Does Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson stand a chance to create change?

The confirmation of Judge Jackson to the Supreme Court is a firm step towards equality, and one towards ending a “supposedly ended” racial segregation — the hope in the hopeless case of the United States of America.

Judge Jackson was confirmed with a 53-to-47 vote. And while her win marks a historical moment and needs to be celebrated, it is saddening to see that her election is yet another piece of symbolism that most likely will result in little change.

Senator Chucks Schumer, Democrat of New York and the majority leader, marking April 7th 2022, as a symbolic date, said “Even in the darkest times, there are bright lights [which are] are a beacon of hope”. He continues, “Today is one of the brightest lights. Let us hope it’s a metaphor, an indication of many bright lights to come.”

His words pointed at the core issue: Hope. Let’s hope that Judge Jackson will have some impact and influence in a court that couldn’t be more blatantly and inappropriately tipped towards the right. When Plato wrote about justices, he wrote about a harmonious strength. Not about the right to support one’s own opinion. Justice is a strength and balance based on ratio and logic, not personal sentiments and feelings. Unfortunately, even in the election process of Judge Jackson, we saw nothing but personal opinions and feelings.

Personal feelings are most powerful because they create a clear motivation. Hope, on the other side, is a universal symbol. Further, most of the US represents an individualistic culture in which unity is a symbol. While in a collective culture, unity calls for duty. Meaning, that even if you are liberal, the chance of acting on your beliefs is minimized by the value system you have grown up in.

Unfortunately, it seems as if symbolism is all the Democrats have these days. For the past six years, I have been watching Republicans effectively dismantling progression and the slightest hint of equality by taking action using personal feelings and calling to the individualistic nature of the US population. Democrats use symbolism to build a movement that couldn’t be more ineffective; Hope is what they called it.

Hope is clever, as it is what keeps humans motivated and engaged. It is based on a feeling and its ability to make you believe that you have power. But power without feeling duty to act is just a symbol. Hope is what Judge Jackson represents — symbolically representing that this country is being depicted as equal opportunity.

Judge Jackson is being placed in a hopeless role, forced to represent unity without the ability to act on it, surrounded by a system that is covering up its core faults and fear of change.

This leaves us with the question: Is the election of Judge Jackson a step towards equality, or is it giving Republics what they needed? Another level to mask what this country is doing? Paving the path for permanent retrogressive change? Reversing women’s and voting rights, and with that equality? For what? To protect the personal view of how life should be and by enforcing one way of living onto everyone in this ‘land of the free’?

Judge Jackson’s win marks a symbolic historical moment that will prevail simply as symbolism if women from different backgrounds don’t come together and finally understand that old-fashioned patriarchal structures are governing over their bodies and minds. Collectivism is the solution to a divided US. Without it, no symbolism or hope will have the chance to create a change.

Last but not least, I do wonder how Ketanji Brown Jackson must feel after days of interrogation, which was aimed at her as a black woman instead of her as a judge with a successful track record that showcases how competent she is for this job.

The fact that all the hoopla of the press surrounding her appointment focussed on her being Black, being a woman, shows how deeply embedded prejudices remain in this country. Her gender, her ethnicity would not have even been a consideration in a genuinely free and democratic society. The fact that they were the centre of attention shows how much her appointment is primarily regarded as a symbol — no more than a political play! Judge Jackson deserves more than that. She deserves our support so she can do what she excels in.

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson my congratulations to you. I see you and I am touched and proud to see you stepping into your new position. May the force be with you :-)