I’m pretty sure I’m the only lawyer whose ever worn high-top sneakers to the Supreme Court.
Now it wasn’t done at of disrespect…
You see, here’s what happened:
It was February of this year…
And while I’d argued before the Supreme Court many times before…
It was in the middle of a Covid wave, and so the courtroom was a lot quieter than usual.
You could hear all the designer shoes of the Ivy League Educated lawyers clacking as they hit the floor.
Every lawyer, the clerk, the marshal… they dress to impress.
As for me…
I wore Adidas High Tops.
Bright. White. Adidas. High Tops. In the Supreme Court.
But like I said, I have a good reason….
Which is that my foot’s a mangled mess.
It’s made up of multiple cadaver bones and held together by two plates.
Because of this, I swore off dress shoes years ago since they are just too painful for me to wear…
And most of the time it’s no big deal…
But on this day February…
There I stood, arguing a major case against the President’s own lawyers in the Supreme Court, wearing shoes that most people exercise in.
I looked back at Biden’s Ivy League lawyers…
They’re wearing the most luxurious tuxedos--with a subtle gray hue.
With shiny leather shoes that literally reflect back at me.
And then I just said to myself:
What a country.
This is something that I think about a lot…
In other countries, I would’ve gotten arrested years ago for things I’ve said about Joe Biden.
But in this country, I can argue directly with his attorneys.
In sneakers.
In the Supreme Court.
That’s America.
Sincerely,
Mark
P.S. I’m curious if you have a story about a time where you felt deeply grateful for living in the United States? If so, I’d love to hear it.
Just reply to this email and let me know. I read every email that comes in.