⏩ State figures react to the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
NEW HAVEN — The death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Friday night led many in Connecticut to remember her for her brilliant mind and her tenacious and lifelong fight to protect the rights of Americans.
Ginsburg, 87, died Friday at her home in Washington of complications of metastatic pancreatic cancer.
She was appointed to the Supreme Court by President Bill Clinton in 1993. She was the second woman appointed to the court and served more than 27 years.
Marilyn Ford, a professor of law at Quinnipiac University, was one of those affected by death. She said Ginsburg, her professor at Rutgers University, had changed the course of her life.
Ford said she grew up in Arkansas, then St. Louis, during the Jim Crow era. When she entered law school, she was primarily concerned with securing the rights of Black Americans; Ginsburg had impressed upon her the universality of civil rights, and the importance of securing them and fighting the oppression for all groups of people.
Ginsburg was a “role model, a mentor, a life coach,” Ford said. She demonstrated that women could have a family and a professional career; she was a fierce and passionate person and a brilliant jurist; she demonstrated that a legal education should used to better the world.
“She had values; she had values; she had values,” said Ford. “She was committed and she brought out the best of us . ... She brought out the best in everybody.”
Gov. Ned Lamont called Ginsburg “a a fierce and fiery champion for fairness and equality for all.”
Ginsburg, Lamont said, “overcame adversity both in and out of the courtroom — battling gender discrimination at a time when women were rarely serving as lawyers. She also fought cancer with rigor, rarely missing any days in court. A giant inspiration and pioneer for women globally, Justice Ginsburg should not just be remembered for what she stood for, but what she stood against.
“Our nation is greater for her tenacity, dissension, and adversity against injustice. As Justice Ginsburg put it best, ‘there will be enough women on the court when there are nine,’” Lamont said.
Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz said Ginsburg “inspired many women, including me, to enter the legal profession. She showed the entire world that with perseverance and tenacity there is no obstacle you can’t overcome. She fought for all of us because she believed in the promise of our nation."
Liz Gustafson, state director of NARAL ProChoice Connecticut, said “we are incredibly grateful for Justice Ginsburg, a legal giant who never stopped defending our right to control our bodies, our lives, and our futures. We are committed to defending her legacy by embodying all she stood for as we work to protect and expand reproductive freedom.”
Connecticut’s U.S. representatives also praised Ginsburg.
Jim Himes from the 4th District, said “Justice Ginsburg was an incarnation of those things which truly make America great. Justice tempered with compassion. Tireless work for the protection of liberty and the advancement of opportunity. We best honor her legacy by rededicating ourselves to these precious things.”
Rose DeLauro, from the 3rd District, said “We have lost a force of nature, a firebrand with the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The road ahead seems dark, but we must move forward with her tenacious commitment to justice. Justice Ginsburg, you will be missed beyond comprehension.”
U.S. Rep Jahana Hayes, of the 5th District, said
Ginsburg “lived a uniquely-American life, as a champion for women, a teacher and a resolute justice who flourished in the face of adversity. I respected her ambition, dedication, and intellect. She forced everyone to see beyond stereotypes and live out their full potential."
John Larson, representing the 1st District, said “Justice Ginsburg paved the way for millions of women and Americans who have faced discrimination and inequality. She never stopped fighting for equal rights for all. She will be remembered for her unparalleled courage, determination, and legal mind. She changed our nation for the better. She will be remembered for her unparalleled courage, determination, and legal mind. She changed our nation for the better.”
Joe Courtney, representing the the 2nd District, said “Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s life was about shattering barriers for women, and all Americans who experience discrimination. She had an exquisite legal mind, and clarity of thought and word that she used powerfully to change this country for the better.”
Flags across the nation will fly at half-staff until her burial. The Brooklyn, N.Y., native will be buried after private services in Arlington National Cemetery, the Supreme Court said.