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Organizers of the prestigious award, named after Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a lifelong champion of women’s rights and liberal causes, have received intense feedback from family and friends about several of the recipients scheduled for this year. The awards ceremony scheduled for April has been canceled after facing criticism.
Justice Ginsburg was instrumental in establishing the award in 2019, the year before her death. Originally targeted at “women who embody the human qualities of empathy and humility,” four of the five participants this year were men. That includes tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, who frequently launches fierce attacks on his perceived critics. Rupert Murdoch, the businessman whose empire helped create the conservative news media. Michael R. Milken, an investor who became the face of corporate greed in the 1980s, served nearly two years in prison before becoming a philanthropist.
Julie Opperman, president of the Dwight D. Opperman Foundation, which presents the award each year, said in a statement Monday that it was “absolutely not my intention to offend RBG’s family and friends.” . She further added: “The Foundation is not interested in stirring up controversy. We are not interested in stirring up debate about whether a particular recipient is deserving.”
Ms. Opperman said the inclusion of men as this year’s recipients was to reflect and uphold Justice Ginsburg’s “teachings on equality.” She said the foundation “doesn’t consider politics” but focuses on selecting leaders who have “made significant contributions to society.”
Before the foundation released its statement, Justice Ginsburg’s children had requested that their mother’s name be removed from the award, which until this year was called the Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Women’s Leadership Award.
Her daughter, Columbia University law professor Jane C. Ginsburg, said the selection of this year’s recipients was an “insult” to the values the judiciary stands for.
Her son, James S. Ginsburg, founder of the classical music record company Cedille Records, said on CNN over the weekend that celebrating Mr. Musk and Mr. Murdoch as justices would “desecrate the memory of my mother.” Said to be equal. He vowed to “fight” against the decision.
This year’s recipients, who also include businesswoman Martha Stewart and actor Sylvester Stallone, will present the renamed Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Leadership Award at a gala at the Library of Congress next month. was scheduled to be awarded. A spokesperson for the Opperman Foundation confirmed Monday night that the ceremony had been canceled, but said a decision had not yet been made as to whether the selected person would still receive the award. The foundation said in a statement that it would “reconsider its mission” and assess “how or whether to proceed in the future.”
Past winners include Queen Elizabeth II, fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg, and actress and singer Barbra Streisand.
During her nearly 30 years on the court, Justice Ginsburg emerged as a progressive advocate for the winners in cases involving abortion, affirmative action, and gender equality. When she realized that she was in the minority, she did her most notable activism by voicing her dissent.
“Justice Ginsburg spent her life fighting against all forms of discrimination, empowering women to control their own destinies, and opening opportunities for people from all walks of life,” said Justice Ginsburg, one of the justices. L. Tyler said. She is a former law clerk who co-authored Justice Ginsburg and her career as a judge and is currently a law professor at the University of California, Berkeley.
“An award named in Justice Ginsburg’s name should honor her great legacy,” she added.
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