Tag: Shakeup

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Twitter Users Promise to Protect Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg at All Costs After SCOTUS Shakeup


After Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement from the bench this week, questions quickly surfaced about what his exit means for the future of women, people of color and the LGBTQ community, whose rights are often on the line in high-profile cases that come before the justices.

But there was one other person the internet immediately focused their attention on: Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Kennedy’s retirement sent Twitter into a full panic spiral, as people worried that perhaps RBG, who is 85, might also be planning her exit. Ginsburg is the oldest Supreme Court Justice, and she’s already five years past the average age at which most Justices have retired.

“Protect RBG at all cost!” tweets flying across social media read, with many users promising to send her vitamins, prayers, and even 24/7 security detail. “I’m buying Ruth Bader Ginsburg an Anytime Fitness membership, 10 years of Vitamins, and a lifetime of Smoothies…” one Twitter user wrote. “I’m becoming an organ donor but only if my organs are going to Ruth Bader Ginsburg,” someone else said.

The good news for nervous RBG fans is that she’s still going strong. While many predicted she might call it quits during the Obama administration, the planking heroine of an octogenarian has kept on. She even hinted earlier this year that she hoped to follow the path of former Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, who retired at the age of 90. According to the Los Angeles Times, she also said that she’s in “very good” health and that “as long as I can do the job full steam, I will be here.”

Plus, there’s recorded proof of her fitness level here, which means Twitter users can rest easy.

While the world went full-blown Liam Neeson in Taken over the Notorious RBG, she was busy reacting to Kennedy’s news like the boss she is. Kennedy, who was considered the Supreme Court’s key swing vote, could throw off the conservative-liberal balance of the bench with his retirement, but there was no trace of anxiety in Ginsburg’s sweet tribute to him.

“I will miss the pleasure of his company at our Conference, his helpful suggestions on circulating opinions, his recommendations of art exhibitions to visit with my chambers staff, and much more,” she said in a statement. “For the good he has done during the 43 years he has served as a member of the federal judiciary, he has earned a rousing Bravo.” She also called Kennedy a “true gentleman, a caring jurist and a grand colleague in all respects.”

What a class act. (But also, please never retire.)

Related Stories:

A Reminder That We Won’t Need a Full Repeal of Roe v. Wade for Abortion to Be Restricted

How Justice Anthony Kennedy’s Retirement From the Supreme Court Could Erode Women’s Rights





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These Celebrities Have a Lot of Thoughts About the Supreme Court Shakeup


Yesterday, the already-frenzied news cycle amped up to a new level with Justice Anthony Kennedy’s announcement that he will be retiring from the Supreme Court. That means that President Donald Trump will now have the chance to nominate a second judge, after already placing Justice Neil Gorsuch on the highest court in the land not long after his inauguration.

Justice Kennedy is one of the conservative members of the court, but he has been a swing vote (siding with the liberals) on a number of key issues like abortion rights and gay marriage. His Trump-nominated replacement is expected to make the court much more conservative—and many are concerned about what that means for the future of Roe v. Wade and other cases.

Which is why some of Hollywood’s most famous, and outspoken, celebrities are taking to social media to make their opinions known and calling on their followers to take action.

Olivia Wilde, never one to shy away from speaking her mind, was very blunt in tweeting, “Let’s be clear: it is not a question of abortions or no abortions. It is only a question of whether women will die having them.”

Debra Messing posted an Instagram video—wearing a “Badass Feminist” shirt—pledging that she is ready to dig in and fight. “If Trump gets one of his nominees in we are looking at Roe v Wade being overturned,” she wrote. “Gay marriage overturned. It would be terrible for Union members, and everyone who needs affordable health care. Civil Rights as we know them will be chipped away. PLEASE commit to fighting this.”

Some, like comedian Billy Eichner, were just sad—while Cher was her usual fired up (and all caps) self.

Queer Eye‘s Jonathan Van Ness tweeted, “Omg can we do that cute unconstitutional thing again where we stall on nominees until the next election?” (He’s referring to the time Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell refused to hold hearings on then-President Barack Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland, in 2016 because it was an election year.)

Of course, there was a Handmaid’s Tale reference.

Kathy Griffin is depending on Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Alyssa Milano and Chelsea Handler want people to keep hope—and also VOTE.

Wherever you stand on the issue, be prepared to see your social media feeds jammed with talk of SCOTUS and judicial nominees for the foreseeable future.





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