JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. –
On May 6, the 11th Wing Legal Office is slated to host a 5k run/walk for Law Day. The 5k run/walk will start at the Joint Base Andrew's West Fitness Center at 7:30 a.m. Law Day is celebrated in May every year to recognize the role and importance of law in our society. The Law Day theme for 2011 is "The Legacy of John Adams: From Boston to Guantanamo." This year's theme enables everyone to celebrate the legacy of John Adams, explore the historical and contemporary role of lawyers in defending the rights of the accused and renew our understanding of and appreciation for the fundamental principle of the rule of law.
John Adams, a Harvard-educated lawyer, was a remarkable politician, patriot, advocate, and diplomat. As a delegate in the First and Second Continental Congresses, Adams was a leader in the movement for independence. In 1797, Adams became the first lawyer-president. Adams was born in Massachusetts in 1735, and died at the age of 90 in 1826 on the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. His last words were believed to be "Thomas Jefferson survives," unaware that Jefferson had died a few hours earlier at Monticello.
John Adams is admired for his role in the Boston Massacre trials. The Boston Massacre signifies the event that took place on March 5, 1770, where British soldiers fired into a crowd of protesters. The protesters were American colonists under British rule, who actively resisted taxes imposed by the British Parliament. Adams represented the British soldiers, arguing self-defense and that the soldiers were protecting themselves from an unruly mob. Six of the eight soldiers were acquitted; the two who had been proven to fire their weapons were convicted of manslaughter.
John Adams' diligent representation of the widely unpopular British soldiers demonstrated Adams' firmly-held belief in the rule of law and defense of the rights of the accused, even in cases of unpopular and controversial clients. This principle of the rule of law was illustrated in some of Adams' writings, which famously referred to "a government of laws, not of men." This phrase served as a model for the United States Constitution and was quoted in the landmark Supreme Court decision Marbury v. Madison, which established judicial review, the federal courts' power to declare executive and legislative acts unconstitutional.
In an effort to celebrate the legacy of John Adams and the fundamental principle of the rule of law for Law Day, attend the 5k run/walk hosted by the 11th Wing Judge Advocates office. All ages are welcome. There is no registration fee.
Excerpts of this article are attributed to the ABA website located at: http://www.americanbar.org/groups/public_education/initiatives_awards/law_day.html