Supreme Friendship: What We Can Learn From "Buddies" Ginsburg and Scalia.

Having friends with different ideologies can be beneficial because it allows you to learn and grow as a person. When you interact with people who have different viewpoints, you are exposed to new ideas and ways of thinking. This can help you to see things from different perspectives and can lead to a greater understanding and appreciation of different viewpoints. Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Antonin Scalia may have been on opposite ends of the political spectrum, but that didn't stop them from developing a close personal friendship during their time on the Supreme Court.

Justice Ginsburg, a liberal stalwart known for her commitment to equal rights, was appointed to the Court by President Bill Clinton in 1993. Justice Scalia, a conservative originalist, was appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1986. Despite their differences, the two Justices quickly formed a bond and were known to have a deep respect for each other's legal ability and dedication to the Court.

In addition to their shared love of the law, Justice Ginsburg and Justice Scalia also shared a sense of humor and enjoyed spending time together. They would often go to operas together and Justice Ginsburg even referred to Justice Scalia as her "best buddy" on the Court.

Despite their ideological differences, Justice Ginsburg and Justice Scalia were able to engage in spirited debates about legal issues and enjoyed the intellectual challenge of arguing with each other. They were able to disagree without personalizing the disagreement or letting it damage their relationship.

A Supreme Friendship

One story that exemplifies the close relationship between Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Antonin Scalia took place at the annual Supreme Court Red Mass, a ceremony held to mark the start of the Court's new term. The two Justices were known to sit together at the Red Mass and often exchanged jokes and banter during the ceremony.

On this particular occasion, Justice Ginsburg leaned over to Justice Scalia and whispered something in his ear, causing him to burst out laughing. The other Justices and attendees were curious about what had caused the outburst, but Justice Ginsburg simply smiled and said, "I told him a joke."

This anecdote illustrates the close bond and sense of humor shared by Justices Ginsburg and Scalia, despite their ideological differences. It also shows their ability to put those differences aside and focus on the things they had in common, such as their love of the law and their commitment to the Constitution.

Justice Ginsburg even used one of Justice Scalia's dissenting arguments in a Supreme Court opinion to strengthen her own. This occurred in the 1996 case United States v. Virginia, in which the Court struck down the Virginia Military Institute's male-only admissions policy as unconstitutional.

In his dissent, Justice Scalia argued that the Court should not be in the business of making policy decisions and that such decisions should be left to the political branches of government. He also argued that the Court's ruling would have far-reaching consequences and could lead to a reconsideration of other single-sex institutions, such as all-female colleges.

Justice Ginsburg, writing for the majority, incorporated Justice Scalia's argument about the potential consequences of the Court's ruling into her opinion. She wrote that "the decision today will not carry us beyond the present case," and that the Court's ruling "does not disturb the decision of any other court or congressional enactment, or call into question the continuation of all-women's colleges or the preservation of diverse single-sex institutions."

This instance illustrates how Justices Ginsburg and Scalia were able to disagree on the merits of a case but still respect each other's legal ability and dedication to the Court. It also shows how they were able to find common ground and use each other's arguments to strengthen their own positions.

What we can learn

The friendship between Justices Ginsburg and Scalia serves as a valuable example of how people with different ideologies can still maintain strong and meaningful relationships. By focusing on shared interests and values and by being open to different viewpoints, we can learn from each other and still maintain a healthy and respectful friendship despite our political differences.

Finally, Justice Ginsburg and Justice Scalia were able to maintain their friendship because they were able to put their differences aside and focus on the things they had in common. They were able to see beyond their political differences and value each other as individuals, which helped to strengthen their bond.

After Justice Scalia's death in 2016, Justice Ginsburg spoke warmly of their friendship, saying that they had a "remarkable relationship" despite their ideological differences. The friendship between Justices Ginsburg and Scalia serves as a valuable example of how people with different ideologies can still maintain strong and meaningful relationships.

Building our own supreme friendships

Here are a few ways that a strong leftist and a strong conservative could use the friendship between Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Antonin Scalia as a model for their own friendship:

1. Respect each other's beliefs and viewpoints: It's important to recognize that everyone has the right to their own opinions and beliefs. A good way to maintain a friendship despite political differences is to listen to each other's viewpoints and respect each other's right to hold those beliefs.

2. Focus on shared interests and values: It's often easier to build a strong bond with someone when you have shared interests and values. Look for things you both enjoy doing or discussing and make those the focus of your interactions.

3. Disagree without personalizing the disagreement: Disagreements are a natural part of any relationship, but it's important to remember that disagreements are not personal attacks. Avoid taking things too personally and try to keep the focus on the issue at hand, rather than making it a personal attack.

4. See each other's perspective: It's easy to become entrenched in our own viewpoints, but it's important to try to see things from the other person's perspective. This can help to foster understanding and build a more positive relationship.

5. Put differences aside: It's okay to disagree, but it's important to be able to put those differences aside and focus on the things you have in common. By doing this, you can strengthen your bond and maintain a healthy and respectful friendship.

Conclusion

The friendship between Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Antonin Scalia serves as a valuable example of how people with different ideologies can still maintain strong and meaningful relationships. Their ability to find common ground despite their ideological differences supports the idea that it is possible to appreciate the value of another person's beliefs even if they aren't your own. These two Justices were able to develop a close personal friendship based on their shared love of the law, their commitment to the Constitution, and their sense of humor. The lessons we can learn from their friendship include the importance of respecting each other's beliefs and viewpoints, focusing on shared interests and values, disagreeing without personalizing the disagreement, seeing each other's perspective, and putting differences aside.