I have a hard time
beginning, not knowing where to begin, to discuss the life of one of the most
important people to equal rights in the last 100 years. Justice Ruth Bader
Ginsburg, a member of the US Supreme Court since 1993, died last night at the
age of 87 due to complications of pancreatic cancer.
She earned the nickname
The Notorious RBG, a play on the rapper The Notorious B.I.G.
She had three strikes
against her when she entered law school: she was Jewish, a woman, and had a
child. People with those characteristics just were not in law school in the
1950s. And, upon graduating from Colombia, her career path was limited to
teaching, which she did at Rutgers and Colombia.
She was a volunteer for
the American Civil Liberties Union, where she argued several cases before the
US Supreme Court on gender equality. Two of those cases involved extending the
same rights to men as were already granted to women.
Antonin Scalia was one
of the most conservative judges on the US Supreme Court and RGB's best friend.
From having dinner together to hunting together, their bond was strong. There
was even n opera about their friendship. And when Justice Scalia died in 2016,
Ginsburg said:
"Toward the end of the opera Scalia/Ginsburg, tenor Scalia and soprano Ginsburg sing a duet: 'We are different, we are one,' different in our interpretation of written texts, one in our reverence for the Constitution and the institution we serve. From our years together at the D.C. Circuit, we were best buddies. We disagreed now and then, but when I wrote for the Court and received a Scalia dissent, the opinion ultimately released was notably better than my initial circulation. Justice Scalia nailed all the weak spots—the 'applesauce' and 'argle bargle'—and gave me just what I needed to strengthen the majority opinion. He was a jurist of captivating brilliance and wit, with a rare talent to make even the most sober judge laugh. The press referred to his 'energetic fervor,' 'astringent intellect,' 'peppery prose,' 'acumen,' and 'affability,' all apt descriptions. He was eminently quotable, his pungent opinions so clearly stated that his words never slipped from the reader’s grasp."
Upon RGB's death, Antonin Scalia's son Christopher Tweeted:
I'm very sad to hear about the passing of my parents' good friend, and my father's wonderful colleague, Justice Ginsburg. May her memory be a blessing. I'd like to share a couple of passages that convey what she meant to my dad.../3
This is from a roast he
delivered for her 10th anniversary on the DC Circuit Court of Appeals. They'd
been colleagues on that court until he went to the Supreme Court; she hadn't
joined him there yet—and he missed her.
This is a story that Judge Jeffrey Sutton shares about an encounter late in my dad's life, when he bought his friend Ruth two dozen roses for her birthday. "Some things in life are more important than votes."
Their friendship was not unusual for their time, but unusual for our time of extreme partisanship.
2020 has been a terrible
year: 200,000 souls lost to that virus, we lost the civil rights icon John
Lewis and the beautiful soul Chadwick Boseman, and now the death of RGB.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg died on the eve of Rosh Hashanah. According to Jewish belief, those who died at that time were the most precious, the most important and thus God kept them on Earth as long as possible.
A mourner at the Supreme Court building, 9/18
I do feel sad and still up until now could not accept the fact that Chief Justice Ruth Bader is gone. She has been one of the pillars of the Supreme Court and a passionate advocate of women's right. Her individual accomplishments is very unique especially when during the time when women's right is and gender bias exist. To be able to surpass with flying colors in Harvard and Columbia University where the profession itself is mostly dominated by male is an accomplishment by itself. But also to be discriminated by the university itself because of her situation as a student, a mother and a married women is another fight that she had to face. Her accomplish did not only stops here but her patience of slowly getting to the stature that she has do speaks volume about her integrity and the causes she stood up for.
ReplyDeleteUpon reading this blog it inspired me to read more about her and the cases that she took and how she tackles them. It is also astonishing to hear her close relationship with Judge Scalia who is also one of my favorite conservative justices. It is very seldom especially in type of positon and individual accomplishments that they do respect each other’s opinion and think highly of their counterparts and thus deal with matter with integrity and value.
I do hope that next judge that will replace her will live up to the void she has left behind in the Supreme Court. The number of mourners and especially the respect that her staff, family and friends has shown the kind of person that she is. She won’t be called the “Notorious RGB” for nothing.
