Dear Readers:
I am currently in the same building as one Antonin Scalia. Soon we will even be in the same library, separated by a mere floor of books. I'm dressed appropriately to run into a SCOTUS justice of course, as one should be when presented with the opportunity to meet one. He's also giving a lecture tonight at the Harold Washington library. A lot of people aren't going, some of them because they don't agree with his opinions.
Neither do I. Part of my research this semester is on textualism, and Scalia is a very important textualist. I personally find this doctrine narrow, limiting, and defiant of actual legislative intent. However, this doesn't mean I don't want to hear him speak. First of all, it could be good for my research to hear his opinions on originalism and textualism. Second of all (and more importantly), you don't have to agree with someone to learn from them.
Now, I don't like to get preachy when I write, (see random pictures of puppies and videos of 80s songs,) but I do believe that everyone is entitled to their opinion and you should listen to it. You're never going to learn the weaknesses of your own argument if you don't listen to someone else's, regardless of how ridiculous you may think it is.* Use someone else's viewpoints to sharpen your own.
And be humble when it turns out you're wrong. It's okay to realize that maybe someone else's thoughts were better than yours. Use that information. Pick their brain, and let it lead you somewhere good or useful.
So while I don't agree with Scalia that all answers should be found in the "four corners" of a document, I'm excited to find out why he does believe that. And while I don't believe all of his opinions are good ones, I'm excited to hear how he arrived at them.
After all, you don't get to be a Supreme Court Justice by being stupid.
_____________________
*See, "We don't even HAVE 7-11s on the South Side!"
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