Slam Dunk-- This is Bad Writing

A NY Times article this Sunday began, "Must lawyers write badly?" Bush's newest nomination to the Supreme Court, lifetime lawyer Harriet Miers, was cited for breaking the laws of clear expression:

"We have to understand that achieving justice for all is in jeopardy before a call to arms to assist in obtaining support for the justice system will be effective."

Huh? Try to figure out what she means. The article explains that many lawyers adopt the style of what they read (judicial opinions, legal briefs, etc.), eventually perfecting lawyer speak, a mumbled jargon of verbose and unclear writing.

Lest I sully the reputations of barristers even more (they are already, after all, the butt of many terrible jokes), let's say that:
1. their job is the law, not writing
2. all lawyers are not bad writers
3. lawyers are not the only bad writers

(See, students. By doing this I am avoiding a lawsuit). I know an easy target when I see one, and Miers' bad sentence qualifies as a barn door-sized bullseye. Don't make your own writing so easy for me to strike with my red pen.

Coming real soon: good writing.