Robert H. Jackson Symposium Reactions Are Unwaveringly Positive
By STEVEN M. SWEENEY
CHAUTAUQUA — A day into the area’s first international law symposium, reactions have been unwaveringly positive.
‘‘It’s exceptional,’’ said Kirby Rodriguez of Alexandria, Va. ‘‘I think Robert Jackson was a great American. He initiated many things which we as a nation should be involved in today.’’
The Warren native and summer Chautauqua resident believes the symposium, sponsored by the State University at Fredonia, the Robert H. Jackson Center and Chautauqua Institution, will impact American thinking, even policy, before very long.
‘‘The context of the basic premises being presented here are external,’’ she said. ‘‘I think it will stimulate some change of attitude in our government.’’
With some of the world’s top thinkers in international law in attendance, Fredonia students are pleasantly awe-struck. Handfuls were in sat in on the discussion Tuesday with a greater contingent slated to arrive today.
‘‘We thought it would be educational and a good experience. Now, I think I might be more open examine my opinions,’’ said Stephanie Lerner of Johnstown, N.Y. ‘‘I hadn’t thought about the Nuremberg trials as setting precedent for decades of international law. I now see how it all comes together.’’
More than 100 people participated in the hour-long conference sessions and most packed the Athenaeum Hotel’s parlor to see Robert Donihi, the last surviving prosecutor from the Tokyo war crimes trials in 1946.
He charged the audience to be good custodians.
‘‘Many of you young people will be involved. You are the future and you will take what we did in Tokyo and Nuremberg to brand new heights,’’ Donihi said.
Scholarly symposiums rarely attract attention outside the immediate participants, let alone the popularity the law conference has enjoyed thus far.
‘‘Attendance is terrific,’’ said Gregory Peterson, Jackson Center president. ‘‘These kind of scholarly conferences rarely get more people than the speakers themselves. It’s going very well.’’
Today’s schedule includes the following: 9 to 10:45 a.m., Perspectives on the International Criminal Court (at Athanaeum): Jason Ralph, University of Leeds, UK; Steven Voigt; Raymond Brown, Seton Hall University; Other Country Experiences with modern International Law and Tribunals (at Presbyterian House): Wanda Akin, Seton Hall University, Joseph Rivett, State College at Fredonia, Tarunabh Khaitan, University of Oxford, UK;
11 to 11:45 a.m., Iraqi Special Tribunal — Echoes of Nuremberg, Lt. Col. Michael Newton, West Point Military Academy; former senior advisor to the U.S. ambassador at large for war crimes issues;
12:45 to 1: 30 p.m., Luncheon Speaker, David Crane, Syracuse University, former chief prosecutor, Special Court for Sierra Leone;
1:45 to 3 p.m., War Trials before and Concurrent with Nuremberg (at Presbyterian House): Alexander Prussin, New Mexico Tech, Gregory Topalian; Morality and International Law (at Athanaeum): Mark Rigstad, Oakland University, California, Celise Schneider, Penn State-Berhend, Randall R Dipert, State University at Buffalo;
3:15 to 4 p.m. Architect and Audiences: Justice Jackson’ Nuremberg: John Barrett, St. John’s University;
4:15 to 5 p.m. Nuremberg: the Legend and the Legacy Geoffrey Robertson, QC;
6:45 to 7:15 p.m., Tyranny on Trial, Whitney Harris, former Nuremberg prosecutor.