This week, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg gave two rare appearances to talk about the state of the country, one through a pre-taped interview with BBC's Newsnight program and one at George Washington University. While she didn't necessarily say President Donald Trump's name, she did talk about the idea of what makes America great, pulling from the president's well-known campaign slogan. "We are not as mindful of what makes America great," Ginsburg explained to the crowd in Washington D.C., saying that "the right to speak one's mind" and "the idea of our nation being receptive to all people, welcoming of all people" were two important tenets of the United States.
In D.C., the justice was also asked to elaborate on her thoughts about the future of America. Ginsburg had told the BBC earlier that despite the current administration's shifts in policy that don't live up to her idea of American values (like the Muslim ban, a policy she didn't mention by name), she believes they aren't permanent. "A great man once said that the true symbol of the United States is not the bald eagle. It is the pendulum. When the pendulum swings too far in one direction it will go back. Some terrible things have happened in the United States, but one can only hope that we learn from those bad things." At the Washington D.C. event, she added that she was "optimistic in the long run."
Ginsburg also mentioned to the BBC that protests like the Women's March that took place in January are giving people hope. "I've never seen such a demonstration, both the numbers and the rapport of the people in that crowd," she explained during her Newsnight program. "There was no violence, it was orderly. So yes, we are not experiencing the best times, but there is reason to hope that we will see a better day."
In case you were wondering, Ginsburg also said during her BBC appearance that she's staying put, pointing out that one of her former Supreme Court colleagues, Justice John Paul Stevens, retired at 90. "I have a way to go," she remarked.
Additionally, NBC News reported Ginsburg confirmed that she's staying on the bench at the event at George Washington University on Thursday. "I will do this job as long as I can do it full steam," she told the crowd. "When I can't, that will be the time I will step down."
