A Love for the Law

Bryson Stewart‘s Deep Sense of Justice and Empathy Serve as an Inspiration to Help Others in Need

Correction from print version. In print we mistakenly had Bryson’s last name as Smith.

By: Garrett Mitchell, Staff Writer
garrett@thewoodrufftimes.com

Bryson Stewart was never your typical adolescent.

From an early age, Bryson developed a keen interest in politics and political history that has blossomed into a love for the law, propelling his dream of one day becoming a litigator who helps the overlooked and disenfranchised.

Stewart, who graduated from Woodruff High School this year, began immersing himself in political texts and presidential history in middle school. That exposure eventually led to discussions with his friends during lunch. It became quickly apparent that Bryson’s ability to poignantly articulate his thoughts, both written and verbal, showed wisdom beyond his preteen years.

“Growing up, obviously, at a time of political polarization, we would talk about it at the lunch table,” he explained. “It would be in our conversations, and I kind of figured, you know, I would be educated on the subject. In middle school, I started to read political books, economic theory, and I just have grown to find a profound appreciation for politics.”

More than simply absorbing knowledge, Stewart wanted to have thoughtful conversations with his peers about what was happening in the world around them. Naturally, he was an outlier in terms of his political prowess, but looking back, Bryson believes he helped his friends think more critically from an early age.

“Even from a young age, when I would engage in political conversations, it would become apparent that people were maybe not as well-versed as I was,” Stewart said. “My friends, even in high school, didn’t really know a whole lot about the political scene. I’d like to say my closest friends are now pretty well-versed in politics just as a result of the conversations we have had. Talking about issues and things we are passionate about.”

Stewart knows that citizens from all walks of life harbor differing beliefs and ideologies. That is something he is completely comfortable with. Moreso, he wants people to be engaged in modern political and societal issues regardless of which side of the line they stand on.

“Politics are going to affect everybody regardless of their status and their political affiliation,” stated Stewart. “Having those conversations is really important in getting people engaged on issues that affect them, in every aspect of their lives.”
The incredibly articulate teenager has always been an accomplished writer. Combining those talents with his affinity for law and politics, he worked with his AP Literature group to create a remake of the classic movie ’12 Angry Men’ for their senior project, with a fresh script written largely by Bryson himself.

The original film, which was released in 1957, follows 12 jurors as they deliberate the fate of a young man facing murder charges and a mandatory death sentence if convicted. The 12 are forced to confront their own biases and the notion of reasonable doubt. The plot epitomizes the passions Smith holds, and he said remaking the film as a senior project with his friends was a labor of love.

“I’ve always had a profound appreciation for the rule of law and law as a field,” he opined. “So, making ‘12 Angry Men’, reading it first was intuitive for me, you know. I brought it to our group and told them this was something I was passionate about, something that I see as instrumental in American justice and thought, and I wanted to do it justice. I wanted to make a full-length film. You need to in order to carry out those themes of rule of law, justice, and equality.”

Rewriting the script with contemporary dialogue, said Stewart, was important to bring to life the message he wants others to hear.
“12 Angry Men came out in the early 1950’s, though a lot of the dialogue isn’t exactly accessible for modern audiences,” said Bryson. “Also, the time constraint as well. We had to kind of shrink down a two-hour film. We filmed it in one day and wanted it to be digestible to the audience.”

Working on the film with his group gave a collective face to the issues Bryson finds important. He admits that not everyone who participated in the project always saw eye to eye, as the jurors in the movie did, but that coming together to find common ground rooted in law and justice provided the cohesion needed to make it work.

“The group that I made the project with, it was 11 people in my school, and we don’t always see eye to eye on everything,” offered Stewart. “In that room, there are a lot of different political ideas, thoughts, and views, and making the film was a way for us to all come together and work as a team. We talked about the themes and issues in the film in a way that reflects all of our unique dispositions.”

Bryson is set to attend Furman University in the fall, where he will major in Political and International Affairs. Essentially political science, he explained. Beyond that, his goal is to attend law school and ultimately become a practicing immigration attorney.
Practicing law, says Bryson, is the culmination of his passions and talents.

“At the center of our nation is the idea of the rule of law,” he said. “That nobody is above the law and the law affects everyone equally. That is a field that will allow me to, really, change the way that we view things. It’s central to our republic.”

He added, “After I graduate from Furman, I would like to go on to law school and, really, the goal around that is to help as many people as possible. To help those less fortunate and provide an affordable legal service to everyone.”

That genuine altruism is the ultimate anchor of Bryson’s love of the law and what he hopes will positively impact those he may one day represent.

“I believe in the dignity of all people, and I would love to shape my life around that thought and work to improve the lives of others,” he says. “That is what I want to dedicate my life to.”