Justice, Justice She Does Not Pursue
Jewish Women International firmly opposes the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. Her record defies our standard for justice and independence on the bench. Amidst the grip of a deadly pandemic, systemic bigotry and brutality targeting Black Americans, and sustained attacks on reproductive freedom, Barrett’s confirmation will carry devastating consequences for the health and rights of women, girls, and all marginalized people.
"While Barrett sees her legal career as a means to ‘building the kingdom of God,’ we at Jewish Women International know that upholding misogyny and discrimination is antithetical to righteousness." — Meredith Jacobs, JWI CEO
Barrett’s appointment to our nation’s highest court is a direct threat to reproductive freedom, survivors of sexual assault, civil rights, health care access, racial justice, voting rights, gun safety, and legal protections for marginalized groups. Barrett’s judicial philosophy and academic work are indisputable harbingers for a life tenure on the Supreme Court decimating abortion rights and dismissing civil rights precedent; weaponizing Title IX against victims of sexual assault and defending abusers; eroding the constitutional separation of church and state; discriminating against people of color, immigrants, and LGBTQ Americans; and threatening affordable health care access. Barrett’s confirmation will reverse decades of progress our country has made towards building a more equitable democracy — dishonoring and dismantling the legacy of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. We strongly believe that women belong on the Court and that justice belongs at the core of their judicial decision-making. Unfortunately, Barrett has proven that she will not defend equality or fairness. It is chilling to consider that a woman could be the jurist to irrevocably gut or overturn Roe v. Wade and strip millions of women of dignity, bodily autonomy, and equality under the law. With 37 days until the 2020 general election and voting already underway, ramming Barrett’s nomination through the Senate is an insult to our democracy. As our country continues to mourn the passing of 200,000 Americans from COVID-19, her open hostility to health care protections underscores how her confirmation will imperil our lives. At JWI, justice is our purpose, our fervent hope for all women and girls, and our ultimate touchstone for the leaders of our country. Urge your senators to hold their consideration of any nominee to fill Justice Ginsburg's seat until after Inauguration Day — our system of justice and our rights depend on it. Please donate today to help as we fight this nomination every step of the way.
Jewish Women International (JWI) is the leading Jewish organization working to empower women and girls by ensuring and protecting their physical safety and economic security, promoting and celebrating inter-generational leadership, inspiring civic participation and community engagement, and engaging men as allies in ending gender-based violence. JWI is a Steering Committee member of the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence and convenes the Interfaith Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence and the Clergy Task Force on Domestic and Sexual Abuse in the Jewish Community.