title
RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF ALDERS GRIEVING THE LOSS AND HONORING THE LIFE OF JUSTICE RUTH BADER GINSBURG
body
WHEREAS: Justice Ginsburg was a trailblazing advocate for women's rights and social justice, and an intellectual giant with an incredible work ethic; and
WHEREAS: As an advocate before and a member of the Supreme Court, and by her own lived example, Justice Ginsburg did so much to advance women's rights and to realize greater equality of all people before the law; and
WHEREAS: Her intellect, her eloquence, and her tenacity made her a role model for many; and
WHEREAS: Despite being graduating first in her class, she could not get a job at a New York law firm, because of the "three strikes" against her: she was Jewish, a woman, and a mother; and
WHEREAS: She went on in 1993 to become just the second woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court - after having advocated before that Court in the 1970s, strategically chipping away at the legal wall of gender discrimination; and
WHEREAS: She won five of six cases before the Court, establishing that the constitutional guarantee of equal protection applied to women; and
WHEREAS: When asked when she would be satisfied with the number of women on the Court, she would reply, "When there are nine." And
WHEREAS: Although often in the minority, Justice Ginsburg was a fierce advocate for social justice through dissents, on issues ranging from voting rights to the right to choose, serving as a reminder to never give up on just causes; and
WHEREAS: Her trenchant dissent decrying the repeal of key sections of the Voting Rights Act earned her the nickname "Notorious RBG," and sparked a late life folk following; and
WHEREAS: Justice Ginsburg's strength in facing personal illness is inspiring: though she struggled with four bouts of cancer, she never missed a day of the court's public schedule; and
WHEREAS: She was determined to stay in her role for as long as possible to protect social justice and equality in ou...
Click here for full text