TOW #7 - Justice Ginsburg’s Cautious Radicalism

The article was written for The New York Times by Irin Carmon, an Israeli-American journalist and commentator as well as co-author of the new book, Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg.  The article focuses on the strategies of RBG and how these strategies, as well as her fame, have developed over her lifetime.  The article is written to reveal a fighting side to RBG in the face of discrimination and injustice.  Written for an audience of educated people, likely many women, the article discusses RBG's recent fame with younger generations, but only alludes to her professional work.  A strategy Carmon uses is many quotes to characterize the Supreme Court Justice.  While many are familiar with the professional side of RBG, as well as the public opinion side, Carmon uses her piece to reveal even more about RBG than is generally viewed.  An example is when she juxtaposes the public opinion of RBG with the "real" RBG.  She writes, "Justice Ginsburg has been depicted as an avenging angel smiting her enemies, with two middle fingers up in the air, and as a warrior Athena inked on the arm of more than one feminist."  Only one paragraph later though, Carmon uses a quote from RBG.  She says, "Anger, resentment, envy and self-pity are wasteful reactions...They greatly drain one's time.  They sap energy better devoted to productive endeavors."  The direct quote not only helps to characterize RBG for Carmon's audience, it also juxtaposes the general public's view of the icon vs. the actual opinions of the icon herself.  The end of the essay also provides a call to action for the audience, but in an indirect way.  Carmon writes, "By that point, you can be sure she will have tried everything else.  She'll still be fighting for the things she cares about.  But this time, she'll be asking us to join her."  Throughout the entire essay, Carmon dismantled certain views of RBG that most people look up to her for, mainly her extreme emotions and iconic feminism.  However, by the end it is clear that Carmon agrees with RBG being an icon, but for different reasons.  The author succeeded in characterizing RBG as an icon for even better reasons than before, achieving her purpose and calling for her audience to join RBG's fight for justice.