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“They called her a pig.”
Every legend has its origin myth, and I was lucky enough to hear Ralph Nader’s myth recently. It might as well be the origin myth for fairness in modern America. The setting was a speech at the opening of a museum in Connecticut that Nader called the first museum ever devoted to law. Consumer law, anyway.
The American Museum of Tort Law might not have a snazzy name, but if you think of it as a museum for little victories by David over Goliath, it becomes a lot more alluring.
Nader watched it all unfold, trying to make sense of it. The boys had known the girl for years, and she was kind and pleasant, so this behavior was a shock. When he got home, he told his mother what had happened. Her reply was simple:
“Well, What did you do?”
A consumer crusader was born.
“I hate bullies,” Nader went on to say. Now 81, he’s spent most of his life trying to fight them.
Nader is a complicated figure, and you might have a terrible opinion of him. But there is no removing his historical place as the founder of the American consumer movement. He’s responsible for seat belts in cars, along with countless other safety mechanisms in products we use every day. Casual observers probably don’t know that Nader has founded dozens of independent consumer organizations that still operate today. He is at the head of a long family tree, probably thousands of branches deep, that includes people who’ve fought for everything from bank fee transparency to toy safety.
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Every story is a tale of David versus Goliath.
A slate of speakers opened the place, many listing their favorite Erin Brockovich tale, and all with the same point: The ability to drag a corporate executive into court and force him or her to face public accusations of misdoing is critical to a fair society. Given the recent Volkswagen scandal, it should be clear that the ability of consumers to demand fair treatment from corporations is as important as ever.
Americans’ rights are the envy of the world. They are far from perfect. Class-action lawyers often make millions, while victims walk away with pennies, that’s true. Other victims can’t interest lawyers in their cases if they aren’t worth a lot of money, a real shortcoming in a world where corporations have perfected mass-scale, nickel-and-dime scams.
The American Museum of Tort Law is located on Main Street in Winstead, Conn. It will be open daily, except Tuesdays, from 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. It will close for the winter Jan. 1.
This story is an Op/Ed contribution to Credit.com and does not necessarily represent the views of the company or its partners.
Images courtesy of Bob Sullivan
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