I love the way you broke down her life. Justice Ruth has made so many huge changes in our world and she will never be forgotten.She was such a strong force in the world and always faught for what she believed in. I enjoyed reading your post, I feel the passion behind your words.
DeleteChief Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has been such an instrumental part of the source of reason and good judgement that our country has been in such a need of recently and she is such a great loss to all of us. Her impact on the accessibility to the world of law for women, for those that “didn’t belong in law,” has been so important for the future of our country. The future of all judges that she has inspired will undoubtedly be a positive influence in the field of law. Her fights against discrimination and those attempting to undermine her ability to achieve and make meaningful contributions inspires us to fight for the potential that all of us have.
DeleteI agree with both your words and the words written in the article about the late Chief Justice Ruth Bader and how much of a positive dominant force she was in the supreme court. She has been such a huge positive influence/advocate in the women’s rights movement. I also agree that its amazing how she had such a positive relationship with someone with opposing views as her. It’s so rare now to hear about two people with different views seeing/treating each other with respect because every time I’m online somewhere I constantly see people fighting both physically and verbally over that. I also agree that the next judge that takes her place will have very big shoes to fill due to how much she had accomplished during the course of her life.
DeleteJustice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a name you could never forget. When she began her career she faced many adversities but never let any of that stop her. Being a woman with odds against you, it's very hard not to connect to her and love her even more. Justice Ruth showed us that with determination all things are possible. Being the oldest justice to sit on the Supreme Court and to be the second woman to take the seat, how great of a legacy she leaves. I was very sad when I heard about her passing but immediately was comforted because up until her last days, she was doing what she loved to do. When learning about her passing and seeing all the great things social media and the news shared about her, I took time to dig deeper into all that she did. Justice Ruth fought for gender equality in jobs and successfully won many of her fights, sadly gender equality is still an issue of today but is more accepted around us. Even with her being gone, her name is still as powerful as it was when she was alive. When you think about all that Justice Ginsburg has done, think about the 27 years of fighting for equal rights, 27 years of standing up for people and standing firm in what she believes, 27 years of staring adversity in the face and not backing down, 27 years of making a change, and 27 years of showing that woman can make a difference. The Notorious RGB she will forever be!
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you! By the way, you misspelled RBG*. Chief Justice Ruth Bader is an inspiration for many women to follow their dreams, because she is an example that anything is possible in times, when no one could even think about it. She is pillar for the society, a person that everyone could learn from and most importantly be proud of the fact that she was part of the Supreme Court. Learning from the post about her friendship with Judge Scalia, person with opposite believes from hers, was the thing that made me an enormous impression. For me is a true example for really thinking about the others’ opinion and making from it something beneficial for both parties. Her life is an inspiration and lesson that everyone should know.
DeleteI agree with your views regarding Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg. She fought for the enhancement of the inferior class throughout her life. It was only after her death that I paid close attention to her life. There are a couple of other aspects of her life that attracted me. Her life reminds me of a few lines from the famous poem “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost. “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.” During her younger days, when everything was against her, she decided to travel the less traveled road. She enrolled in law school, against all odds and succeeded. Being a Jew, a mother, and above all, a woman were roadblocks in her path. She gradually built her career by swimming against the tide and reached great heights. People often blame society and the government for all the misery in their lives. It is something very easy to do. If every individual thinks like Justice Ginsberg and decides to make an effort to contribute to society, the world would be a better place. Another aspect of her life that attracted me was her close friendship with Justice Scalia. Although opposites in their thoughts, theirs was a friendship for the world to see and enjoy. It holds special importance in today’s society where the divide and rule policy is so prevalent. She demonstrated to the world that unity in diversity can be easily achieved. It would take our country to greater heights, if all the people could resolve their differences and coexist, for the betterment of the community. Justice Ginsberg is a pioneer, inspiration, and role model for generations. She lived by example, and people like her might be catalysts in uniting our society.
