An Originalist: Justice Antonin Scalia (1936-2016)

Justice Scalia was my favorite Supreme Court Justice.  Not because of his unprecedented wisdom and intellect, but rather the conservative voice he believed in, often moving upstream against a barrage of liberal currents and obstacles.

This 'originalist' opinion was found in sharp contrast to the SCOTUS majority,  who favor more of a 'Living Constitution', a phrase he met with great disdain.

His witty and sarcastic remarks to fellow judges, contemporaries on the SC, law schools, etc.. extolled in written dissents to the 'mischief of" the majority opinion will be quoted for decades and perhaps centuries later.

Certainly, Justice Scalia never backed down on speaking his mind, even to the extent of espousing disdain for recent Presidential and Congressional decisions in speaking tours at colleges and universities, using sarcasm as his means of delivery.

Maragret Talbot, a journalist for the New Yorker, wrote a tribute, of sorts, to Justice Scalia in this article, published in 2005.  She wrote that Scalia, when compared to other Justices, was "most likely to offer the jurisprudential equivalent of smashing a guitar onstage".

Below are a list of a few of my favorite 'Scalia-isms':

Lee vs. Wessman (1992): (Public school-prayer issue where the Court found it unconstitutional)

I find it a sufficient embarrassment that our Establishment Clause jurisprudence regarding holiday displays has come to “requir[e] scrutiny more commonly associated with interior decorators than with the judiciary.” But interior decorating is a rock hard science compared to psychology practiced by amateurs

United States v. Virginia (1996): (Majority ruled against Virginia Military Institute admissions policy of male-only students)

If it were impossible for individual human beings (or groups of human beings) to act autonomously in effective pursuit of a common goal, the game of soccer would not exist

 Obergefell v. Hodges (2015): (Majority overturns state ban on gay marriage)

"It is one thing for separate concurring or dissenting opinions to contain extravagances, even silly extravagances, of thought and expression; it is something else for the official opinion of the Court to do so," he wrote, calling the opinion's "showy profundities ... often profoundly incoherent."

Justice Scalia was a devout Catholic and Christian, and I am sure today he will be welcomed home by  his Savior, and the cloud of witnesses before him.  Well done, good and faithful servant.

Grace & Peace
PLW

Legacy

Ever think about your legacy? What, who or how do you want to be remembered? Is that even important?

If all I am remembered for is being a good basketball player, then I've done a bad job at the rest of my life. (Isaiah Thomas, NBA)

Fancy bring remembered around the world for the invention of a mouse. (Walt Disney) 

Who really gives a damn about being remembered?  That's really for amateurs (Gore Vidal)

Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life.  Because almost everything - all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure- these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important.  Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose.  You are already naked.  There is no reason not to follow your heart. (Steve Jobs @ Stanford University, 2005) 

Timothy Keller in his book, Every Good Endeavor writes this:

Christians should be aware of this revolutionary understanding of the purpose of their work in the world. We are not to choose jobs and conduct our work to fulfill ourselves and accrue power, for being called by God to do something is empowering enough. We are to see work as a way of service to God and our neighbor, and so we should both choose and conduct our work in accordance with that purpose. The question regarding our choice of work is no longer, “What will make me the most money and give me the most status?” The question must now be “How with my existing abilities and opportunities, can I be of greatest service to other people, knowing what I do of God’s will and of human need?”

Luke 9:23-25 says this:

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?

I Thessalonians 1:3

Remembering before our God and Father, your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ

Understanding that we are called to a profession, job, marketplace by God is significant.  Embrace God's calling and work as unto the Lord.  Let that be your legacy.

Grace & Peace.

PLW