Ruth Bader Ginsberg In Life and Death

 

I cried last night when I heard that Ruth Bader Ginsberg died, and I keep crying.   That’s surprised me. It’s not that I expected her to live forever.  It’s just that she’s always been there.  In my lifetime and awareness of the Supreme Court, RBG was the Supreme Court.

It pissed me off that we can’t just celebrate her life, that we have to be afraid that her seat will be taken by someone who will do damage to everything she stood for.

But with the loss, I also felt her spirit.

I felt a righteous anger low in my belly.  I felt her legacy being passed on to all of us who embraced it. RBG wouldn’t have been afraid, and even if she was, she would have just keep fighting. Now it’s my turn, our turn to pick up the sword.  To keep that legacy going in whatever way we can.

Nothing stopped RBG, even in death she lives on.    She showed me what one woman could do.  She showed me the power of persistence, the power of dissent.

I keep thinking of the myth of how Judy Garland’s death sparked the Stonewall Riots.  I love the idea that by living our lives to the fullest we can inspire people in our death.

It makes me hopeful about what Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s death will bring to on.

 

7 thoughts on “Ruth Bader Ginsberg In Life and Death

  1. Thank you, Maria, for the pep talk! I certainly needed it after my sadness that she was gone and the anger that Mitch McConnell intends to put forth a candidate as soon as possible, despite his despicable behavior during Obama’s last year (it’s a presidential election year, you know). I just need to buckle up, buttercup, and put on my RBG pants and keep on working!

  2. Hi Maria I’m so glad you look at all the responses sent to you- please feel free
    to alter my comments in any manner – it has been a long sad night. Thank you.

    Maria- it was difficult news to hear- her tiny being emitted such energy
    she seemed unstoppable – her passing needs to unite us – to keep up
    the good fight and get into good trouble.

    We need to tap into the energy of the Women’s March in 2017
    in the spirit of the Notorious RBG – she has passed the baton/gauntlet-
    let’s put on our gloves and get to work- let’s do our remarkable
    Justice Ginsburg proud.

    I’ve always loved her little stylish gloves – here’s the backstory-
    Justice (Sandra Day) O’Connor told me (RBG) when I was having
    chemotherapy after colon cancer, ‘You are vulnerable now, and
    you’re going to receptions and shaking hands with lots of
    people, so you should at least wear gloves.’ This was in 1999.
    So, I wore gloves and liked them so much, I decided to keep
    wearing them.”

  3. Dear Maria, I see an entire sleeve of your Kimono dedicated to her legacy. Is there still a sleeve available? I read someones comment today on another blog that I took to heart so much…..*she was a tiny woman, with huge, fierce and tireless energy*. Yes, her legacy will live on- she WAS the embodiment of a fierce woman and I hope the things she fought for so strongly will continue with other women to join in and continue in her very large footsteps
    Susan M

  4. Thank you Maria for sharing so eloquently your sorrow at the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. I too have cried many tears but also am so grateful for her life and examples of courage regardless of the odds against her. I am hopeful that women everywhere will pick up where she left off and continue to work for justice, liberty, compassion and the earth. Our lives depend on it.

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