"That's the dissenter's hope: that they are writing not for today, but for tomorrow." — RBG

Friend –

In Jewish tradition, a person who passes on Rosh Hashanah is a tzaddik, a righteous person. We begin this new year of 5781 mourning Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

RBG lived the Jewish call to pursue justice, making it possible for so many people to live free, full lives. She was only the second woman and first Jewish woman to serve on the Supreme Court, after decades of work leading the legal fight for gender equity in the courts.

In her honor, we dissent against any effort to fill this Supreme Court seat until a new government is sworn in. In her honor, we dissent against any effort to undermine justice and erode civil rights.

Bend the Arc is launching a pledge called We Dissent to honor the memory of Justice Ginsburg. Add your name here.

The pledge says:

We honor the legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by pledging with all our righteous fury to continue the fight for equality and dignity.

In a functioning democracy the security of the rights of millions of women, immigrants, and people of color would not rest on the shoulders of one woman, no matter how strong. On her shoulders, we rise and we dissent.

But most of all we dissent against despair. We dissent against fear. We have the power to build a country for all of us. It's going to take everything we have. It's going to take all our faith. In RBG’s memory we rise up as one with all our might.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has already made his position clear: he and President Trump are planning to name a new Supreme Court justice with just 43 days to the election. It’s blatant hypocrisy from the same party that refused to hold hearings for President Obama’s nominee, Merrick Garland, in 2016.

Now, it’s up to us to dissent. We dissent against the tyranny of minority rule where one political party will say and do anything to try to hold on to power. We dissent against a system where five out of nine Supreme Court seats could be filled by presidents who lost the popular vote. We dissent against a system where the Senate majority represents less than half of the population. We dissent against a system where our rights and our democracy are under attack.

We dissent. Take the pledge to rise up and fight for a true multiracial democracy now.

When you sign the pledge, you’ll get plugged in to efforts to contact Jewish swing voters in key states that could help determine the election and the balance of power in the Senate. You’ll have the opportunity to donate to hold politicians who are threats to our democracy accountable. And you’ll be joining thousands of Jews and allies across the country mobilizing for a multiracial democracy that truly represents and protects all of us.

May the memory of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg be a blessing. And a revolution.

Add your name to the We Dissent pledge in honor of RBG.

In solidarity,

Stosh Cotler
CEO, Bend the Arc