“The angry accusations — and the power of the media to bring that anger and intemperance into every home in this country — frighten me,” Poritz continued. “When the country’s leaders do not understand the importance of an independent judiciary, or worse, seek to control or politicize the judiciary, then our system of laws is undermined.”

“The continuing fight for an independent judiciary is your fight too. It is your challenge now.”

Patricia Viseur Sellers L’79, a trial attorney at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the recipient of an honorary fellowship from the Law School, echoed Poritz’s ideological challenge. She cited genocide cases she worked on and lauded the courageous few who fought to end such atrocities, imploring the class of 2006 to follow their moral compasses.