Unconventional Creativity
“Do you believe every person deserves to be defended, no matter how terrible the crime to which they are accused? Raise your hand if you agree.”
Every hand shot up around the circle of around 20 in our group at church. We all agreed with the 6th Amendment.
Then our leader read us a news clip about an attorney assigned to defend a handful of the January 6 insurrectionists. She represents them in the unconventional style she has used for decades as a defense attorney.
She encourages (doesn’t require) her clients to watch movies and documentaries or read books educating them about history so they have an opportunity to learn their place in it. She encourages them to write reports and/or talk with her about what they are learning.
After their discussion, she sends a report to the judge about what her clients have learned from their actions so that can be taken into consideration for sentencing.
Conservatives accuse her of brainwashing.
Liberals call her a traitor.
Our leader asked us what we thought.
I enthusiastically declared, “Right on! It looks to me like this attorney has found a creative way to move beyond the polarization that is killing our country … the stuck place her accusing conservatives and liberals find themselves in.”
I Want to Know More
I was so taken by this attorney that I did some research and found several articles … here are links to The Washington Post and The Huffington Post articles. I found that despite her unconventional style, she is a highly respected attorney among her peers. And she has defended some very shady characters.
Her husband says of her, “Every fiber in her being is made of justice.”
What stood out:
- She wants to make a difference for her clients and the country.
- If there is healing and learning to be done, she wants to be a part of it.
- She believes in making the world a better place through knowledge. Education is paramount. But so is kindness and love.
- She does what she believes every good defense attorney does … she finds the humanity in her clients.
- She believes some of her clients have grown.
What happens is when you’re watching television on January the 6th, they’re monsters. Then when you get assigned them, potentially they’re human beings. And then as you get to know them and work with them, you see all the mitigating influences. ~Heather Shaner
Heather Shaner sees complexity … in some circles this is referred to as seeing with your “spiritual eye.”
- Human beings
- Mitigating influences
- The possibility of learning from mistakes
- The possibility of growing and maturing
She has grown beyond the black/white … right/wrong …. good/bad polarization that is tearing families, friends, neighbors, and our country apart. If I needed a defense attorney, I’d want someone like her. In my view, her conservative and liberal critics have some growing to do.
Heart Ponderings
Heather Shaner led me to ponder in my heart (a form of prayer):
- Where am I stuck in polarization?
- How might I find a creative way to move beyond it?
- What is my growth challenge?
An opportunity presented itself within the week!
Love the article, Linda. She certainly is an inspiration and living her calling!! Thank you for sharing her story!
She is definitely a great role model. Thank you for letting me know how much you loved the article.
Thanks so much Linda. I think this attorney is brilliant! An educated mind helps people move beyond the either/or absolutes that are creating such divisiveness in our country. Educating re history could be a first step in opening up people to considering there are different ways to look at issues and everyone doesn’t have to agree with each other. We could grow toward allowing for our differences thereby becoming inclusive as a society. Understanding reduces fear and, I believe, it is fear that is leading to such rancor and divisiveness as we are now experiencing.
Glad you share my excitement about this attorney, Penny. What you say about fear leading to divisiveness makes sense to me. It takes a lot of hard work to even recognize how much we react out of fear and then have the capacity to move beyond it. It’s a process! Where have we heard that before? 🙂
I am left wanting to know what the opportunity presented to you was!!!! I want to read more….
More will be forthcoming. Stay tuned. 🙂
There’s something counter-intuitive in Heather’s approach being that she is a defense attorney. What her husband says about her – “Every fiber in her being is made of justice.” rings true for me. Fascinating! Thanks.
I agree, Jen, her approach is counter-intuitive … she responds to a higher authority than the legal system. Her husband’s assessment rings true for me as well.
Thanks, Linda! I am fascinated by this woman’s unique approach and love her creativity when dealing with the accused. It would be interesting to hear what her clients have to say. Were their eyes opened? Their hearts? Was change in direction a result? Was the effect permanent?
I am intrigued by your opportunity. I hope you write about it soon!
I agree, Joellen, it would be interesting to know more about her clients experience. In one of the articles I read, a woman she defended did give an account of how she changed her perspective. It seemed her women clients took to her assignments more enthusiastically than the men did. I will be posting about my opportunity one of these days. Thank you for your interest.
I so appreciate your thoughts about ways to put faith into action. There are many ways, yet finding the ways that honor our own spirits and fit with our values is sometimes hard when the tendency towards polarization is so strong. It can create a sense of cognitive dissonance. I’m challenged by this in several areas of my life right now, which is why your post resonates so well with me. Thank you. You are appealing to our braver angels by sharing the example of Heather Shaner and adding your own musings in the blog post; such a worthy effort.
I’m eager to learn about the opportunity you encountered!
Laurel, I see you consistently putting your faith into action. You are an inspiration. While the ways our spirit calls us to do it are different, I very much appreciate your validation regarding my appeal to our better/braver angels. I am currently reading a book by a spiritual leader who is also a long-time an environmental activist. She has come to the conclusion that love is the only thing that is going to get us through. I believe that and look for examples. Heather Shaner is just such an example. And I love her creativity. I do hope you will read and let me know what you think of the opportunity that dropped into my lap. Thank you so much for your thoughts.
It seems that Heather is providing many of the elements of restorative justice to help her clients grow. As an educator who worked with middle schoolers for 30 years, I LOVE Heather’s approach. Education is key to healing – When we know better, we understand better, and we do better.
One of the areas I struggle mightily with is the protest and legislation about teaching “CRT” in school. What this translates to in my mind is NOT teaching truth about our nation’s history, which to me feeds the very thinking and behaviors that Heather is working to correct. It frightens me as I see this movement growing across our country, in Ohio, and even in districts like Centerville, where November’s school board election will decide the future of what is taught (and whether masks are required, among other things!). As a retiree of this wonderful district, I will be putting my faith into action by walking to distribute literature for the candidates who are on “my side” of the divide and praying for the outcome.
I find it difficult to speak my truth in love to others across the divide and seem to fail mightily each time I try. More and more, I have elected to simply keep my mouth shut and steer away from potential conflicts for my own mental health.
Waiting for your next post!
I so agree, Kathy, when we know better we do better … and I think it takes more than knowing. We have to find something within ourselves to handle the assaults we face daily in our polarized political environment. I, too, am frightened about what is happening in our schools. It is hard to believe that Centerville, where I live, could go in the direction of teaching a distortion of our history. I commend you for the action you will take to protect the education of the students in a school system you love and respect. I hope you will read and comment on my post about the opportunity that dropped in my lap to move beyond polarization. It is because of the work I’ve been doing to find equanimity in the midst of all that is frightening in our world that I was able to have the conversation I had with my cousin. I know you have a good heart and I grieve that you feel as though you need to keep your mouth shut for our own mental health. I hope you will find a practice to help strengthen your spirit so that you can share the love and concern that I know is in your heart. Sometimes dark nights of the soul strengthen us more than we realize. My prayer for you is that you find your way through.