The Treasure Hunter

By Joanne Yatvin

In the beginning I thought Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a good public servant and a strong voice for women. But I knew nothing about her personality until last week when I saw a movie that showed her career and personal parts of her life. Throughout the film she made an impressive appearances showing her warm voice and good behavior. Clearly, she is an outstanding woman who deserves to be remembered for a long time.

Back when she was a child, Ruth lived with her Jewish parents in New York City. Then, as a young woman she moved on to college, and next to a law school. Later she got married and had a child. And by the time she graduated from Columbia, at the top of her class, she was ready to save all American women who needed her help.

Very soon later, Ruth took law school training, clerked for a judge, and became a law professor. Then she advocated for women’s rights that were not allowed before. And in addition, she was appointed to the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. Later, when President Bill Clinton selected her to become an Associate Justice for the Supreme Court, she performed outstandingly and was successful for many more years. But unfortunately she began to have serious health problems shortly after that time, and finally, she succumbed to cancer.

Nevertheless, she still maintained an outstanding record as a lawyer, teacher, and judge. When she argued six cases before the Supreme Court, she won five of them, and advanced women’s rights. In courts she was highly respected, even by people who didn’t share her beliefs. And she became very well known for her legal knowledge and work ethics. Later, I was strongly impressed when I saw her dance beautifuly in a film where no actresses were used to represent her. But by the end of the film I became angry because in public events she no longer looked beautiful.

Nevertheless, when I left the theater I again felt very positive about the movie because for the most part it had shown her as a great and beautiful woman. And I hoped that other people would remember her as much more lovely than she was shown in later Supreme Court pictures. I know I will always remember her as a strong, beautiful woman, and also as a very good dancer.

A week ago my son surprised me by saying that I am eighty nine years old when I thought I was only eighty. Afterward I had mixed feelings because I still see myself as healthy and smart for my age, but also confused sometimes when I try to handle numbers, spelling, or time. I mention those realities now for two reasons. Although I see our world as ugly now, I want it to become safe, powerful, and lovely again before it is my time to leave it.

In the recent past we have depended upon our hospitals to save us if we were caught by the virus, and then make us healthy again. And our scientists have been working hard to find medicine that will cure anyone who has ben attacked by it. But unfortunately, not all hospitals have ben able to take care of large numbers of sick people when they were needed. So as a result many of them have died while waiting to be assisted. When we think abought the future it doesn’t seem workable. We don’t yet have a successful medication to protect everyone from the virus or enough hospitals to save those already attacked. My question is where do we go from here to save our country?

When I see the numbers of human deaths that have occurred so far I think that the only way we can save the rest of us is to push the virus out of our country completely and never allow it to return. Although that wouldn’t be easy, I think it is the only hope for saving our country.

Right now I see our need for independent communities in large states and small ones were people are willing to enforce good health and safe behavior. And in addition, we need cities that will enforce laws for safe public behavior. For instance, all schools should test students health regularly before allowing them to enter, and local business should do the same for their employees. In addition, anyone traveling in a large public area or working in big business should wear masks regularly.

Although I know that everything I’ve suggested would be difficult to enforce and maintain, everyone who cares about saving our country–and themselves– must move away from personal interests long enough to clean up their community and then make it safe and beautiful to restore healthy living, which has widely disappeared. Now is our last chance to save our country.

Dear readers,

I have been waiting for a clear decision about who will be our country’s leader for the next four years. But since that is still not decided I am posting my current views and hopes for the future.

When I first heard about Trump’s illness I began to think we were moving close to the end of our hard times with his bad behavior. I thought that the virus would destroy him as it had done to thousands of other young, old, and healthy people. At the very least, I thought the experience would bring him some insight and humility. It seemed to me that God always shows us that even our most powerful people cannot avoid the pandemic and it’s worst results.

Please understand that I am not trying to insult or destroy Trump. I am only reminding you that many of the most powerful, intelligent, wealthy, and religious people in our county have died unexpectedly with others and for no good reasons. Trump has chosen to live dangerously, in the hope that he will be able to continue his flouting of norms and dividing our country. But there is not yet any certainty of what will be the end of his performances or the decision of this year’s voters.

Now, as we watch Trump’s extreme efforts to undermine our democracy, we can only watch quietly and hope that God and you people decide wisely for him and us.