Scalia skewers graduation platitudes at granddaughter's commencement
Justice Antonin Scalia poked fun at commencement platitudes in an address at the graduation for one of his 36 grandchildren last Thursday.
Scalia told graduates at Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart in Bethesda, Maryland, that they are not, contrary to common wisdom, facing unprecedented challenges. “Humanity has been around for at least some 5,000 years or so, and I doubt that the basic challenges as confronted are any worse now, or alas even much different, from what they ever were,” he said. The Washington Post covered his address.
The standard advice—never compromise your principles—can also be wrong, Scalia said. “Never compromise your principles,” Scalia said, “unless of course your principles are Adolf Hitler’s, in which case you would be well advised to compromise them as much as you can.”
Scalia also took issue with advice to believe deeply in something and follow that belief. “It is much less important how committed you are than what you are committed to,” Scalia said. “If I had to choose, I would always take the less dynamic, indeed even the lazy person, who knows what’s right rather than the zealot in the cause of error.”
Above the Law noted the speech and linked to the video.