Women's march to honor RBG Saturday

Local women will occupy a slice of Coeur d’Alene Saturday as part of a nationwide effort to honor the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her reported dying wish to keep her now-vacant seat empty until after the general election.

The Coeur d’Alene Women’s March will feature speakers like Idaho House Democratic candidate Teresa Borrenpohl, Idaho Senate Democratic candidate Shari Williams and longtime voting rights advocate Lisa Nunlist.

“Ruth Bader Ginsburg was more than just a ‘feminist,’” Nunlist said. “She wasn’t just about feminism; she was about equality.

"Our laws must be true to the Constitution, and she was instrumental to framing our law," she added.

Ginsburg died Sept. 18 at the age of 87 after complications with pancreatic cancer.

Women’s groups across the country are scheduling marches Saturday to demand an end to the U.S. Senate Judiciary confirmation hearings of her replacement, Amy Coney Barrett, which began with opening remarks Monday and are expected to continue today and tomorrow before culminating in a possible committee vote as early as this week.

Democrats are calling for a postponement until after the Nov. 3 election, saying voters might choose a completely different political philosophy.

Jessica Mahuron and Laura Tenneson are helping organize the local march, which will feature tables from Civic Engagement Alliance, Safe Passage, North Idaho Pride Alliance, the Human Rights Education Institute and Love Lives Here CDA. The event will begin at the Calypsos parking lot on Lakeside Avenue in Coeur d’Alene at 11 a.m., where marchers will then walk to the Kootenai County Courthouse before returning to Calypsos.

“We are marching to demand that Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s last wish is honored and to encourage people to get out and vote on November 3rd,” Tenneson said. “(We’re) organizing it because we felt we couldn’t just sit around and do nothing with such an important election coming up.”

Tenneson added that event-goers will have to adhere to safety protocols in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Yes, we’re requiring masks and physical distancing,” she said. “The event is all outside to help minimize the risk, and we’ll have hand sanitizer, extra masks, sanitizing wipes and Lysol available.”

For those looking to protect others from the coronavirus while honoring the late Supreme Court Justice, special RBG masks will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis at the event. The black masks will be highlighted with white lace, Ginsburg’s trademark look.

“I’m going Saturday to honor Ruth Bader Ginsburg,” Nunlist said. “The impact she made on equality in this country deserves our respect.”