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Ginsburg's Hobby Lobby dissent turned into a song

The Internet loved Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's dissent of the Hobby Lobby ruling, so much so that one person even turned it into a song.

By Gabrielle Levy
President Barack Obama greets US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg prior to his State of the Union address in front of a joint session of Congress on January 24, 2012 at the US Capitol in Washington, DC. UPI/Saul Loeb/Pool
President Barack Obama greets US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg prior to his State of the Union address in front of a joint session of Congress on January 24, 2012 at the US Capitol in Washington, DC. UPI/Saul Loeb/Pool | License Photo

WASHINGTON, July 1 (UPI) -- On Monday, the Supreme Court handed down, as expected, a ruling that sided with private corporation Hobby Lobby over the Affordable Care Act's contraception mandate.

Less expected was that the dissent, penned by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, went viral -- at least as viral as a densely worded, 35-page court ruling can go.

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Ginsburg, who is already something of a meme, delivered a measured but devastating takedown of some of the arguments that quickly spawned posts such as "The 8 Best Lines From Ginsburg's Dissent on the Hobby Lobby Contraception Decision" and "A Treasury of Justice Ginsburg's Real Talk In Her Hobby Lobby Dissent."

Jonathan Mann, a singer who writes and performs one new song a day on his YouTube channel, has gifted the world with Ginsburg's prose, set to acoustic guitar.

Mann's video has already been watched more than 41,000 times in less than a day.

Below, the lyrics of Mann's song, all taken from Ginsburg's Burwell v. Hobby Lobby dissent, except where indicated by brackets (Ginsburg didn't call her fellow justices "slut-shaming geezers," unfortunately).

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Religious organizations exist To foster the interests Of persons subscribing to the same religious faith. Not so of for-profit corporations. Workers who sustain the operations... Commonly are not drawn from one religious community

It bears note... that the cost of an IUD Is nearly equivalent To a month's full-time pay For workers [on] the minimum wage.

The court, I fear Has ventured into a minefield. [Full of slut-shaming geezers And religious extremism. Oh, one thing's clear: This fight isn't over. We've got to stand together For what we know is right]

Any decision to use contraceptives... [Is] not be propelled by the Government It['s] the woman's autonomous choice Informed by [her doctor] Approving some religious claims While deeming others unworthy Could be 'perceived as favoring one religion over another'

Would the exemption...extend... blood transfusions... Antidepressants ... [and] anesthesia... Pills coated with gelatin and vaccinations?

The court, I fear Has ventured into a minefield [Full of slut-shaming geezers And religious extremism. Oh, one thing's clear: This fight isn't over. We've got to stand together For what we know is right.]

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