By Noelle Pagan '17
On September 28, Siena held its annual Constitution Day, a day which brings the community together to celebrate the signing of the Constitution of the United States by our founding fathers.
This year, the College held an academic discussion during which the Siena Chamber Singers performed the “Star Spangled Banner” and Anthony Paul Farley, J.D., the Matthews Distinguished Professor of Jurisprudence at Albany Law School and former Assistant United States Attorney in the Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, delivered this year’s keynote address.
Leonard Cutler, Ph.D., professor of political science and director of Siena’s Center for the Study of Government and Politics, introduced this year’s speaker. Cutler’s address reinforced the theme of the event, “Judgement and Racism.” He informed the crowded room of students that “six out of ten Americans” and “seven out of ten African Americans” believe that race relations are bad and are only getting worse.
In his keynote speech Farley proposed an idea to the audience: the abolishment of the prison system. He strongly believes that racism is still ever present in today’s society, stating that, “we have made no progress, none at all, from 1492.”
Farley’s main argument focused on the idea that the prison system keeps the past anchored in place, and it is for this reason that it is necessary to abolish prisons. He explained that prison, as well as the philosophy of punishment and application of intentional pain, leaves society blind.
The impact of Farley’s speech, as well as the privilege to be a part of the discussion, was not lost on the Siena students in attendance.
“In an era in which there is such animosity between the judicial system and the general public, it was a great chance for students to learn a new theory of alternatives to our current prison system,” said Adam Durham ’16.
