Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is amazing!
The poise she showed during the confirmation hearings -- in the face of silly questions, dismissive attitudes, and subjective criticisms -- was beyond admirable. I watched parts of the spectacle, but there were times when I had to turn the TV channel because I couldn’t stand to watch. It was painful.
Yet, she didn’t have that ability, did she? Judge Brown Jackson couldn’t “change the channel.” She had to stay there and listen and respond and try not to cuss or cringe. She is my hero.
How many times have we wished we could “change the channel” when life was handing us something we didn’t want to accept? I know how that feels. And I’d wager to bet that you do, too. Life has taught us that sometimes we can't go around our issues, we have to go through them.
I think almost every woman over 50 knows what that feels like.
And it’s not a good feeling. Knowing that you are smarter, wiser, more competent, and more deserving than you’re being given credit for, that can hurt.
I hope Judge Brown Jackson went home the night after the final hearing and had a good laugh. Because now we know that the joke was on those who tried to make her feel less than the remarkable woman that she is.
I'm not sure I realized the magnitude of her appointment to the Supreme Court until a family member sent me a short video of the moment her teenage daughter heard the news. Just hearing that girl exclaim "Mommy, she's in!" made me pause.
Shortly thereafter a good friend sent me a clip of her daughter's interview on the local news. This girl, a high school senior, stated that Judge Jackson's appointment gives her "an essence of boldness" and it gives her "comfort." This really is a very big deal.
Keep sparkling, Judge Brown Jackson! When you shine, we all shine... and we couldn’t be more proud of you!