Posted by Sarabeth Rudd on 09/03/10

Same comfy chair as my last post, same view, but I'm feeling a little different now at the end of my second week of law school. I'm worn out, but hopeful. I have learned this week when to keep going when I don't feel like it and when is a good time to take a break, AND experienced running a successful campaign. 

Liberty U. is unique in its approach to law school in a several ways and one of them is their approach to lawyering skills. While most other law schools have a one semester lawyering skills class that is optional, liberty requires six semesters of it. The results have been giving LUSOL graduates a growing positive reputation among those who are fortunate to employ them because they actually know how to practice law. I'm not going to lie; I don't really like my lawyering skills class, at least right now, but I do appreciate it.

The citation exercises that I have been required to do are arduous and irritating. They used to make me want to cry, or throw something, BUT this week, I had a little conversation with myself and prayed about it, and a little attitude adjustment followed. I decided that I can't let some small thing like where does the comma go, what words do I abbreviate in a case name, should I italicize this, steal my joy and keep me from being 100% successful at this monstrous thing called law school. Knowing that I am doing everything "as unto the Lord," and that "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" and that His joy is my strength, is all I need to make it through the hard parts. So with my mind clear and focused, I got through those problems so fast, I couldn't even believe it. I know that this is what I am called to do and I can't let one step that's harder or more annoying than some of the others hinder that. I have nothing to be unthankful about! After all, I did ask the Lord for this opportunity if it was His will and I am blessed and privileged to be here! 

I have also figured out that taking care of myself is so important. I'm feeling a little sick this week, and so is much of the rest of my class, but instead of pushing myself to stay up to all hours of the night, I just go to bed when I'm tired. The results are fabulous because in the morning, I am so much more alert and able to get my work done so much faster. My college days would have benefitted from this newfangled notion of sleep. 

 I have to smile as I write this because I decided to run for one of the three open spots for 1L senator and was actually elected. I am so excited! I almost didn't run, but after enough people told me that I'd better, I decided to go for it. One of my new friends here appointed herself as my "campaign manager" and we got to work. I had a great time delivering my platform speech and subsequently, campaigned (bribed the voters) with chocolate bars covered with "Sarabeth for SBA Senate" stickers that we made. (Campaign Manager's idea... She helped me so much!) I wasn't expecting to want to win so badly, but while I was waiting for the votes to be counted, I must admit, I was a little anxious. I was anticipating sadness and prepared to get over a loss and move on with the rest of the year, but now I'm happily preparing to serve my class as a representative. I had so much fun and anticipate a great year, working with the other two senators who were elected, as well as the rest of the lovely SBA Council. 

That's all for now. Maybe I'll be able to get my schedule under control so that I have time to write about more political things. I've had some lively discussions since I have been here... 

Posted 09/03/10 jdb1876 Walterboro, SC

Hang in there. The first year it'll seem like you're working to death, but the second and third years are better. And actual practice is much more agreeable than law school.

Posted 09/08/10 Deb Wells Peoria, AZ

We desperately need liberty lawyers! I'm glad you found your calling. Congratulations on your SBA Council election!

Posted by Sarabeth Rudd on 08/12/10
Last updated 08/12/10

Usually, I'm at my favorite coffee shop on James Island, South Carolina when I'm writing or even the comfort of home on rural Johns Island, but now find myself in Lynchburg, Virginia. I got into town Saturday evening and have been acclimating to my new environment and preparing for one of the biggest challenges that I will ever face- the first year of law school.

Posted 08/12/10 Sarabeth Rudd Johns Island, SC

Why do the paragraph breaks disappear? Why, oh. why? :P

Posted 08/12/10 Covert Hawk Lynchburg, VA

Welcome to Lynchburg! I hope you enjoy it here, I know its a long drive from Charleston but it is still a characteristically "southern" town. As a fellow LU alum, I hope you enjoy the law school. My father help construct the replica Supreme Court. Best of luck for you first year of law school!!

Posted 08/12/10 Mike in Virginia Fredericksburg, VA

Best of luck in law school. I went through it many years ago (Boston University, Class of 1975), and if I made it, you can too. lol. I only practiced for about 10 years, but the legal training has benefited me in so many ways through the years. And it is very useful for the liberty movement, such as in being able to read and understand legislation. Be prepared to work long and hard. If you do that, you'll be ok. Remember the adage about law school: the first year, they scare you to death; the second year, they work you to death; the third year, they bore you to death. Again, good luck.

Posted 08/14/10 libertyspirit Modesto, CA

You can do it!

