My first job out of law school was working for an appellate justice in Austin, Texas. My boss had a sign in her office that said: "Equality, Justice, Freedom: without Lawyers, these words mean nothing."
As a lawyer, I strived to make this saying a reality, and, as a Judge, I do so even harder. Every day, Judges make critical decisions affecting people's lives, and I see my daily task is to ensure that Equality, Justice and Freedom really mean something to all people, no matter their station in life.
It is often said that we are the product of our experiences. This is only half true - we are not just the product of our own individual experiences, but of those who came before us as well. From my earliest memories, I recall family stories of overcoming injustices: An aunt in Amsterdam whose parents were sent to Nazi death camps and who was forced, as a child, to walk a dangerous journey to Switzerland; An entire family who hid for years in an underground well in Poland, coming out at night hoping to forage for food and not get caught by the German occupation; an Uncle who graduated from Columbia Law School on the GI Bill, having proudly served his County in WWII, unable to find employment in Dallas upon his return because the Dallas Law Firms of the time would not hire Jews. In sum, I have never forgotten my roots, and understand, as if it were encoded in my DNA, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s declaration that, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."
In 2006, I decided to run for judge because I have always believed in the calling of public service, and in the belief that helping our common purpose of humanity is a noble goal. A generation ago, our President called upon us to "Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country." For me, with my set of skills, talents, and abilities, the answer is to be a judge: an efficient, knowledgeable, and understanding judge - one that will ensure that Equality, Justice and Freedom are not mere words. This has always been my dream. One man's vision may be a dream, but together with his community, it can become a reality. I want to thank you for helping this dream become a reality.
Judge Carl Ginsberg