Levin Statement on the Passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg

WARREN, MI – Congressman Andy Levin today released the following statement following the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg: 

“The loss of Ruth Bader Ginsburg has left so many of us without words. Justice Ginsburg was a pioneer in the women’s rights movement. Her landmark opinions advanced the rights of women, immigrants, and disabled people and moved our imperfect nation closer to achieving equality and justice for all. As the second woman appointed to the Supreme Court, she was a trailblazer who changed the face of our nation’s highest legal body. She dedicated her life to women’s rights and equality and her time as general counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union was a high watermark for the ACLU. 

She was one of the most brilliant legal minds our country has ever seen. 

But Ruth Ginsburg was so much more than a Supreme Court Justice. She was a role model and an icon for a generation of young women who learned from her fiery dissents and sharp humor that women deserved to be heard, respected, and represented in the highest level of our nation’s judiciary. Justice Ginsburg was a paragon for the Jewish community, embodying the commitment to justice, kindness, and equality that defines so much of Jewish life. 

To lose Justice Ginsburg on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, a time when Jews come together to reflect and reinvigorate their commitment to faith and community is terribly bittersweet. The loss of such a powerful woman who left an indelible mark on the legal field is truly painful. But Justice Ginsburg was notoriously tough and never faltered in her pursuit of justice. In her words, “We live in an age in which the fundamental principles to which we subscribe - liberty, equality and justice for all - are encountering extraordinary challenges... But it is also an age in which we can join hands with others who hold to those principles and face similar challenges.” What choice do we really have but to heed Notorious RBG’s advice and continue building the more equitable, inclusive world she envisioned and embodied?”