Thank you

First, I would like to thank Prof. Reis, Prof. Hunt, and Prof. Reubner for teaching this class and planning this trip. I think I speak for all the students when I say that I have been looking forward to this all semester, and I expect it to be highlight of my law school experience. In addition, thanks to everyone at The John Marshall Law School for making this trip possible.

I am excited to be going to Israel. Despite the difficult situation in Israel, I think it is a step in the right direction to go and show our support for Human Rights principles. I am also excited for my classmates, especially the ones that have not had the opportunity to travel outside the US. It is truly an eye-opening experience to be in another country and get a different perspective about the world we live in. My first trip to Israel in 1998 with my family made me appreciate how great the country I grew up in is. It also showed me how big and complicated the world can be. But, I also saw the beauty of Israel, as well as the plight of the people who live there.

For me, this trip will allow me to test my own theories about the possibility of peace in our time. I believe that the evolution of human rights is a positive development, and an important step in bringing stability and prosperity to countries that don't have it now. The human rights movement is a direct response to the atrocities of WWI and WWII. Since that time, the world has tried to prevent a return to philosophies of destruction and systematic genocide. However, we still see human rights violations in countries around the world, including our own. It is a troubling paradox. But it has also created an opportunity for students in the 21st century to become leaders and inspire the next generation of Americans and people all over the world to create a better world. By helping other countries achieve their potential, we begin to achieve our own.