Lawyers With an Edge

In "The Revolt of the Lawyers" [November 26-December 3], Prof. Walter Andersen of Johns Hopkins University makes the assertion that "It is somewhat unique in the world where you have the legal profession become the cutting edge. They are often not the most revolutionary types."

Of course, actual historical evidence proves otherwise. In this country, our own revolution began with the Declaration of Independence, which was authored primarily by Thomas Jefferson, a lawyer. Almost half of the signers of that historic revolutionary document were lawyers. Across the globe, Nelson Mandela, the courageous leader against apartheid in South Africa, is also a lawyer. Similarly, Mikhail Gorbachev, the leader who introduced revolutionary change in the Soviet Union against the will of the Communist Party conservatives, is also a lawyer. I will not bore readers with the other numerous examples both here and abroad.

Mark Matarazzo
Oyster Bay, N.Y.