DeleteJustice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's passing is a very tragic period for any women/less privileged who just want just as the constitution states (life, liberty and pursuit of happiness). RBG proved to be one of the strongest human beings to deal with oppression and disadvantages to her career especially when she was working on her education. The very ideals she fought so hard for in her life time in the court has been the ideals of the minority groups. Her passing has so many fearing for their own lives and their rights being voted away especially when majority of the court seems to favor conservative views (especially if president trump has chosen the newest justice). Based on recent articles and social media based from tiktok it seems they want to take that direction of devolving human rights despite gaining them for not even a decade. As a result, I believe so many are taking the initiative of protesting since it clearly shows the conservative or ‘old lights’ want to push the ‘new lights’ down. Clearly, it’s a fight for the belief of others becoming the priority instead of the rights of anyone who don’t possess the traits people in power hold dearly. This makes it very interesting considering all the actions taken by the gov and the neglect of punishing the corrupted in the system goes against the ideals of this nation, (for example, right to assemble, right to speech, rights of the people and especially separation of church and state). Hopefully in these dire times they wont allow to go through it in out of respect for RBG.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you very deeply, RBG was an inspiration for millions of people, especially women. She fought for every woman who felt less and discriminated against in a society that holds men on a hierarchy. Before she arrived, the supreme court had little to no representation from women, and the men who littered the space were the ones making life-altering decisions about women’s bodies and rights, not any actual women. It was a very important step for RBG to step up and fight for what was right. This day, many people think she was not any sort of inspiration because they did not see her image of a future where women had their own voice.
DeleteJustice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a Feminist icon. She was the second woman to serve on the supreme court and pioneering advocate for women’s rights. It is because of the hard work and dedication of women like RBG that I enjoy the equality and rights that I have today. But what I love most about her story is the personal opposition she faced even from the very beginning. She was a jewish woman in law school, which was practically unheard of. Not only that she was a mother in law school. Which in the 1950's didn't happen and is a personal inspiration to me as I am a single mother of 3 coming back to school. As her career advanced she became a advocate for the underdog fighting for the equal rights of women, LBGT Community, undocumented people, disabled people and the expansion of voting rights. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death is more than a tragedy but the legacy she has left behind has changed the world for ever.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, I think the most inspiring aspect of her life for me as well is the fact that she was a strong role model for women, I have faced religious and gender discrimination for being a Muslim woman as well, and I can relate to The challenges she must have faced in the environment that is predominantly ruled by white American men, especially in an era that was decades behind in human rights. There is No question that she has changed the world forever, and her death is not just a tragedy it is a monumental loss for our country. The only way to give her our tribute and respect her memory would be to carry her legacy, and live our lives following her model.
DeleteI agree with you that due to her hard work we are now able to have the rights that others do not have before our time. just to have the right to be able to have a credit and for have the same financial right and access to these tools are a great privilege to us. I just can imagine us as a women not to have these rights when we are also working and providing for our own family. Her death is a big loss to our judiciary system but also a hard act to follow.
DeleteA name that will never be forgotten throughout history is Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg who fought for where we are today. Hearing about her death brought trembles throughout a lot of people across the United States. RBG’s passion for equality moved people in ways that were never experienced before her time on stage. It is inspiring that Ruth Bader Ginsburg fought against her own injustices placed by society while attending law school, so she could do the same for others across the country. Her best friend and colleague, Justice Antonin Scalia of the US Supreme Court, shared a wonderful relationship despite their different political parties. Reading about their relationship, many Americans can learn from them to accept others regardless of their beliefs or gender.
ReplyDeleteRuth Bader Ginsburg was an absolute inspiration to everyone, regardless of who they might be. Even if you disagree with her politically, I can't help but respect her for how she's gone through life; she lived her life to the best and made sure to show every woman out there that you don't have to listen to people putting you down. Justice Anton Scalia was an essential part of her life; having a friend who, despite their differences, was there for each other as friends are significant, especially for someone attempting to do all the things that Ruth Bader Ginsburg did. I'm not sure where this world would be if we hadn't had Ruth Bader Ginsburg; she fought for woman's rights in a time where it was not only tough to do so; it was potentially dangerous. Everyone could learn a thing or two from her.
