RIP RBG

And what her death means

I nearly had a 2016-election-night-level freakout when I heard the news about Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Friday night. Ginsburg was a woman I deeply admired who reshaped the country in important ways that are very relevant to my own life, but was also someone who knew people that I know, and so I felt a sense of loss and mourning ripple through my personal network and across the nation.

Of course, Ginsburg’s life was political, and she would not have been shocked that her death was, too. It provides an opportunity for another potential Trump appointment to the Supreme Court. Conservative justices, including very far right ones, already have a 5 to 4 majority on the court: appointing another conservative in the spot held by Ginsburg would create a super-majority.

That’s especially important, of course, as Roe v. Wade hangs in the balance. The far right has been coming for the case that legalized abortion since it was decided in 1973, chipping away at it since they’ve been unable to overturn it outright so far. The irony is that Ginsburg thought Roe was decided in the wrong way, and that there were better legal grounds on which abortion rights could have been granted and would have been less tenuous. Arkansas, where I am, is one of 8 states that would ban abortion in the event that Roe is overturned, and is one of the most anti-abortion states in the country, with 60 percent of adults believing it should be illegal in all or most cases. There are various reasons for that, but it can be summed up thusly: Arkansas is a small, conservative state, with a high population of evangelical Christians. This is true of many largely rural states, which are, of course, overrepresented in the Senate.

Instead of freaking out, though, I went to bed and woke up rejuvenated. The reality is that the vast majority of Americans want to carry on Ginsburg’s legacy, and her death is a galvanizing event. At least it is for me. I’ve spent much of the Trump era at loose ends, uncertain of what my role is and how to fight. Ginsburg’s death brought me a lot of personal clarity, for reasons I’m still working out. Imagine what we can do in her honor.

What I’ve Been Reading:

I’ve been reading more than normal this week. These are the two best pieces you will read about Ruth Bader Ginsburg. I really recommend these two pieces: Adam Serwer on the anti-racist majority, and this brief explainer on what racism means and why the definition is being fought over. The horrors of school on Zoom. The horrors revealed by this Facebook whistleblower. How an ICE facility is forcing women to have hysterectomies without informed consent. Companies ended hazard pay for their workers even as they’re continuing stock buybacks. Taxpayers keep shelling out money to Trump properties, and Rudy Giuliani got a PPP loan. On how the media learned nothing from 2016.

Please watch this video essay from Tyler Childers, on Black Lives Matter and Southern heritage.

Some Notes:

I was planning on writing about something else, but I wanted to mark Ginsburg’s death instead. Stay tuned for that next week.

My subscriber list keeps growing. I would love more feedback about what kinds of things you’d be willing to pay for if you’re not paying now, and also, what more you’d like to see. My goal is to start providing more content this fall, as I wrap up revisions on my book.

What I’m Recommending:

I can’t get enough of the recipes in this cookbook from America’s Test Kitchen, Naturally Sweet, which uses more natural sources of sugar than granulated sugar, and less of it. The coconut cashew muffins are maybe the best things I’ve ever baked, and there are tons of other recipes, like fudgy chocolate cookies, that we make all the time. It satisfies our sweet tooth without making us feel so guilty. Even better, the recipes are more filling than very sugary treats.

Cute Animal Pic of the Week:

We met this cutie-pie on a trip to another town. My partner, Samir, who falls in love with every dog he meets, asked for a pic.