Holder gave his speech amid protests from human rights and medical marijuana activists. In his remarks, Holder touched on some of protesters’ concerns surrounding the U.S. government’s policies on the legal prosecution of suspected terrorists. The attorney general also commended the graduating students for their sense of social responsibility.

“From protesting tuition increases across the state to rallying support for same-sex marriage, you’ve raised your voices on some of the most pressing issues facing your peers and fellow citizens,” Holder said of UC Berkeley students.

In the second half of his speech, Holder defended the civilian legal system against critics who claim that federal courts are incapable of handling terrorism cases.

“(Civilian courts) have enabled us to convict scores of people of terrorism-related offenses since September 11,” Holder said in his speech. “Hundreds are properly, safely and securely held in our federal prisons — not Guantanamo — today.”

Outside the ceremony, around five protesters wore orange jumpsuits and black hoods similar to those worn by prisoners and handed out fliers to people as they arrived. The protest was organized by the San Francisco chapter of The World Can’t Wait, an organization that aims to stop the use of torture around the world.

A similar protest was held at last year’s ceremony and criticized the continued employment of law professor John Yoo, who wrote a series of controversial memos for the Bush administration that defended the use of controversial interrogation tactics.

In his address to graduates, Holder criticized the policies Congress enacted in the aftermath of 9/11, saying that they had placed “unwise and unwarranted restrictions” on where terrorist suspects could be held, charged and prosecuted.

“We used techniques that were of questionable effectiveness but were certainly inconsistent with who we say we are as a people,” Holder said. “In short, many lost faith with our founding documents and our time-tested, effective institutions.”

A group of members of Americans for Safe Access, a marijuana advocacy group, also protested against the federal government’s stance opposing medical marijuana.

The demonstration follows a lawsuit recently filed by the federal government against Berkeley Patients Group, a medical marijuana dispensary in Berkeley.

Throughout the ceremony, a plane circled the theater, towing a banner that read “Holder End RX Cannabis War #Peace4Patients.”

Holder, however, ended his address on a positive note, encouraging graduates to advocate for justice.

“Use your unique skills, your idealism and the power that your new law degree affords to better yourselves, to improve your communities and to solve the complex problems that undoubtedly lie ahead,” he said.

Contact Andy Nguyen at anguyen@dailycal.org.

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Holder has served as U.S. Attorney General in the Obama administration since February 2009 and is the first African American to hold the post. Holder earned his undergraduate degree at Columbia University in 1973 and his law degree from Columbia Law School in 1976.

Last year, California Attorney General Kamala Harris was the keynote speaker at Berkeley Law’s commencement. Holder has previously spoken at commencement ceremonies for the University of Virginia School of Law in 2011 and Harvard Law School in 2012.

Contact Jacob Brown at jbrown@dailycal.org

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Due to a crackdown on medical marijuana initiated by the U.S. Department of Justice last year, many California dispensaries face the possibility of a raid. But now, Oakland is suing federal authorities, including Attorney General Eric Holder, due to “ongoing and threatened attempts” by the department to shut down a major dispensary, despite the fact that it operates in compliance with city and state regulations, according to the lawsuit.

The department’s actions place the state and federal governments at odds with each other, and the courts now have the opportunity to put the issue to rest. If Harborside Health Center, the dispensary named in the lawsuit, truly is in full compliance with California law, it must not be shut down. The court should side with Oakland and end the federal crackdown.

Furthermore, the crackdown reflects a discouraging broken promise from President Barack Obama. In 2008, then-candidate Obama said he would not be “using Justice Department resources to try to circumvent state laws” about medical marijuana. Yet four years later, that’s exactly what happened.

The crackdown also raises a concern about priorities. Is medical marijuana really something the Department of Justice needs to be meddling with, given the many other more serious drug-related offenses that occur? Many seriously ill people rely on medical marijuana — they should not live in fear of their dispensaries getting raided. Neither should the dispensaries themselves — like other businesses, they support the state economy and will be able to do so with more ease if fears of being raided are relieved.

This should be a nonissue, but if nothing else, the lawsuit will resonate with other cities and states suffering from the crackdown, proving that the medical marijuana industry will not be curtailed without a fight.

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Edleson has been on the faculty of the University of Minnesota for 29 years, serving as a professor and as director of research for the university’s School of Social Work.

“I’m excited to come back and work with a group of colleagues that are world-famous for their work in social policy and practice,” Edleson said. “I’m excited to try and develop the next generation of scholars and teachers.”

The appointment concludes a yearlong national search. Sam Davis, an emeritus professor of architecture at the UC Berkeley College of Environmental Design, has served as interim dean for the past academic year.

Edleson was recently appointed to the National Institute of Justice’s Scientific Review Panel on Family Violence and Violence Against Women as well as appointed by U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to the National Advisory Committee on Violence Against Women.

“Jeff has been an excellent scholar as well as an excellent citizen for our School and for the University of Minnesota,” said Director of the University of Minnesota School of Social Work James Reinardy in a statement to faculty, staff and students. “I, in particular, will miss his counsel and the leadership he has provided most recently as our director of research.”

As a student, Edleson received his bachelor’s degree at UC Berkeley and then earned his master’s and doctorate in social work from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He is also the author of over 120 articles and 12 books, including the “Sourcebook on Violence Against Women” and the “Encyclopedia of Interpersonal Violence.”

Edleson will be leading a school that is nationally and internationally ranked among the top schools for social work graduate programs.

“What we’ve found in Jeffrey is a rare combination of exceptional scholarship, outstanding leadership and unshakable commitment to making a difference in the lives of women, children and families,” said Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost George Breslauer in a June 21 press release. “We’re thrilled he’s agreed to return to Berkeley to lead the School of Social Welfare.”

As dean of the school, Edleson hopes to continue improving the institution and is eager to begin collaborating with Berkeley community.

“I’m most excited to work with a great group of students, faculty, staff and community on the big issues that face our society, that are really central to the quality of people’s lives,” Edleson said. “I think that’s what social welfare is about.”

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