It was just another Sept. 18 Zoom call, an editorial board meeting on a lazy Friday afternoon, when we first heard the news of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s passing. Someone got a news alert, read it aloud and the rest of us quickly typed her name into our search bars, thinking it was fake.

We sat silently, staring into our screens for a minute in shock and sadness – could this year get any worse? Certainly, a Twitter trending topic, titled “No, no, no,” gave us our answer. 

Ginsburg served on the Supreme Court for 27 years, lauded for her activism as related to women’s rights, civil rights and gender discrimination. She fought for women to be included in the interpretation of the 14th amendment as an attorney in Reed v. Reed. She wrote the Supreme Court decision for United States v. Virginia, which held that the Virginia Military Institute could not bar women from enrolling. She endorsed women’s right to an abortion in Whole Women’s Health v. Hellerstedt in 2016. Even her death made a statement, as she was the first woman and first Jewish person to be honored by lying in state in the U.S Capitol. 

That particular recognition, however, is of little solace when we consider the simplest way she could’ve been honored. "My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed," Ginsburg said.

Those were her literal last words. And they aren’t being fulfilled.

On Sept. 26, President Donald Trump formally announced his nominee, Amy Coney Barrett, to fill Ginsburg’s seat on the Supreme Court. His administration and Republican supporters are pushing for a Senate confirmation prior to Election Day.

We aren’t here right now to talk about politics – we have two different articles discussing those particular ramifications. This is not a Republican versus Democrat argument. This is about honoring the dying wish of a titan – a woman who brought about objectively monumental changes to our democracy, a woman who spent her life’s work ensuring women and LGBTQIA+ individuals had a seat at the table.

Ginsburg, of course, was not perfect. No politician ever is. She was far from it when it came to decision-making on subjects such as indigenous rights and criminal justice issues. She called Colin Kaepernick’s decision to kneel for the anthem “dumb and disrespectful.” She wasn’t always the progressive, liberal hero so much of the internet made her out to be.

There’s a strange culture taking hold in today’s society: “stanning” or idolizing political figures. Many people wore and created merchandise covered with her face, coming up with phrases like “Notorious RBG” and “You can’t handle the Ruth.” There’s a distinction between honoring and respecting someone and being able to critique their faults. Without that distinction, it’s easy for us to forget that politicians should be serving the people – not put on a pedestal for the work that’s a part of their job description.

But during many points in time, she was the only member of the highest court that underrepresented groups could look to as a symbol of change. And that legacy – regardless of who or what you support – deserves to be celebrated for the progressive innovations and opportunities it created. 

Ginsburg being honored as the first woman to lie in state in the U.S. Capitol isn’t enough. Her request should be upheld. But instead, her dying wish was shredded and tossed out like end-of-the-week trash.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg deserved so much more than that.