When Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg died, America lost much more than a member of the Supreme Court. We lost an extraordinary legal mind; a living testament to the power of hard work; a role model for young girls; a fierce protector for the rights of women and minorities; an inspiration for every citizen who believes in the concept of equal justice under the law for people of all backgrounds and beliefs; and a cultural icon. We lost, in truth, an American treasure, in the best sense of that term.

When I first heard the news, I had three reactions: 1. A deep sadness that Ginsburg’s shining light is out; 2. The conviction that Mitch McConnell and his gang of shameless GOP Senators will do everything in their power to fill Ginsberg’s seat with a right-wing, anti-abortion Justice, even though we’re but weeks away from the presidential election; and 3. A fervent hope that those who care about equal justice for all people will let their voices be heard to carry on the fight for RBG.

I also learned more about Ginsburg’s stellar track record: One of only 8 women (compared to 552 men) in her class at Harvard Law School; first in her class at Columbia Law School, although no law firm would hire her; won five out of six cases she brought to the Supreme Court; second woman appointed to the Supreme Court in 1993; first woman tenured professor at Columbia Law School; Co-founder of the ACLU’s Women’s Rights Project; and on and on.

I can only imagine the challenges Ginsburg faced at Harvard Law School, especially when the Dean of the School at the time asked the eight women in her class why they chose to take the place of a man. Then again, I have some idea, as I attended Harvard Business School in the mid-1960s; our class of 700 included only about 15 women, some of whom had to endure humiliation by professors as well as fellow students.

Fast forward to a today shaped very much by the steely determination of RBG to equal the playing field by eliminating gender-based stereotyping and legislation. Roughly half of the spots in the nation’s law schools, business schools and medical schools are now filled by women; the number of women in Congress and at the top of major corporations, universities and nonprofit organizations is on the rise, although we’re still a long way from true parity.

Closer to home, I’ve witnessed first-hand the accomplishments of the amazing women at Bowdoin College. Consider the women we have come to know through our involvement in Bowdoin’s Host Family program. One just earned her doctorate in educational psychology at Oklahoma State University; another, who earned a masters in creative nonfiction at the University of Minnesota, has written a book as well as several prize-winning articles; two of them won Fulbright Scholarships; another is a business executive for Microsoft in Paris; and still another is pursuing a PhD in mathematics at the University of Chicago. Whew!

Consider my own family. My roster of four daughters-in-law includes a woman who hiked the entire Appalachian Trail; a skilled aerial trapeze artist; a top executive at a biotech company; and a violist for the Vermont Symphony Orchestra. And then there are my six granddaughters. The two oldest are members of Bowdoin’s Classes of 2023 and 2025 respectively. One of their younger sisters wrestles on her school’s wrestling team; the other uses her pitch-perfect voice to lead her church youth choir. And then there are my two youngest granddaughters. The five-year-old just entered kindergarten knowing how to read, and the two-and-a-half year old, following RBG’s lead, fears no challenge on the playground – or anywhere else. In fact, the littlest one recently coined a word. When she thinks she’s had enough to eat, she will push her plate away and announce “Dunzo!”

While thinking about RBG’s legacy, I can’t help comparing her character to that of our current president, especially when it comes to the treatment of women. RBG fought her whole life to elevate women by breaking down barriers; Trump has spent his life treating women as mere sex objects, shiny baubles to boost his ego or adorn his palatial properties. Even as president, he can’t resist putting down women who dare to stand up to him, often referring, for example, to a woman reporter’s tough question as “nasty.” Moreover, in his quest for reelection, Trump is jumping at the chance to replace RBG with a right-wing justice who will deny women jurisdiction over their own bodies; diminish the power of ordinary workers; and overturn Obamacare, which guarantees the coverage of people with pre-existing conditions.

The message is clear. The first step to carrying on Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s legacy is to remove Donald Trump from office. Or as my youngest granddaughter might say to him, “Dunzo!”

David Treadwell, a Brunswick writer, welcomes commentary and suggestions for future “Just a Little Old” columns. dtreadw575@aol.com.