HERE ARE THE HEADLINES as they apĀpear in one form or anĀother in countĀless newsletĀters, sites, and blogs in the rightwingnut blĀoĀgosĀphere: āLibĀeral FaĀvorite Ruth Bader GinsĀburg Called Colin KaeperĀnickās Protest Dumb and DisĀreĀspectful.ā If this is meant to show some kind of hypocrisy, it does not; in the end, it merely shows that a jusĀtice has an opinion about an issue.
The InĀdeĀpenĀdent Journal Review (IJR) opened its arĀticle on the topic with these words: āRuth Bader GinsĀburg is a faĀvorite of libĀerals for her strongly-worded stateĀments and opinĀions, and now sheās taking on a new opĀpoĀnent that might send the tongues of some her fans wagĀging. In an inĀterĀview with Katie Couric of Yahoo! News, GinsĀburg said she finds Colin KaeperĀnickās protest ādumb and disrespectful.ā ā
āI disĀapĀprove of what you say, but I will deĀfend to the death your right to say it.ā
Ruth Bader GinsĀburg is a United States Supreme Court JusĀtice apĀpointed to that poĀsiĀtion by PresĀiĀdent Bill Clinton in 1993. And yes, she is a promiĀnent and vocal member of the miĀnority in the regĀular 5-4 deĀciĀsions handed down by what many hisĀtoĀrians conĀsider the most biĀased and conĀserĀvĀaĀtive Supreme Court in AmerĀican history.
Justice Ginsburg takes issue
To IJRās credit, they folĀlowed with GinsĀburgās acĀtual stateĀments after Couric asked Supreme Court JusĀtice GinsĀburg what she thought of San FranĀcisco 49ers quarĀterĀback Colin KaeperĀnick and other athĀletes reĀfusing to stand for the anĀthem, kneeling in protest inĀstead. JusĀtice GinsĀburg replied:
āI think itās reĀally dumb of them. Would I arĀrest them for doing it? No. I think itās dumb and disĀreĀspectful. I would have the same anĀswer if you asked me about flag-burning. I think itās a terĀrible thing to do, but I wouldnāt lock a person up for doing it.
I would point out how ridicuĀlous it seems to me to do such an act. Itās danĀgerous to arĀrest people for conĀduct that doesnāt jeopĀarĀdize the health and well-being of other people. Itās a symbol theyāre enĀgaged in.ā
Couric asked, āBut when it comes to these footĀball players, you may find their acĀtions ofĀfenĀsive, but what youāre saying is, itās within their rights to exĀerĀcise those acĀtions?ā And JusĀtice GinsĀburg affirmed:
āYes. If they want to be stupid, thereās no law that should be preĀvenĀtive. If they want to be arĀroĀgant, thereās no law that preĀvents them from that. What I would do is strongly take issue with the point of view that they are exĀpressing when they do that.ā
So Iām not sure what the righties think that this all means, as GinsĀburgās stateĀment of her perĀsonal opinion conĀcerning KaeperĀnick ās beĀhavior is just that: a perĀsonal opinion.
This painting tiĀtled āThe Swordā (1896) by Alfred-Pierre Agache is often used to porĀtray Evelyn BeatĀrice Hall.
I will defend your right to say it
JusĀtice GinsĀburg acĀknowlĀedges that the man has the right to protest in whatĀever manner he deems fit and that she finds this parĀticĀular manner to be dumb.
And arĀroĀgant.
Even stupid.
But legal.
Or, as Evelyn BeatĀrice Hall so faĀmously stated when deĀscribing Voltaireās stance on freedom of speech, āI disĀapĀprove of what you say, but I will deĀfend to the death your right to say it.ā
That does sound susĀpiĀciously like what one exĀpects of any thinking person living a democĀracy who reĀspects the rights of others in that democracy.
So the seemĀingly shocking headĀlines about a promiĀnent libĀerĀalās acĀtions or words as reĀlayed in the rightwingnut blĀoĀgosĀphere is, yet again, much ado about nothing.
@RuthBGinsburgās reĀmarks about KaeperĀnick are in keeping with one who supĀports the First AmendĀment. Click To Tweet
FEATURED IMAGE: San FranĀcisco 49ers Eric Reid and Colin KaeperĀnick kneeling during the playing of the naĀtional anĀthem beĀfore the start of a game.
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