Posted 08/24/10 drmikevasovski Aiken, SC

What a fabulous time to be a law student. Enjoy every moment and keep us posted.

Posted by Sarabeth Rudd on 03/12/10

It's a decision based on about two years of prayer, "waiting and seeing," and really figuring out what exactly it is that I want to do with my life. The answer is I'm still not sure, but I am quite confident that law school is the absolutely right decision for me. It's funny because I thought I had figured out that it wasn't for me, but after an IHS summer seminar that I realized how much I really wanted to study law. I was visiting a friend in Virginia and felt led by the Lord to visit Liberty University's School of Law. So here I am... I didn't realize just how badly I wanted this until I burst into tears after getting the good news.

Why? Well, for one thing, I have always known I would go back to school after college graduation. Simply put, I want to be a stronger advocate for liberty. I want to hold our government accountable and actually be the kind of lawyer that understands what the function of law is supposed to be, which is not to restrict freedom, but to protect and facilitate it. Instead of complaining about how horrible the justice system is, I would like to step up and make a difference. I want to help people, and by nature, I am a determined fighter. I also want to run for office one day... but who knows? In reality, I have no real idea of how exactly I will use my education, so it will be part of the adventure of life to find out.

I am nervous about how difficult it's going to be and how much my life is about to change, but I am excited, and at times, completely overwhelmed by the Lord's faithfulness and how He has been and continues to guide my steps. There are times when I'm alone and thinking about the culmination of all the events of these few years, that I just cry. I look back over the past two years since graduation and see the evidence of His sovereign hand and I am thankful for all of the wonderful and not so wonderful experiences I have had. I know the girl I was in May 2008 was not ready for this step that I am about to take. I also know that I still have a lot more changing and growing to do, but I must take it one step and one day at a time... I can't wait!

Posted 03/12/10 Andrew Ward ,

Good luck!

Posted 03/12/10 LizLiz Brooklyn, NY

Funny you say this.. because I had an epiphany recently that I want to study criminology...

Posted 03/12/10 WTLCrimson Fairhope, AL

Best of luck to you. I made the same decision recently after being out of school for 3 years. I think the concern over the difficulty is a healthy thing. Its important I think to hit the ground running, there is no time for adjusting to the difficulty. I agree that it is a very attractive option for liberty minded individuals.

Posted 03/12/10 Caleb Kinley Hot Springs, AR

May God Bless you Sarabeth.

Posted 03/13/10 Scott from PA Hopwood, PA

Congratulations Sarabeth! Keep praying and it will be clear to you what you are to do with your life. It sounds like you have done well with your life so far from what you've posted on C4L.

Posted 03/13/10 niatek Anaheim, CA

Congrats on making the decision!!! Its a difficult decision to make. I have been heavily questioning the prospect of law school also; been doing so for a year now. I still am not 100% sure if its something for me BUT that June 5 LSAT date is marked on my calendar. arghhhhhhh...such a hard decision. Good Luck to you!!! ... I'm sure it feels good to have that decision made now. =)

Posted 03/13/10 MichaelBarry Sebring, FL

Best wishes.....Read John Locke's Second Treatise on Civil Government before you do anything else! All true authority rests in the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God, not the laws of men.

Posted 03/13/10 rightsman Las Vegas,, NV

Sarabeth Rudd, Please follow Michael Barry's advice, it will set you apart and above your fellow students. Also, Lysander Spooner left us some very good treatments on law and government. Thank you, Robert Walker

Posted 03/13/10 libertyspirit Modesto, CA

Congratulations on the good news! Thank you for devoting your life to the cause of liberty in the way that the Lord has lead you!

Posted 03/14/10 Sarabeth Rudd Johns Island, SC

Thanks, everyone! :)

Posted by Sarabeth Rudd on 02/11/10

It all started with a phone call from my sister asking me if I would be interested in coming to her current events class to talk about the Federal Reserve. Of course I said, "YES!!" Her teacher had asked a representative from a bank to come speak, but she backed out and said they needed an economist. Well, they got me instead, and I had a blast educating a classroom packed with 10th grade and above students.

Here is a list of the questions that the class came up with and emailed to me ahead of time:

Why did the Government have to bail the banks out?

Why do bankers deserve/receive a raise or bonus when they accepted bail-out money?

Where is the money to bail out banks coming from?

What did the banking industry have to do with the initial drop in the economy

Why did the drop in the economy seem to happen so suddenly?

What are banks doing to help fix the economy?

How does the bail out of the banks and other companies help out us (the tax payer)?

