January 10th, 2008
Stephen Dunne, the law student who filed a lawsuit last June claiming he was unfairly flunked from the Massachusetts bar because he refused to answer a question on gay marriage, has apologized. Dunne had filed the lawsuit claiming that his Catholic beliefs and First Amendment Rights were violated by being forced to answer a “patently offensive and morally repugnant” question on gay marriage and divorce. Dunne withdrew the lawsuit in September after an outcry from the gay community.
According to the Boston Herald, Dunne apologized in a letter to the editor and an interview in the January 3 edition of Boston’s Bay Windows. (Update: The Bay Windows interview and letter are now online.) According to the Herald:
“By filing a misguided federal lawsuit… in respect to the legitimacy of same-sex marriage, I have regrettably perpetuated intolerance and animosity towards my fellow Americans,” Dunne said in his letter. “My religiously based discrimination of gay people was callous and diametrically opposed to America’s core principles of freedom and equality.”
…In Bay Windows, Dunne called his lawsuit a “lashing out” as a result of failing the exam. “…I am particularly regretful of my actions towards those gay and lesbian friends that I befriended and studied alongside during my three years of law school,” he said. “You are all wonderful people and loving parents…”
An Irish immigrant who’s now a U.S. citizen, Dunne said he came to see parallels in the discrimination of gay people and that faced by the Irish when they first came to America.
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KipEsquire
January 10th, 2008
I would not be surprised if it turned out that he was advised to take these remedial actions in order to survive the character & fitness review for bar admission in case he ever actually does pass the bar exam.
Filing frivolous lawsuits, especially against the legal bar itself, is hardly the fast track to bar admission.
Randi Schimnosky
January 10th, 2008
KipEsquire, that’s interesting. In any event its quite an amazing turnaround. Would that all anti-gay bigots should have such an epiphany
Benton
January 10th, 2008
Epiphany or just expedient? Sounds way too “oops!” to me.
A Stitch in Haste
January 10th, 2008
Massachusetts Bar Exam Bigot Recants & Apologizes…
Or so he says:Stephen Dunne said he was “embarrassed” for being an “instrument of bigotry and prejudice,” in a letter to the editor and interview in the Ja……
Martin Lanigan
January 15th, 2008
It is difficult to assess another person’s motives. I for one will give him the benefit of the doubt. It is not always easy to admit that one is wrong…I am pleased to see that he has had a change of heart.
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