decide.  My professor is arguing before the Supreme Court this semester, and invited us all to come watch!

I am both intimidated and invigorated by my Law of War seminar.  My professor used to run West Point's law of war program, and almost everyone in my class is active military (with an especially high number of Navy JAG officers).  Meanwhile, I am taking the class because of my interest in how the law of armed conflict (a.k.a., international humanitarian law) interacts with international human rights.  I think this class will challenge me to articulate my viewpoints, and will broaden my perspective on some arduous issues facing us in the context of 21st century terrorism.

My International Law of Labor and Employment class is more along the lines of international law classes that I have taken in the past.  Actually, it feels a bit like a throwback to my International Political Economy courses at Cal.  However, I am new to labor law issues, and thus am looking forward to learning more about the ILO, sweatshops, migrant workers, child labor, and the plethora of multilateral treaties attempting to address these human rights concerns.

As I mentioned back in April, I was accepted into the Human Rights Institute/Georgetown Human Rights Action 2010-2011 fact-finding mission on the safe repatriation of persons with mental disabilities.  This includes a year-long Human Rights Fact-Finding Seminar with two professors and a fellow for only nine of us students.  It is going to be a lot of work, but well worth the effort.  We'll be researching all fall, traveling somewhere (TBA, possibly Mexico or Guatemala?) for a week in January to do on-the-ground interviews with persons who have experiences these issues, and then writing our report in the spring, followed by advocacy efforts related to our findings.  It's basically like running our own project within an NGO for a year, but getting course credit. I'm very excited!

I am also getting credit this semester for an awesome externship, but my employers have asked us to refrain from publicizing our positions online.  I will say that I am getting excellent experience in immigration law, and am thrilled to finally have broken into this field, as I am so interested in refugee and asylum issues.  If you're curious, I'd be happy to discuss offline.

Lastly, I am taking a one-unit seminar on The Practicing Lawyer and the Poor, which looks at the Catholic social teaching on the preferential option for the poor.  We'll be discussing the moral obligations of lawyers in the context of domestic and global poverty, which are issues very close to my heart.  We only meet four times during the semester--including once at our professor's house!--so I cannot yet comment on the class itself.  However, in preparation for our first class, I am currently reading Tracy Kidder's book Mountains Beyond Mountains, which details the incredible biography of Dr. Paul Farmer, a doctor-anthropologist who founded a health center and hospital in the small derelict village of Cange, Haiti.  I'm only ten chapters in, but am already captivated by the questions that Dr. Farmer's actions raise for me--especially whether it is possible to give enough, or indeed, too much of oneself.

So, that does it for classes.  My other major responsibilities for the year are Managing Editor for the Georgetown Journal on Poverty Law and Policy, and Co-Chair of the Catholic Student Association.  We had a wonderful time orienting our new staff editors for the Poverty Law Journal last week, including a rousing game of Bluebook Bingo!  (To my law school/lawyer readers: who else is excited about the Rule 18 revisions in the new 19th edition of the Bluebook, by the way?!)  The CSA is off to a good start as well; we had a well-attended pancake brunch after last Sunday's Mass of the Holy Spirit.

I also had time for fun non-academic things last week, but ironically my academics prevent me from delving into them at this juncture.  To be continued, with exciting tales of two birthdays, one symphony, and zero boredom!