Message from the President, December 2025

“And in despair I bowed my head;

‘There is no peace on earth,’ I said;

    ‘For hate is strong,

    And mocks the song

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!’

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:

‘God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;

    The Wrong shall fail,

    The Right prevail,

With peace on earth, good-will to men.’”

 

Christmas Bells,  by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 1863

 

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The desire and prayer for peace seems eternal.  Running just alongside it is the history of conflict and war, seeming equally eternal.  We live in a time that is marked by all manners of discord and division.  Although our nation is not as divided nor our crisis as acute as in Longfellow’s time, we cannot turn our heads from events of global and political violence.

We have seen figures on all sides of the political spectrum targeted for their beliefs and their speech.  Some prominent figures turn a deaf ear to rhetoric that kindles such violence, or give in to the temptation to speak too harshly or too quickly without considering the impact of their words.  We even hear whispered speculation on whether our country is becoming so divided that we may face a new civil war – not of North and South, but of left and right.

Longfellow wrote his poem themed on the bells of Christmas, and focused on good will to men.  These days, we would say good will to all.  And the sentiment is not limited to those who celebrate Christmas.  Whatever your religion, or if you have none, the end-of-year holiday period offers a chance to reexamine and recommit ourselves to our best selves and highest goals.  Hopefully, we have a small break from the office or the courtroom.  We connect with family and loved ones.  We share a meal, we bring a gift, we offer a prayer, we open our hearts.

Lawyers often encounter conflict through the nature of our work.  However, we also learn that we can engage these conflicts under rules of professionalism and decorum.  We can disagree, even strongly, without personal attacks on opposing counsel and certainly without resorting to violence.  In the event we sometimes lose patience or our temper (haven’t we all at some points?), we can correct ourselves and do better for the future.  Saying that we are sorry doesn’t mean that we are weak, or that we won’t continue to work hard for our clients.

So, in the spirit of the season, I hope you will join us for GBA’s Holiday Party on December 9.  Have a bite to eat, and a couple of drinks.  Enjoy the fellowship of our colleagues.  Maybe shake the hand of the opposing counsel that made you mad recently.  And reflect on all the things that we can do to make a difference in the world.  Remember the ways that in the midst of disagreements, we can work toward a greater goal:  Peace on earth, good will to all.

Hon. Bill Davis
President, Greensboro Bar Association
and the 24th Judicial District Bar