Statement on the attack on the rule of law
January 6, 2021
Like many of you, we have been watching the violence unfolding in our nation’s capital with a combination of profound sadness and outrage. As a law school community, we hold dear the right of everyone to peacefully express their political views. But we must condemn, in absolute terms, the violence and domestic terror that darkened our country today. There is no place in our constitutional republic for this indefensible assault on the rule of law and the peaceful transfer of power.
In the wake of this assault, it may be tempting for us to lose faith in the strength of our legal institutions, including the primacy of elections and the centrality of rational discourse based on evidence. But we must not give in to that temptation. As law students, attorneys, and legal educators at this critical historic juncture, we have a heightened moral and professional obligation to use our unique Loyola training to stand steady against this kind of attack on our constitutional order. And in our unique beloved community, we must and will act together with renewed resolve to protect the rule of law as a vehicle for justice and peace.
Let us be reminded of our renewed mission:
- to educate students to be responsible and compassionate lawyers, judges, and law-related leaders in an increasingly diverse and interdependent world;
- to prepare graduates who will be ethical advocates for justice and equity, who will lead efforts to dismantle the legal, economic, political, and social structures that generate and sustain racism and all forms of oppression, and who will advance a rule of law that promotes social justice; and
- to contribute to a deeper understanding of law, legal institutions, and systems of oppression through a commitment to transformation, intersectionality, and anti-subordination in our teaching, research, scholarship, and public service.
With great hope and gratitude,
Michael J. Kaufman, Dean
Zelda Harris, Associate Dean, Academic Affairs
James Faught, Associate Dean, Administration
Giselle Santibanez-Bania, Assistant Dean, Student Services
Josie Gough, Assistant Dean for Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity
