The death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a major loss for our country and our democracy. She was a fierce champion of justice and dedicated her career to pursuing equal protection for the disenfranchised and voiceless. Like the great Justice Thurgood Marshall, Justice Ginsburg’s brilliant, unwavering voice and landmark opinions advanced voting rights, gender equality, racial and economic justice and equitable health care.
In her dying words, Justice Ginsburg said, “My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed.” Justice Ginsburg understood, as did Thurgood Marshall, that the Supreme Court is the foundation of our democracy and the protector of the rule of law. People of all races, cultures, and religions must believe that the court is unbiased and will be an unbiased defender of the constitutional rights of ALL. We must have a court that we, the people, believe is legitimate and will act in a manner to defend the constitutional rights of us all - for without this belief, the court's vital role is diminished.
In my remarks to you during the 2020 Fall Convocation, I focused on the importance of our participating in our democracy by VOTING. This year, we grieved the deaths of civil rights icons Representative John Lewis, and the Reverend C.T. Vivian - both of whom literally risked their lives to fight for our right to vote. With the passing yesterday of Justice Ginsburg it is ever more clear that the power of your vote has consequences. Your vote will impact not only your generation, but generations that follow you.
I ask you to join me in viewing Justice Ginsburg’s death as a clarion call for each of us to vote in the 2020 election and to encourage others to vote.
Sincerely,
Dorcas D. Bowles
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
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