With the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the U.S. is about to undergo a test like it never has before

Finding something new to say about the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a tough assignment.

In the last few days since her death, so many people have praised her so eloquently that anything I can say would hardly be new or sufficient.

I hold her in the highest esteem. She is among my heroes, along with John Lewis, Rosa Parks and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. These people all stood up to the worst in our society, and, for the most part, won. I don’t think we’ll find too many more like them….ever.

I guess the thing to do now is look to the future, although doing that gives me a bellyache, to put it bluntly. No matter what happens, things will be different in this country.

If President Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell get their way and ram through an ultra-conservative justice, that will be that for the rights of minorities, women, workers and those seeking affordable healthcare.

If the Democrats feel it necessary to take revenge by increasing the number of justices on the Court, that, too, will have long-range effects, and not all positive.

Either way, our great experiment in Democracy is about to undergo an incredible test. But, I suppose, if it really is great, it should be able to survive anything we can throw at it.

And while only history will decide if we passed or failed, it will be the citizens of the United States who will pay the price for the wrong answer.

For now, though, we should mourn the loss of a great human being, no matter your party or your beliefs. We will never see the likes of her again.