DeleteI think she such an inspiration because of how much change she made while being an anomaly, because she was a woman with a child and was Jewish when going to law school. That enough could have been an inspiration story for those who are lacking something push them to be something great. However, that wasn't enough for her as she went as high as being a justice for the supreme court. That itself was not the highlight of her life as she was a lawyer in cases for gender quality. Her life was full of obstacles that she took head on in her path to being a symbol of hope for women and creating change in a world that already has its rules set in stone.
DeleteI agree with you profoundly, RBG was a motivation for a huge number of individuals, particularly ladies. She battled for each lady who felt less and oppressed in a general public that holds men on a chain of command. Before she showed up, the high court had almost no portrayal from ladies, and the ones who littered the space were the ones settling on life-changing choices about ladies' bodies and rights, no real ladies. It was a significant advance for RBG to venture up and battle for what was correct. This day, numerous individuals think she was such a motivation since they didn't see her picture of a future where ladies had their own voice.
DeleteJustice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was indeed an inspiration and her death has left a huge void, especially in regards to the fight for equality and women rights. She overcame seemingly insurmountable obstacles to get to the pinnacle of her career and never stopped fighting for downtrodden in society. I love the friendship between her and Justice Scalia, they were friends irrespective of beliefs and ideologies, they understood that one's beliefs do not need to get in the way of friendship. This is what we have to learn in this present climate where partisan politics has succeeded in causing division between people.
DeleteFinding out about the death of the extremely accomplished and profound woman, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, was an intensely mournful day. Her death was not only so crushing because she was a hardworking woman in her field, but mainly because she exceeded all standards placed in front of her despite her hardship of being a Jewish woman with a child. RGB fought for every soul who's voice was silenced. She fought for every woman who felt lesser than and discriminated against in a society that holds men on a hierarchy. She fought for every single queer person that had no privileges to love who they wanted or become the person they truly are. Before she arrived, the supreme court had little to no representation from women, and the men who littered the space were the ones making life-altering decisions about women’s bodies and rights, not any actual women. Ginsburg showed up and showed out by writing the decision that the military in Virginia could not discriminate against woman joining, she launched the American Civil Liberties Union, she profusely advocated for the right of same-sex marriage, and always made sure that women’s bodies and mental health were being protected. Her passing was incredibly hard for all minorities in America, but it allowed all of us to look back at every single accomplishment of hers and feel represented.
ReplyDeleteI never knew who justice Ginsburg was until I heard the news of her passing, and as I have read this right now I received a better understanding of who she was and wow. All the accomplishments you listed seem to go on and on but with the type of woman she was it can be expected. I thought it was great how you talked about all the people she fought for, teaching me even more about what she did for the generations of people, you’ve done her justice speaking of her the way you did. Now that I know how great of a person she was I must say I do feel a bit of sorrow knowing that someone who defended what she defended and the way she did it is no longer around and the thought of the next justice taking her spot resonates in my head, especially wondering if they will be as great as her.
DeleteI do agree with you that the passing of Judge RBG is a hard one. Even I was so shock of her passing. You are right her passing was a really hard one especially for the minorities here in the U.S. She has fought for every issue that she felt needs to be heard, change or represented. She give everyone a fighting chance and stood up for what she believes in. She is like a David who has fought the big giants and wins the battle.
DeleteI like your comment a lot . I didn’t know who RBG was until I read this article about her. I can see that she was a inspiration to others and made a difference in life. She didn’t let anyone stop her from deciding her career , and she didn’t let anyone stop her from wanting the same rights as men have. Having a women fight for what she believes in is a huge step and she had the confidence to prove everyone wrong. She will truly be missed.
DeleteI never really knew about Justice Ruth Bader until I did an essay about her in 8th grade. It is very surprising to me that she is gone, it does not seem real. Justice Ruth Bader fought an AMAZING battle, making history back to back. Her accomplishments are huge and will never be forgotten. One accomplishment that stood out to me, was the fact she was a Jewish woman, WITH a child entering law school. In 1950 most women would’ve up gave up and not follow their dream. Justice Ruth Bader inspired so many people all over the world, not just girls, but guys as well. I’m not surprised people are inspired by her because who wouldn’t look up to someone who fought for everybody women rights, LBGT Community, and the list can go on. She left a true legacy, Rest in Peace to The Notorious RBG.
