HOLLAND (WHTC-AM/FM) — The death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, brought swift reactions around the globe and right her in West Michigan. Justice Ginsburg, 87, died of metastatic pancreatic cancer.
Ottawa County’s 58th District Court Chief Judge Brad Knoll wrote, “Justice Bader Ginsburg was a pioneer in the fight for women’s equality in the legal profession and the workplace in general. Her accidental celebrity never deterred her from her tireless efforts right up to the end of her life. The country has lost one of its greatest jurists.”
Holland Mayor Nathan Bocks, an attorney with a private practice in Holland, wrote to WHTC: “Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a giant in the law and her death is a loss to us all. In addition to being a trailblazer in the law, she proved that people with differing ideological viewpoints can and should work collegially with one another. It is my hope that we call all learn from her example and model that behavior in our own public and private lives.”
Judge Chris Yates, of the 17th Circuit Court in Kent County, wrote, “Our nation – and our legal community in particular – lost a giant. I said the very same thing when Antonin Scalia died. How fitting that the two fo them sere truly dear friends.
While she is remembered for such comments as “Don’t be distracted by emotions like anger, envy, resentment. These just zap energy and waste time.” and “You can disagree without being disagreeable.” and “Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. It shouldn’t be that women are the exception.” she will perhaps be best remembered for saying, as an attorney arguing her first case before the U.S. Supreme Court, “All I ask of our brethern is that they take their feet off our necks.”
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered U.S. and Michigan flags within the State Capitol Complex and on all public buildings and grounds across the state to be lowered to half-staff immediately Friday, honoring Justice Ginsburg’s life and service., and remain at half-staff until her interment.
“I am truly heartbroken at the news of Justice Ginsburg’s passing,” Whitmer said, in a statement emailed to media. “Her intellect, her razor sharp wit, and her lifetime of service to our nation made her an inspiration to millions of Americans.
“I know there are a lot of women who are feeling worried right now about what this means for the future of our country. One thing I learned watching Justice Ginsburg’s fearless battles with cancer and injustice is that you never give up, and you never stop fighting for the values we hold dear as Americans. The best way to honor Justice Ginsburg’s memory is by making our voices heard at the ballot box this November. Register to vote, request an absentee ballot, and return it quickly. Let us turn our grief into action, let us choose hope over fear, and let us find the strength to build a stronger America for everyone.”
Michigan native, former Presidential candidate and Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, in a statement published on his social media channels, wrote: “Justice Ginsburg served our nation with a deep reverence for the law and our Constitution. Her fight for women’s equality inspired all women to pursue their dreams without limits, and her grit, character and sharp wit made her an iconic and inspirational jurist beloved by people young and old. The beautiful friendship she shared with the late Justice Scalia serves as a reminder to all Americans to treat each other with kindness and respect, despite our differences. Justice Ginsburg’s record of distinguished service leaves an indelible mark on our country that will endure for generations to come. She and her husband Martin shared a full life together, and Ann and I pray tonight that her family finds comfort during this time.”
Rep. Bill Huizenga, a Zeeland Republican, wrote on Facebook: “My heart goes out to the family of Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg as well as her fellow Justices on the Supreme Court. Justice Ginsburg fought cancer with a toughness that inspired all while serving our nation with dignity until she was called home.”
Peter Meijer, the Republican nominee for Congress in Michigan’s Third Congressional District, emailed this statement: “I am deeply saddened to hear of Justice Ginsburg’s passing- a true trailblazer. In this divisive climate, I am reminded of her deep friendship with Justice Scalia — a profound symbol of how differences can strengthen and improve us. May she rest in peace. We should also be proud of her legacy as the second woman to serve on the highest court in the land. My condolences to her family in this difficult moment.”
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a Brooklyn, New York, native, graduated from Cornell University and wnet on to attend Harvard Law School, then Columbia Law School, to complete her law degree. She focused on women’s rights while working with the American Civil Liberties Union, and was founding counsel of the Women’s Rights Project. Her work with the ACLU led to the first U.S. Supreme Court decision in which a gender-based statute was struck down based on equal protection grounds.
She served on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, appointed in 1980 by then-President Jimmy Carter and in 1993, became the second woman appoint to the U.S. Supreme Court, appointed by then-President Bill Clinton.
This story will be updated with comments from area leaders.
