Yesterday, I was fortunate enough to attend a booksigning by Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, courtesy of the Colorado chapter of the Federalist Society. He was there to sign his book "Making Your Case", but his prefatory remarks were a general defense of originalism. Some other high moments:
- Justice Scalia, as is well noted elsewhere, is witheringly quick and clever. None of us who met him could believe he is 72 years old. He was equally at home eviscerating opponents or at dispensing cheerful advice on balancing work and home.
- I don't know if I'm breaking protocol by relaying this joke from the speech, but it demonstrates, without a doubt, the darkest sense of humor I've witnessed in a public servant of his stature. Here's a paraphrase:
"This last term my court had a case in front of it about the constitutionality of a Louisiana law proscribing the death penalty for child rapists. . .wait . . . no. Rapers of children. I don't suppose child rapists would get much time at all."
I was flabbered and gasted, I assure you.
- My goodness, does he have some depressing stories about the capricious nature of the court. Justice Scalia may be able to laugh about such anecdotes, but they merely managed to infuriate me. I'll relay some of them in the following days.
- Finally, Scalia represents, to me, the difference between intelligence and brilliance. Intelligent people in any field are able to ponder and discuss any number of related topics to the point of exhaustion. Brilliant people are able to discuss the same topics in a manner that is accomodating to laypeople and full of humor.
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