We attended the Federalist Society’s 2026 G. Barry Anderson Dinner and Award yesterday evening. Minnesota Court of Appeals Judge Matthew Johnson received the award for his scrupulous contributions to the court.
Third Circuit Judge Thomas Hardiman was the keynote speaker. His subject was patriotism. It was a beautiful and moving speech. Some prominent publication like the Wall Street Journal should ask for a look at the text of Judge Hardiman’s speech and seek his permission to publish it in some form.
Anticipating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence this coming July, Judge Hardiman’s speech expressed pride in, and appreciation of, our history and our founding documents. He recalled how his mother and father had inculcated a knowledgeable patriotism in him as he grew up in Waltham, Massachusetts. He concluded with some ideas regarding the perpetuation of our patriotism.
His speech put me in mind of Senataor Carl Schurz’s 1871 restatement of Stephen Decatur’s famous declaration (“Our country! In her intercourse with foreign nations may she always be in the right; but our country, right or wrong!”). This was Senator Schurz’s slightly modified restatement: “My country, right or wrong; if right, to be kept right; and if wrong, to be set right.”