Even from the afterlife, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is still leaving her mark on this world, carrying on her legacy and strength for years to come as she makes history once again as not only the first woman to lie in state at the United States Capitol but also the first of Jewish faith — posthumously commemorating a lifetime of legacy.
Justice Ginsburg tragically passed last week, at the age of 87, after a long battle with metastatic pancreatic cancer. The New York Post reports, “An honor guard carried her flag-draped coffin up the steps of the Capitol and into the Statuary Hall just before 10 a.m. where it was placed on a catafalque built for President Abraham Lincoln.”
As expected, Democratic nominee Joe Biden and his wife Jill, who were last at the Capitol in July to pay their respects to the late civil rights leader John Lewis, were present at the Capitol to pay their respect to the women’s rights icon, as well as his running mate, Kamala Harris.
Among those present to welcome Justice Ginsburg’s casket with open and loving arms this solemn Friday morning was House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. However, several key Republican figures were nowhere to be found.
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In further reporting from the New York Post notable GOP names such as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Rep. Kevin McCarthy were noticeably absent as Ginsburg’s casket arrived where it would lie in state.
Among the few prominent GOPers to attend was Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana.
Rabbi Lauren Holtzblatt said of the late Supreme Court Justice, “All of the days of her life she pursued justice, even in illness. Now she must be laid to rest after toiling so hard for the rest of us.”
Ginsburg is one of only 37 people, 12 of whom were presidents, to receive the honor of lying in state.
I only wish I could say I’m surprised that the likes of Mitch McConnell didn’t have enough decency to show up and pay his respects. But then again, I suppose he’s too busy spitting in the face of her dying wish.
Featured image via Flickr/Gage Skidmore, under Creative Commons license 2.0
