[JURIST] US Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy [Oyez profile] said that the US is failing to adequately spread the positive aspects of the "Western idea of democracy," in an address [recorded video] to the American Bar Association [profession website] at their annual meeting [ABA materials] in Hawaii on Saturday. Kennedy suggested that other parts of the world do not believe in democracy because the United States has done a poor job in showing other countries how the rule of law guarantees freedom by constraining government officials, requiring respect for equality and human rights, and instilling order without fear of retaliation. The high court justice also urged his audience to work to advance basic principles of the American justice system and the preservation of fundamental rights.

American Bar Association President Michael Greco [official website] also discussed the importance of freedom and human rights while introducing Kennedy, stating that legal professionals must make sure that the rule of law is used to "advance the basic principles of justice, fairness and equality." AP has more.