Statement on the Passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
BOSTON, Mass.– Rebecca Hart Holder, the Executive Director of NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts, issued the following statement on the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg:
“Like so many, when I heard about the passing of Justice Ginsburg my heart sank and my mind raced. Collectively, we are mourning the death of one of the greatest champions for equality in our lifetime.
“Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a fearless champion for equality and justice, including reproductive freedom. Ruth Bader Ginsburg didn’t just fight for individual women, she fought to change the entire legal framework upon which gender-based discrimination rested. Her profound impact on our country is measured by her influence as a lawyer and a judge, and by the millions of people she inspired to fight to create a more just nation.
“We are grieving, and we will be grieving, for months and years to come. Still, we must harness our grief and let it strengthen our resolve. If Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump get their way, they will nominate and confirm another radical anti-choice justice to the Supreme Court. We cannot let that happen.
“With voting already underway, there should be no question that it should be left up to the American people to decide who gets to nominate the next U.S. Supreme Court justice. No nomination should advance or be voted on until after Inauguration Day. Our fundamental rights hang in the balance, and those elected to represent us must show leadership in this pivotal moment in the fight for reproductive freedom.
“As Bay Staters, we are committed to helping stop a vote on any nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court before Inauguration Day, and to work to help elect a pro-choice majority to the U.S. Senate on November 3rd. Our work does not end there, when there is so much left to be done on the state level to protect and expand reproductive freedom.
“Faced with such grave uncertainty about the future of the High Court, Massachusetts must lead. We must not only reaffirm the right to safe, legal abortion care, but also ensure that all Bay Staters have access to the reproductive health care they need free from politically-motivated obstacles grounded in stigma and shame. After all, a right on paper is no right at all if you cannot exercise it. We are calling on the state legislature to honor the memory and legacy of Justice Ginsburg by passing the ROE Act immediately. The time for debate is over. Passing the ROE Act simply cannot wait any longer.”
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Contact:
Jon Latino
978-870-9388