The After-Dinner Chat
By Brad Williams
NYSILC
Executive Director
On Friday, July 30, 2004, I had
the privilege of introducing William Brown, the attorney who successfully
litigated the Tennessee v. Lane case before the U.S. Supreme Court, at a
conference sponsored by Taconic Resources, Inc. (TRI) at the FDR Museum in
Poughkeepsie. He, in turn, spoke about the case from his perspective and then
introduced George Lane - the primary plaintiff. Mr. Lane shared his ordeal with
the large number of people in attendance. He spoke from the heart. It was a
rare moment where timing and relevance unfolded. The event lived up to its
billing.
On a personal
level, I was extremely fortunate to be staying at the same hotel as both
gentlemen the night prior to the event. Cynthia Fiore, executive director of
TRI, set it up so I would connect with them for dinner, or perhaps a talk soon
after. They opted for an early dinner. Mr. Lane, tired from the travel, felt it
was best that he go back to his room to rest. I made eye contact with a man in
the lobby on my way to the front desk. Once I checked-in, I spun around to find
the same person, casually dressed, with his arm extend.
"Brad," he
inquired.
"Yes?"
"Bill Brown."
"It's a
pleasure to meet you," I replied. I shook his hand and smiled. Having never met
the man before, he didn't look like anything I imagined him to be. I guess I
expected to see a cross between William Wallace, the Scottish warrior portrayed
by actor Mel Gibson in the movie "Braveheart," and Al Pacino (i.e., "And
Justice for All," "Scent of a Woman"). Instead, "Bill" had a very calm demeanor
about him with a reassuring sense of confidence.
"I'm going to
check back in with George," he said with a mild Southern accent. "Why don't I
meet you back here in the lobby after you settle yourself in your room."
"See you in a
bit," I confirmed. We departed. I returned to find Bill molded into an easy
chair. He seemed rather content. After confirming the logistics for his
introduction, we engaged into a fascinating two-hour discussion of law and
public advocacy. I listened intently, especially when he acknowledged the most
crucial aspect of the case. It all came down to Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.
She represented the potential swing vote. In their research, the Justice
frequently expressed the belief that voting was the most fundamental right of
an American citizen. These instances were often made in reference to the
Suffragette movement. Brown's case soon became a quest of, "If voting is a
fundamental right, then what about the ability to physically appear before a
court of law?" In the end, Justice O'Connor sided with Bill Brown's reasoning
to help render a 5-4 decision in favor of the Plaintiff. They could now sue the
State of Tennessee in federal court for injunctive relief AND damages.
I was surprised
to hear that Bill Brown was already aware of the situation we faced in New York
regarding access to our voting rights. He encouraged us to change our focus.
Rather than proceed as agencies with technical expertise seeking injunctive
relief on voting access issues, it was time for individual citizens to record
specific incidents when they were not afforded full access to vote.
"What we
needed," Brown said, "Was a bunch of George Lanes'." Through this process, and
the Lane precedent, we could establish that voting was a fundamental right and
win back the ability to sue our state in federal court for injunctive relief
AND damages. Ultimately, New York State must amend election law so that its
citizens with disabilities have full access to voting machines, the ballot, and
polling places.
We both stood
up. It was time to go. Brown suppressed a yawn long enough to say, "My, it's
been an awfully long day." He beamed with a Cheshire Cat grin. "Here's my
business card…just in case you need to get in touch with me." |
