Statement on the passing of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Portland, Oregon—Today, Disability Rights Oregon Executive Director Jake Cornett issued the following statement on the passing of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg:
Statement from Jake Cornett, Executive Director, Disability Rights Oregon
In the struggle for equality, accessibility, and inclusion for people with disabilities, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a strong ally and will be deeply missed. In one of the most important disability rights cases considered by the U.S. Supreme Court—Olmstead v. L.C.—Justice Ginsburg wrote that the institutionalization of people with disabilities wrongly perpetuates a stereotype that we are “incapable or unworthy of participating in community life.” In that decision, the Supreme Court found that people with disabilities could not be forced into institutions and shut away from society, declaring we have a right to be integrated in our communities.
Justice Ginsburg knew the importance of the Americans with Disabilities Act in our struggle for equality and wrote in another opinion that Congress's passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act finally included “individuals with disabilities among people who count in composing ‘We the People.’”
The Supreme Court plays an essential role in promoting and defending the rights of people with disabilities, and no other Supreme Court Justice has played a larger role in the disability rights movement.
Our thoughts are with Justice Ginsburg's family during this difficult time of mourning. We thank Justice Ginsburg for her lifetime of service and hope she continues to inspire others to defend the rights of people with disabilities for decades to come.
About
Disability Rights Oregon
Disability Rights Oregon upholds the civil rights of people with disabilities to live, work, and engage in the community. The nonprofit works to transform systems, policies, and practices to give more people the opportunity to reach their full potential. For more than 40 years, the organization has served as Oregon’s Protection & Advocacy system.
###