JUDGE WITCHER RECEIVES THE POWER OF COURAGE AWARD

Judge Witcher was the recipient of the Power of Courage Award.  Hosted at Rutgers University the honor was sponsored by the Latino Action Network The award recognizes outstanding integrity and strength necessary to attack injustice with no regard for personal consequences.

Unable to attend the event due to judicial rules of conduct, Tracey Well-Huggins accepted the award and read a statement on his behalf:

"There are consequences when you decide to speak on behalf of the voiceless, you are in danger when you stand before the powerful in defense of the powerless, and you will suffer when you fight to move the marginalized to the center of attention. 

In other words, doing the right thing, for the right reasons carries risk and comes at a great price.
In order to add something to better the lives of others, will require you to give a little bit of your own life away,

Brothers and sisters, courageous decisions are always costly,  
They may cost friends, status, money, titles,  
Courageous decisions may cost you mental pain, emotional pain, and physical pain, when courageous decisions are made,  

When we give a part of our lives for the betterment of the lives of others, the pain of sacrifice and the pain of the consequences is soothed by the joy we bring to others.

Finally, the bible declares, blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven"