We often think of heroes as winners—those who have prevailed against the odds to become champions who inspire us all. But it has become clear that even in circumstances of profound loss, some among us nonetheless manage to exhibit heroic qualities.
In recent years, the Roberts Court has issued a number of searing losses to liberals and progressives. From withdrawing abortion rights, limiting state gun control efforts, hobbling public sector unions, and more, the Court has dealt liberals a devastating hand.
But in this climate of loss and retrenchment, Justice Sonia Sotomayor has been a voice of clarity, pragmatism, and hope. Who could forget her pointed question at the Dobbs oral argument: “Will this institution survive the stench that this creates in the public perception that the Constitution and its reading are just political acts?”