:quality(80)/cdn-kiosk-api.telegraaf.nl/aa5fbff2-fa43-11ea-964d-02d1dbdc35d1.jpg "American high judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg (87) died | Abroad")
Ginsburg died of pancreatic cancer. She had been treated for cancer many times before, and her health was struggling lately. But even with chemotherapy or operations, she remained fully committed to the Supreme Court until the last moment. She rarely missed a day.
Hero status
At every news of a hospitalization, the America left held its breath for a moment. Ruth Bader Ginsburg was an icon for progressive America. She had a long career in which she consistently championed equality and women’s rights. She was appointed to the Supreme Court by Democratic President Bill Clinton in 1993 and was one of the most progressive judges there.
‘RBG’, as she was affectionately known by her fans, has gained hero status in recent years. Her image was on shirts, posters and mugs. There are even people who have her image tattooed on their bodies. Books have been published about her life, but also about her strict fitness regime.
Succession
Now a heated political battle will erupt over her succession, a few weeks before the presidential election.
President Trump will opt for a conservative successor. He has twice appointed conservative judges. The influence of these appointments is great. The judges are appointed for life, and they can decide on major social issues such as abortion, gun legislation and civil rights.
Several hundred people gathered at the Supreme Court in Washington DC on Friday evening to pay ‘their RBG’ one last honor. Candles were lit and flowers laid out on the white marble steps in front of the building. Rainbow flags flutter in the wind. The news had hit hard for those present.
Dan Moriarti takes it all on. “Normally I don’t come to these kinds of things quickly. But now I had to. The life she led, what she meant to this country. ” He points to a little girl walking past. “That’s why I’m here. What she has meant for women and girls like her. ”
