Our Lives Are Tragic — The Death of RBG Is Not

When it rains it pours, and 2020 has been one long torrential downpour. The spiraling panic brought upon by the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is the latest storm that the American people must ride out. The immediate response to her death has been concerning to say the least.

As much as I loathe to say this, the lionization of public figures is yet another obstacle for progress in America.  Frankly, it is deeply unsettling to see the idolatry of public officials persist, despite the miserable conditions of our lives.

Now, it must be acknowledged that RBG lived a remarkable life. What she achieved exceeded all reasonable expectations.  She has rightfully earned her place in American history, and the fact that she spent her final days fighting for her country with every breath is a beautiful testament to the love and dedication she felt for her country.

Still, even those who regard Ginsburg as a feminist icon, who see her as a saint among the hellish evil of our rotten political class, must reconcile the fact that despite her efforts, women and minorities are still second class citizens in this country.

So, if an individual as incredible as Ginsburg was unable to create tangible change, how is it in any way sensical for our people to continue resting all hope on the shoulders of a handful of political figures?

The answer is as simple as it is sobering — there will be no political saviors. Present- day Americans worshipping members of the political class is about as logical as a wound worshipping a band aid. That is to say that the healing will come from within, not from whatever is concealing the surface. 

Our institutions are compromised, they have failed us. The current system that has inflicted so much misery and human suffering must be changed. It is unacceptable that in the purest reduction of our present state of affairs, I can linearly trace so much death and despair to the unmitigated greed of the ruling class.  

I mean, how low have we sunk that the fate of our democracy rested upon a woman clinging to life at the ripe old age of four score and seven?

We need to move forward in unprecedented ways to counter these unprecedented circumstances. We need to move forward instead of constantly looking back. Let the dead rest.

I hope for the sake of my country that people start to recognize that what is tragic is not the loss of an individual light like Ginsburg that was fully absorbed and recognized by so many, but the reality that our society is smothering out millions of young beacons with the potential to shine as brightly as she did.