You all know that Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol \u2014 according to the news, the first woman to ever be given the honor. Well, in this day of not believing everything (or maybe even most of) what you hear, I got to thinking\u2026 it doesn\u2019t seem that long ago that Rosa Parks\u2019s casket was displayed at the Capitol. After doing some checking, there are two terms that I thought pretty much meant the same thing \u2014 to lie in repose and to lie in state. Both you faithful readers know that this information just begged for some extensive research on my part.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When a member of government dies, if their casket is on display in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, they they are consider to lie in state.\u00a0
If the casket is in any other building, the government official, or former government official is considered to lie in repose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because Ruth Bader Ginsburg will lie in the Capitol Rotunda \u2014 to invited guests only, due to the pandemic \u2014 she will lie in state, becoming the only woman to do so. Actually, only 34 others have been honored as lying in State \u2014 all of them were men. According to my extensive research, everyone that has been given the honor of lying in state has been a distinguished government official, but there is no technical rule that requires that a person has to be a government official. The guidelines read \u201cAny person who has rendered distinguished service to the nation may lie in state if the family so wishes and Congress approves.\u201d So the determination as to who gets to lie in stare is determined by the House and Senate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When Justice Ginsburg\u2019s casket moves to be honored at the Supreme Court, she will lie in repose, with her coffin at the top of the building\u2019s front steps. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So \u2014 was Rosa Parks, when she was honored at the Capitol lying in repose? Nope \u2014 even though she was honored at the Capitol, she was a private citizen, not a government official or a Congress approved honorary. Therefore, she was considered to be lying in honor. Evangelist Billy Graham was also honored by lying in honor at the Capitol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The term \u201clying in honor\u201d also includes those members of government, or former members of government placed on view in the U.S. Capitol for the public to pay their respects \u2014 but not in the formal Capitol Rotunda.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Like a lot of things, using he correct term sometimes gets a little confusing, but no matter the terminology used, it\u2019s the \u201chonor\u201d that we should be concerned with \u2014 that\u2019s not something that\u2019s bestowed \u2014 it\u2019s something that\u2019s earned.
Rest in Peace, Justice Ginsburg.
\u2014 30 \u2014<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
You all know that Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol \u2014 according to the news, the first woman to ever be given the honor. Well, in this day of not believing everything … Continue reading