“Believe in yourself. Don’t stand by, do something about it.”
These were the focal points of former Attorney General Janet Reno’s
speech to the Saint Louis University community on Monday night. Her
speech drew approximately 500 spectators, and was on the subject of
“International Aspects of American Justice.” The Great Issues
Committee presented the event in the St. Louis Room of the Busch
Student Center.

Reno shared many unique experiences from her life throughout the
evening. The first being how much she enjoyed appearing on Saturday
Night Live to parody herself.

“It’s good to be able to laugh at yourself,” she said.

She shed light on her childhood, including her mother building
an entire house from the ground up when Reno was 8 years old. She
credited her mother with being one of her greatest influences.

Yet, Reno said the moment she decided she wanted to dedicate her
life to fighting injustice was when she lived in Germany at age 14.
Upon talking to Holocaust survivors who said that all they did was
stand by, Reno said she decided that, “You have to tell them what
you think is right.”

On becoming the first female attorney general in U.S. history,
Reno said, “It was the greatest opportunity to serve the nation and
the people.”

Not shying away in the face of criticism, Reno commented on many
of the controversial issues that surrounded her throughout her
tenure.

Speaking on the 11th anniversary of the incident in Waco, Texas,
Reno said that she “had no other alternative” than to send agents
into the compound. “I could not sit by after the deaths of four
agents,” she said.

“David Koresh set the fire,” she continued, but she added that
the deaths of the women and children would be with her forever.

She also discussed the resolve of U.S. citizens during the
Oklahoma City bombing and the Elian Gonzales affair.

Reno focused on current justice issues facing the United States
today. Reno described her concern for national security. Commenting
on Jose Padilla, who has been labeled an enemy combatant by the
government, she said that the case “erodes the rights of all
Americans.”

She compared the issue to the internment of Japanese immigrants
during World War II. Noting the honor she felt to be able to issue
a formal apology to those affected, she said that she did not want
to see the United States go down the same road again in the name of
national security.

Reno spent the rest of her speech discussing the need to improve
justice for children.

“If we really mean justice, we need to start with children in
the earliest years.” She continued by saying, “We need to take
affirmative action for kids. We need to open up the door and excite
them about learning.”

“We need to take learning here, apply it to our children and it
will improve justice for the rest of the world,” she said.

After receiving her second standing ovation of the night,
Assistant Vice President of Student Development Phil Lyons
moderated a question and answer session between Reno and her
audience.

Reno was asked about her experience as one of a handful of women
at Harvard law school, her views of the international court,
education funding and the PATRIOT Act.

What was viewed as a potentially controversial issue for the
night was limited to one question. When asked about her stance on
abortion, Reno stated that she was pro-choice because parenting “is
something that you should want to do.”

GIC Chairman John Eckert did not believe that the abortion issue
would be a problem, despite letters of protest written in last
week’s issue of The University News that Reno did not meet the
goals of the Jesuit mission.

“Concerns are fine,” Eckert said. “College is about listening to
different viewpoints. Great Issues’ purpose is to bring speakers,
and I think this is a big plus for students.”

Reno echoed those sentiments. “It is important to listen to all
people that want to have a voice.”

The final question of the night asked what Reno thought was the
most important issue of today was. She responded by citing the need
to end the politicization of Sept. 11, 2001.

She noted that it is important to follow up and ask questions
but said that “everybody needs to come together and cooperate.”