By Samantha Walker

A wave of grief rippled throughout the United States with the news of Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death this past Friday. Vigils and moments of silence are being held at courthouses across America throughout the week as citizens mourn.

Ginsburg was Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. She was the second female and the first Jewish woman appointed to the Supreme Court.

Ginsburg is considered a feminist icon and symbol of righteousness in American culture. She was a resilient voice for gender equality, the rights of workers, and the separation of church and state.

When talking about Ginsburg’s character, Dr. Koshan said, “we talk about made up superheroes, but she was a real one for both men and women.”

Following her passing, an important question discussed throughout the government is whether her position should be filled before or after the November presidential election.

According to the New York Times, when considering the position, most worry about the fact that it is a lifelong position. This means that the current person holding the position would have to either die or retire in order to appoint a new Justice. This leads to the concern that the Republican party will enlist someone young. The younger position will last for decades to come, in favor of overturning Obamacare, Roe vs Wade, and throwing out legislation relating to the current climate crisis.

The Thiel community shares a consensus on the decision, but their reasoning differs.

Out of fifteen members of the Thiel community, both students and faculty, fourteen strongly believe that the United States government should wait until after the presidential election.

Many of Thiel’s community who believe the government should wait, mention Senator Mitch McConnell. McConnell refused to allow former President Barack Obama to appoint a justice in 2016 because it was too close to a presidential election.

Sophia Kostoff and many others point out the hypocrisy of the Republican party based on the opinions expressed during 2016.

Allen Morrill says that the Senate, based on precedent rather than exclusively on laws, should follow the rule set when President Obama was in a similar situation.

Others believe that the government should wait in order to grant Ginsburg’s final wish before her death.

According to Ginsburg’s granddaughter, Clara Spera, the former Justice said, ‘My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed.’”

Considering everything she has done for the American people; some think we should grant her this single desire.

The one person who thinks Ginsburg’s position should be filled before the election reasoned that, no matter their political party, a politician should continue to do every aspect of their job until the very end of their term.

Whether the Senate and President Trump choose to wait until after the election, or try to appoint someone before, the affects will be felt throughout the United States for decades to come.

The official election day is November 3rd, 2020. If you are not able to vote in person, most states are equipped for mail-in-ballots. It is also suggested, if voting by mail, to mail your ballot as soon as possible to make sure it is counted.

Even if you believe you are registered to vote, it does not hurt to double check, so that nothing holds you back from having a say in your government.

It may seem that a single vote does not make a difference, but there have been multiple elections determined by a singular number of votes.