Our country’s fundamental differences are reflected in an ongoing war in our body politic that precedes the rise of our current president. My supervisor at the Oregon Department of Justice would occasionally refer to a case as a “white hat case” to denote that it furthered a pro-social objective. However, his classification brought up a crucial and difficult question: Who are the good guys in society—those who oppose the government or the government itself?
Today, as a public defense lawyer, I have made up my mind. I respond that a liberal is only a conservative who has been wrongfully prosecuted while my friends joke that a conservative is just a liberal who has been robbed. The truth is more nuanced, though, if I am being intellectually honest. I stand up for those people who are in dire need of accountability as well as others who are in dire need of food, housing, and medical attention. The government is, of course, the clear supplier of these necessities.
Public defenders in Multnomah County have been unfairly maligned by the district attorney, who has blamed us for structural issues that are out of our control. In actuality, we serve as a check on government overreach, guaranteeing that justice is served fairly rather than necessarily quickly.
A public defender’s vocation is to show compassion for those society considers undeserving, charity for the weak, and generosity even toward those who harm others. Both those who support and oppose the government are good individuals. However, the government is ultimately the more powerful entity, and accountability is necessary when power is high.
Portland’s Weston Koyama
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