Federal Immigration Judge and U.S. Navy Commander Christopher Phan was the guest speaker for the Never Forget 9/11 event that occurred Wednesday at South Texas College of Law Houston, led by STCL Houston’s Veteran Law Students Association (VLSA).
Phan, who currently serves in the Reserves for the Naval Judge Advocate General’s Corps, shared with the law students and other guests how important it is to follow through today on things that are important — whether setting aside grudges, reaching out to someone, or making that special trip.
When Phan was arriving to serve in Baghdad after 9/11, he was met by a woman who handed out linens to arriving troops. That very night, she was killed by an incoming rocket. “We have no promise of tomorrow,” Phan said. “Life is very precious.”
Phan had the opportunity to visit the Windows on the World restaurant with his siblings the summer before 9/11 but decided they could do it “the next trip.” Unfortunately, that trip never came because that tower and that restaurant no longer exist.
Images from 9/11 were displayed in the atrium of the law school, along with the U.S. and Texas flags and the flags of the military branches. Many students attending the event have little memory of 9/11, but understand the importance of the recognition. A moment of silence was followed by a moving rendition of “Taps” that echoed through the atrium.
“I was 6 years old, sitting in my first-grade classroom, when my teacher turned on the TV to show the 9/11 attack playing live,” recalled Matthew Alarcon, Veteran Law Students Association (VLSA) president. “For the first time, I realized the world was much bigger and more complicated than I had ever known. Today, we gather to remember a day that forever changed our nation and our world….. We are here to mourn lives lost but also to honor the heroic acts of bravery and sacrificed witnessed that day.”
In addition to remembering the first responders and all those who were heroes on that tragic day and well beyond, Alarcon also recalled the bravery of the men and women who went to war to defend our country after the terrible attack.
South Texas Law Professor Matthew Festa, himself a JAG, said, “9/11 is one of those events that crystallizes us as humans. It changed the world, but it helped us focus on our common humanity.” He also noted the important role lawyers play in helping the nation maintain its unity. “We have a larger duty as Americans, and as lawyers, to preserve the rule of law. The law provides a framework upon which we build.”
STCL Houston student Harrison Punches talked about many important ways that attorneys have helped families and the nation heal since 9/11, sharing stories about how lawyers helped people put their lives back together. “Our legal profession has the great potential to make a difference when called upon,” Punches said.
The event was hosted by the VLSA as well as the student chapter of The Federalist Society, the Democratic Law Students Association, and the Republican Law Students Association. Justice Richard Hightower, First Court of Appeals of Texas, was a special guest attendee at Wednesday’s event.
“As we move forward, let us carry the lessons of 9/11 with us,” Alarcon said. “Let us honor the memories of those we lost by living lives of purpose, kindness, and compassion. Let us continue to lift one another up by standing united. And let us remain vigilant in our commitment to building a world where peace and justice prevail.”
