9/20/2020 The notorious RBG: Rest in Power
I hope this finds you well and enjoying some peaceful time on this last Sunday of summer.
This week brought news of the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and her loss is already keenly felt. In a year that seems to tip toward chaos, only to throw yet another curve ball our way, the ramifications of this loss stand out. Justice Ginsburg's accomplishments will stand the test of time, and her commitment to human rights will continue to inspire. We will miss her powerful intelligence, delightful humor, and willingness to work for the good of our communities up until her final moments.
The battle over the next member of the Supreme Court is already roiling. Finding the calm place in the midst of it all feels like strenuous exercise. It is certainly tempting to call out Republican hypocrisy in moving forward with quick hearings and a vote. But if we do that, we're also bound to call out Democratic hypocrisy in objecting to the same process. Both parties will offer rationalizations for why their position is different now than it was in 2016.
But if our determination of what is right shifts with who has the power, then we have lost our center.
I am trying, with more or less success, to focus on this: not who does the nominating, but whether the nominee is qualified. Not whether a vote is allowed, but whether the Senators entrusted with this duty carry it out with integrity.
These are the standards to which we hold our elected officials accountable: the enduring principles of protecting the judicial branch from the influence of patronage, and their vows of upholding the Constitution.
We anticipate leaders will violate these principles and vows. And we stand ready to keep our end of the bargain with our voices and our votes. We won't give in to hopelessness or cynicism, for a hopeless, cynical public is the biggest and best gift to those who would convert our democracy to oligarchy.
I will end this message with the words of Justice Ginsburg, from a speech she gave in 2010. May she rest in peace and power.
"Yet what greater defeat could we suffer than to come to resemble the forces we oppose in their disrespect for human dignity?"
Sent with love and gratitude,
Liz