A Legacy Worth Protecting
Illustration by Samantha deNicola
On Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2008, I distinctly remember my mother waking me up, hurrying me over to the television, pointing to the news, and saying, “this is your new president. Although you don’t understand it now, he just made history.”
There are moments in our lives –– both good and bad –– that simply transcend history. They are unforgettable. In my lifetime, the election of Barack Obama, the death of Nelson Mandela, and the shooting at Sandy Hook all dramatically changed the face of the nation, and the world.
In 1956, a young, cunning woman began her journey at Harvard Law School. She was in a class of 561 students –– 552 of which were men. Throughout her academic journey, she was faced with discrimination based on gender, fierce academic competition, and unparalleled difficulty. Her husband, also a Harvard Law student, fell ill with testicular cancer and soon was no longer able to attend classes. Now acting as a caretaker, mother, and law school student doing work for two people, she continued to persevere.
Ruth Bader Ginsberg would go on to dedicate her entire career to fighting for women's rights. She argued to the Supreme Court as an attorney six times, defending the disenfranchised. She won five of those cases, permanently instituting legal precedent for gender equality in the workplace.
In 1993, Ginsberg would continue her journey to fight for those often left voiceless when President Bill Clinton appointed her to become the 107th Justice of the highest court in the land.
Throughout her 27 years on the Supreme Court, Ginsberg cast a number of votes that have since significantly altered the landscape of American society. Largely due to her unwavering and unapologetic pursuit of equality, same-sex couples can marry (Obergefell v. Hodges), doctors can continue to administer safe abortions (Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt), and women can attend any public university in the nation (United States v. Virginia). Her achievements and successes paint her as one of the great public servants in American history.
Her death is unforgettable. Ginsberg’s dedication made the United States a better, more inclusive nation, and her death leaves us with an uncertain future.
For decades, Planned Parenthood and clinics like it have been protected by one of the law's greatest titans, but now, their most adamant defender has passed, and they face an increasingly troubling road ahead.
On Sept. 3, 2020, Donald Trump pledged to fully defund Planned Parenthood if reelected. Founded in 1916, Planned Parenthood provides a wide array of low-cost medical services including abortions, emergency contraceptives, cervical cancer screenings, birth control, sex education, and sexually transmitted infection tests, among others. The organization has long been a target for conservative criticism and now faces a potential recall of the funding on which it so heavily relies.
Following news of Ginsberg’s death, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell confirmed a Trump appointee will see a vote on the Senate floor despite the looming election –– a message that directly contradicts his refusal to vote on an Obama appointee in 2016. More than 11 months before the election between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, he issued a statement arguing that “the American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court Justice. Therefore, this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president." But now, with less than 50 days to go, McConnell and the Republicans will try to force a vote, firmly establishing the Supreme Court as conservative for decades to come.
Perhaps now more than ever, the legacy of Justice Ginsberg is at risk. Her career in defense of those unheard could vanish in the coming years. Trump has openly stated that he expects his appointees to overturn Roe v. Wade when the time comes, which could in turn unravel years of work to establish gender equality. Planned Parenthood, if defunded, could collapse under financial pressures.
The gravity of the coming election has only multiplied and the country will soon decide: is Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s legacy one worth protecting? Are we not a country that champions equality of opportunity, regardless of race, gender, religion, creed, or birthplace? Her life’s work now rests largely in the hands of the young people she so fiercely protected. This generation's turnout, or lack thereof, could determine whether Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s name is one that women idolize around the globe, or one that is buried below a wave of conservatism.
Vote.
Jack Hughes
Editor-in-Chief
‘The Corsair’