It’s been more than 24 hours since I heard the news, but still just very sad on the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. I hope she rests in peace and rejoins her late husband in the afterlife. She has done so much for us, as much as she could. Her life story should inspire us; her dissents should push us to do and be better.
To paraphrase one of her dissents, don’t throw away your umbrella even if it’s not raining.
The exact quote, by the way, from Justice Ginsburg’s dissent in Shelby County v. Holder, 570 U.S. 529 (2013), in which Justice Ginsburg disagreed with the removal of the enforcement of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act: “Throwing out preclearance when it has worked and is continuing to work to stop discriminatory changes is like throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm because you are not getting wet.” (I’m probably much too simplifying her dissent; go ahead and read the whole decision and dissent!).
We might want to keep in mind why we have laws, and remember the legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg during these very trying times. — ssw15