Meeting My Heroes

An article.

By Andrew Kao

Andrew is a senior at Peninsula High School in Rolling Hills Estates. He is considering a future in law.

I felt both excitement and anxiety after I was informed that I would be meeting my heroes. After idolizing the likes of Superman and Batman, an archetype of a hero emerged in my mind --someone trustworthy and strong-willed, dedicated to fighting for justice. Yet, as I have matured, my superheroes, while sharing those same ideals, have certainly changed. They sport black robes in place of blue tights and spend more time reviewing legislation than leaping across skyscrapers. The heroes I was scheduled to meet were three Supreme Court Justices of the United States. 

I had read about the justices, but certainly never expected to meet them. Because of our Mock Trial team’s success, I was selected to participate in a discussion with Justices Anthony Kennedy, Stephen Breyer, and Sandra Day O’Connor about the importance of an independent judiciary.  
My first thought was simply, “Wow.” My second was that I wasn’t sure what an independent judiciary really meant. After some research, however, I began to understand the significance of a judicial system free from bipartisan politics.  

In the days before my session with the justices, I brainstormed frantically for the perfect question to ask. As my session neared, I agonized at having no ideas worthy of taking the time of a Supreme Court Justice, but also fumed that I would only get one question to address the thousands of topics in my mind. Finally, I settled on a question: Should there be restrictions on the questions presented during the Senate’s confirmation of justices?  

As it turned out, time didn’t allow me to ask my question. However, I surprised myself when I answered a question Justice Kennedy put forth. “What are some checks against the judicial branch,” he asked. I was ecstatic when he casually nodded to my response that Congress could influence the cases the Supreme Court heard. 

Even though I was excited by Justice Kennedy’s acknowledgement, my transient moment of glory is not the memory that sticks with me the most. What made the biggest impression on me was the energy in the room. As the students sat on one side, reserved and serious, the three Justices sat on the other, eager to stimulate discussion as if they were the awestruck students themselves. The Justices were passionate about their jobs. Even though their opinions at times conflicted, a common thread was their unfailing belief in our Constitution.  

Meeting with the Justices only furthered my interest in law. It was heartening to encounter a different side of our legal system, beyond the carnivorous disputes we see in the media. In a way, the Justices calmed my doubts about the legal field. Before, I worried that law was somewhat pretentious, maybe even corrupt. I often wondered if I could accept a case that my heart wasn’t in, but as the Justices spoke, I realized I would always fight for the Constitution.  

Ultimately, I realized that those on the pedestals of law are not superheroes like Superman but extraordinary citizens, working and thinking with utmost integrity to uphold truth and justice.