"No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main . . . any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee."
-- JOHN DONNE, DEVOTIONS UPON EMERGENT OCCASIONS AND DEATH'S DUEL (Meditation XVII) (1624).

The above stanza by English poet John Donne (1572-1631) serves to remind us of two important concepts. First, we are not alone in this world but are, in fact, interconnected with our fellow human beings. Second, every person's death affects us all. Contemporary society would do well to heed the advice imparted to us by Donne. In the wake of September 11th, Afghanistan, and the second war with Iraq, many citizens of this country have been jarred into the realization that things that occur overseas do in fact have an immediate and lasting effect upon these shores. In America's quest to be the shining "city upon a hill," -- the beacon of hope and justice throughout the world -- it is vital that as a nation we do not abandon the institutions of international law and its promise of greater security, prosperity, and peace. The United States has a duty to not only defend liberalism and democracy, but also to ensure that its government practices it faithfully. The Bushwick Papers will explore several ideas that serve to demonstrate the importance of serving justice through respect for the rule of law, by confronting past wrongs and atoning for them, by establishing justice through effective international judicial institutions, by criticizing practices that violate international law, and by ensuring inclusion of minority or unpopular ideas in global multilateral institutions.