ReplyDeleteJust like you mentioned I didn't know much about Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg. I was also surprised and amazed about her being a Jewish woman with a child following her law school dream. Especially in the 1950s. I can't begin to imagine the criticize she must have faced during her career. She did so many incredible things every chance she got. A true legend, with stories to be told to future generations. I believe everyone should be able to learn and understand what an important woman she was. I remember seeing several posts on social media of Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg the day of her passing and realized a lot will begin to change as soon as they appoint a new judge.
DeleteThis is my first-time hearing of RBG and I must say, I enjoyed learning about her legacy and the mark she left on our justice system. I agree that being a Jewish woman, especially in the 50s while entering law school and accomplishing what she did, is inspiring. As different as I am from her, I see our similarities so much through this post. She fought for many of the same injustices that I am passionate about today and I am so happy to see so many that loved her and what she stood for. I can only hope that as citizens, we can mimic the relationship that she had with her colleague, noticing our differences for respecting each other nonetheless.
DeleteI never knew who Justice Ruth Bader was until today. I did some research after her and what grabbed my attention was that she supported the LGBTQ community. From what I have seen not everyone supports the LGBTQ community and feel some type of weird way about them when they are people like everyone else. I also saw that she is the second woman to serve for the supreme court. Some people see us women as nothing, that we are not worth anything or could ever accomplish our goals but I am glad that Justice Ruth Bader did what she wanted and never gave up.
ReplyDeleteim in the same boat, I don't pay attention to politics either. The knowledge i do have mostly comes from memes and roasts. When Ruth Bader Ginsurg passed away and it was on the news I had no idea. I just kept seeing "RIP RGB". after reading this i learned even more. i had no idea she had the nickname The Notorius RGB after biggie. one thing i think you failed to mention that was brought up in this article was that 2020 is just.. the worst. i never thought this would be non stop yet here we are. i hope the best for her family and all of those effected by her death
ReplyDeleteRuth Bader Ginsburg is a figure that will always be remembered and recalled on in U.S. history as a pioneer and important author to our story. She was the second woman to ever be appointed onto the Supreme Court and the first Jewish female to be appointed. She was a champion and fighter, who fought to break barriers between man and woman, and party and policy. It is no surprise that her confirmation was almost a unanimous decision. Her death came in a year plagued by grief and terror, with historians and political activists fearing the uncertainty of the proceedings onward. Questions continue to be raised on the future of the Supreme Court, the nominee-to-be-appointed Amy Coney Barrett, and the uncertainty surrounding women’s rights across the nation. As stated above, her death comes during a divided partisan time and we the people can only use her death as a signal to move forward with love, not hate, and unity, not division. I extend my condolences to her family, her supporters, to her contemporaries, and to our people.
ReplyDeleteI have always believed in and supported gender equality and women's rights as an individual. After reading about Ruth Bader Ginsburg, I was amazed by her work ethic, effort, and devotion to accomplish what she believes in most, and that is treating women equally to men. She was on of the most eminent advocates of all time. Her death affected the community as a whole and she will always be remembered for her unquestionably great accomplishments throughout her career by historians, authors, politicians, and political activists. May her soul rest in peace and my deepest condolences to her family, friends, supporters, and everyone affected by this tragedy.
DeleteI have always believed in and supported gender equality and women's rights as an individual. After reading about Ruth Bader Ginsburg, I was amazed by her work ethic, effort, and devotion to accomplish what she believes in most, and that is treating women equally to men. She was on of the most eminent advocates of all time. Her death affected the community as a whole and she will always be remembered for her unquestionably great accomplishments throughout her career by historians, authors, politicians, and political activists. May her soul rest in peace and my deepest condolences to her family, friends, supporters, and everyone affected by this tragedy.