Will any of the bail out $ be paid back by the banks? If so, what is the deadline and what is the Interest rate?

what role does the FED and the FDIC play in the banking system and why it needed to be bailed out. Why weren't there regulations to stop this
from happening?

Will this same thing happen again in the future? What are banks and the gov't doing to prevent it from happening again?

I knew that the answers that I was going to give them were not what they would expect. I was nervous about going into a public school and saying things against our government and the Federal Reserve, and I was also a little scared of taking charge of a classroom of kids who would be as big or bigger than I am.

My sister escorted me from the main office to her classroom and I asked her if it was "uncool" for her older sister to come to her class and if the kids would be mean to me. She said yes to both things. Fortunately, my sister doesn't care about what others think about her and she was excited and proud to have me come to her class.

So, I walked through the crowd of kids and after establishing the fact that I was not going to tolerate disrespect or impertinent questions while I was talking, the kids quieted down and listened attentively.

I started by telling them the answer to all of their questions was one date in history, December 23, 1913, and wrote that on the board. I then began to tell them, in a storytelling style, the history of the Federal Reserve. At one point, a student asked me, almost in awe, "Is this a true story?"

I read a few points to them straight out of The Creature from Jekyll Island and explained real the purpose of the Federal Reserve and how it is not actually federal at all, that it is a cartel meant to eliminate competition. I told them what banks are and how they make money. Then, point by point, I answered each question on their list. I compared Keynesian Economics to Austrian Economics, discussed the problems with government intervention in the market, how printing more money does not actually create new resources, the concept of malinvestments, and I explained why we should let banks and other companies fail. I also explained why the dollar is worth so little and the importance of backing money with something like a gold standard.

I was not planning on discussing the need to end the Fed simply because I did not want to get too controversial and political, but when their teacher asked me, "So, is there a campaign or anything to end the Federal Reserve?" I told them about H.R.1207 and discussed how important it is that we audit and end the Fed. The kids had some amazing questions at this point! From that point on, their teacher and I taught together explaining what fair competition is and why an unfair advantage destroys capitalism and a free market. I was so excited that the students and their teacher asked me more questions and even more excited that I had studied and learned enough over the past year or so to be able to answer them.

Simply put, it was an amazing, truly rewarding experience.

A little later that day, I received an email from the my sister's teacher thanking me profusely for coming in, doing a fantastic job, and explaining things in a way that the kids actually understood. She also said that she wanted to talk with me further about what I'm doing to help end the Fed. That meant the world to me! Not only was I able to successfully educate a bunch of kids and their teacher, I got someone to come over to the side of liberty.

Posted 02/11/10 matthaws Spring, TX

Utterly wonderful story. Excellent job Sarabeth!

Posted 02/11/10 ksa4liberty Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

wow!

Posted 02/11/10 bodes Omaha, NE

Cool story, if only more people could try to get their mind back to more of a clean slate so they could be more open to hearing information about the Federal Reserve without so much judgement and backlash.

Posted 02/11/10 mattgeb84 lynn, MA

i bet you the teacher that let you speak is going to get fired

Posted 02/11/10 GrandsonofLIBERTY Alabama, NY

You are a true patriot, that is awesome that you had a chance to educate high school students. I am going to school to earn a degree in history education. I can't wait to share the real honest truth to kids being brainwashed inside the public schools. You should be very proud of yourself, I am sure you have made an effect on some of those kids that they will never forget.

Posted 02/11/10 Sarabeth Rudd Johns Island, SC

GrandsonofLIBERTY that's awesome! You don't have to wait till you have your degree to go out and start educating! My degree is in English in Creative Writing of all things... :) Ha ha

Posted 02/12/10 libertyspirit Modesto, CA

Really great story, SaraBeth!

Posted 02/12/10 Elysiumboy Billericay, United Kingdom

Great story! You only have to mention the government over here and the teachers are up at you like they are an official authority on the subject! What half of us would give to be able to tell the children. You want to send an email back simply saying: "Don't tell me, tell the rest of your trade." We might end with Sarabeth's revolution on the side.

Posted 02/13/10 mscott Clemson, SC

Kudos. Incredible work. Your hard work and preparation show! Maybe you can be invited back on a more regular basis? Perhaps the economics teacher would like to have you as a guest speaker? Kids always seem to "get it." It is generally adults who can't let go of what they have been brought up believing and open their mind to the truth. Glad to see you also maintain a blogger site. Your message needs as wide an audience as possible.

Posted 03/07/10 Isomies Mechanicsville, VA

Great job. That's always a tough thing to do in public schools. Educating folks the way you did is important. Have you ever noticed how public school textbooks flatter politicians and always hold them in the best possible light?