On Sept. 18, 2020, Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg passed away in her home from complications of metastatic pancreatic cancer. Ginsberg was a figure of progress, feminism, equality, and perseverance. Her death shocked and devastated millions of Americans. Students on Hamilton’s campus, myself included, were quieted by this news and mourned her passing while recognizing the ominous future that will be filled with judicial turmoil and unrest. However, while the political, judicial, and social road ahead will be notably rocky without RBG’s presence, it is now more important than ever to recognize her accomplishments, embody her values, and continue her legacy.
RBG fundamentally changed the judicial and political climate by supporting women and by ensuring “equal protection” by acknowledging and combating discrimination based on sex. In the 1966
United States v. Virginia
case, Ginsberg deemed it unconstitutional for state-funded schools to bar women, creating a new era of female empowerment and equality in educational institutions. Ginsburg was instrumental in creating the Equal Credit Opportunity Act of 1974, which permitted women to apply for credit cards and mortgages without the permission of a male. Her work in the 2007 pay discrimination case
Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.
was monumental for pushing toward equal pay for women. Although she has fought for numerous other issues such as preserving
Roe v. Wade
and promoting gender equality in the jury and judicial systems, perhaps her most influential role has been in the legalization of same-sex marriages in all 50 states in 2015. Ginsburg has created a world in which discrimination based on gender, sexuality, or social status is not tolerated. Because of her courage, determination, and tenacity in both the courtroom and in her personal life, she has made America a more accepting, progressive, and empowering nation.
Along with her judicial activism and influence, Ginsburg also changed lives through the values and morals that she promoted. In a
New York Times
article about “Advice for Living,” Ginsburg wrote, “‘In every good marriage it helps sometimes to be a little deaf.’ I have followed that advice assiduously…I have employed it in every workplace, including the Supreme Court. When a thoughtless or unkind word is spoken, best tune out. Reacting in anger or annoyance will not advance one’s ability to persuade.” In every conflict and quarrel, Ginsburg was still empathetic, composed, yet steadfast in her missions. As this nation prepares for the upcoming 2020 election and Ginsburg’s replacement on the court, it is important to keep her words in mind: to persuade and create change through being thoughtful yet powerful, refined yet unwavering. By doing so, our nation can reason together and can come to agreements rather than being broken by sharp, stubborn divides.
The nation is currently struggling to balance mourning the loss of RBG with politically mobilizing to voice her values and further her legacy. Ginsburg represents the true American dream: of a nation that can promise equality to all citizens regardless of gender, sexuality, or status. Thus, to continue her legacy, individual Americans should recognize and use their own privilege to uplift those who do not have the same advantages. Just as Ginsburg was “optimistic…that movement toward enlistment of the talent of all who compose ‘We, the people,’ will continue,” Americans now more than ever need to retain and use hope to salvage the democracy that we have left.