DeleteAs a woman, Ruth Bader Ginsburg had been an inspiration to many women and young girls. No, actually she had been an inspiration to many people regardless of gender, age, and race. She is a living example of anything is possible if you have the power within you to take those steps to walk your path. I didn’t say destination, but path because I don’t believe there's an end. Even though Ruth Bader Ginsburg had passed away, she is still living in the hearts of many people. She had made it to history as a significant figure. Future generations will learn and know her name, so I strongly agree with your statement, “Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a figure that will always be remembered and recalled in U.S. history.”
DeleteI had a lot of feelings about RGB's passing. My main take away is I am glad she is getting to rest. I know she fault hard trying to wait for the 2020 Election. Recently because of her age, illnesses on the sit she would leave she has been in the Media a lot. There was a CNN special about her life and it was extraordinary. There are some rulings on certain issues that with her reputation as a liberal judge that made me raise an eye brow. All an all she is an icon that did so much for women's rights, you will not always agree with everything.
ReplyDeleteI understand what you are saying and quite frankly, I also did not pay attention much to politics. However, when RGB passed, I grew curious and just had the need to get myself up-to-date on what exactly is going on in the world as far as politics go. it is a confusing topic and there is so much research that needs to be done to even get a grasp concept of anything. seeing RGB on the news all day and nearly the whole work week, and when i googled her name and clicked on nearly 6 different links to read, she was just, outstanding. it is not wonder she grew so popular and known. I know I am not the only one who is not up-to-date with recent politics, so i encourage everyone who reads this, to go ahead and try. for those who have Iphones, we have Apple spotlight, with boatloads of Information, so go ahead and try to get up-to-date. it is all knowledge and like the famous saying, "knowledge is power".
ReplyDeleteAfter reading DR JRN's article, as well as finding out more about Justice Chief Ruth Bader in the media, I feel despondent that a passionate person has passed away. Playing a pivotal role in the Supreme Court, she has stood up to fight for feminism and equal rights until her last breath. She is a testament to a woman who has the courage to fight everyday life paradoxes. She passed Harvard with the grades men dream of, which is a big challenge. Furthermore, acting as an essential justice at the Supreme Court as her age is an even more significant challenge. I spent a lot of time learning about what she did. It reminds me of the Vietnamese women's characteristics. The qualities such as humility, indomitable, kindness, and courage are all shining in her. Besides, the article by Dr. JRN also shows a beautiful friendship between her and Judge Scalia. It is a friendship that shines amid the turmoil and injustices of society. Most beautiful of all is a friend, a colleague who gives love and respect to her, which rarely happens in politics, where there is fierce competition. Once again, I pay homage to Justice Ruth Bader, who spent her youth fighting for equal rights, especially for the LGBT community. There are many things outside of the Supreme Court. She will forever be the heroine of the times, a shining example for other justices to follow. The Notorious RGB forever!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree, RBG is an inspiration for women for centuries to come. She was a fierce to be reckoned with, from doing her best to provide for her family as a single mother, to fighting her way to one of the most respected positions in government based on her merits. She fought for women's rights and was instrumental to the fights for feminism and equal rights. RBG is an inspiration to me, she overcame so much and during a time where women faced so much injustices. It is a tragedy that she is gone but her impact will be felt for a lifetime as she is a part of history. Her relationship with Judge Scalia is an example for people everywhere that just because people have different views than you, doesn't mean you should write them off as the enemy, but rather embrace them with friendship and work towards making a better society together.
DeleteI agree with you that RBG’s friendship with her political opponent is also an example to many Americans in these increasingly divisive times. However as optimistic and positive as that sounds I wonder if this is possible for many Americans because of the times we live in. Is it possible to cultivate a deep and meaningful friendship with someone who opposes your social, economic and political advancement in American society? Perhaps it is a bit cynical and presumptuous to say, but I wonder just how many policies they disagreed on would actually affect RBG personally? It is one thing to disagree about policy and ideology, but what happens when someone’s policy, ideology and political affiliations are a threat to your existence, to your family, your wellbeing? Civility is one thing, friendship—deep meaningful friendship with someone who’s beliefs are a threat to your existence—that is another thing entirely.
ReplyDelete