Rep. Dean Phillips on the Passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

There are few names that command as much reverence as Ruth Bader Ginsburg. I’m saddened in ways I never imagined possible.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg was an eternal optimist who never gave up on the American people, and who never stopped pushing us to be better. She embodied the strength and resolve of the human spirit – and of our beloved democracy.

This is a monumental loss for our country. May her memory be a blessing and may her legacy live through all of us.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg worked tirelessly to lay the groundwork of her vision for America – a united nation that did not discriminate on the basis of gender. And with steady conviction she zeroed in on distinct violations of civil liberties until that groundwork became precedent, and precedent became the law of our land.

For so many of us the feelings of loss and despair have lately become commonplace, and it may feel as if the world is unrecognizable. I’m here to tell you that it is in the darkest of times we find hope and opportunity.

Justice Ginsburg’s legacy lives on in each and every one of us. She has passed the torch to an entire generation of American leaders who will not stop until they’ve made this world a better place for everyone. I ask that we do the same – and commit ourselves to hope and optimism to honor her legacy.

“Fight for things you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”

Keep the faith,

Dean