Last Friday, I attended Rose’s screening of the historical, touching film Loving. It chronicled the incredible story of Richard & Mildred Loving, an interracial couple whose efforts culminated in the famous Supreme Court case, Loving v. Virginia, during which race-based restrictions on marriage were found unconstitutional.

I have always loved passionately debating and respectfully arguing with others; TV shows and movies showcasing court cases and trials have consistently interested me. Therefore, throughout the film, I was getting geared up to watch the final battle – a debate amongst educated lawyers in a courtroom, finding loopholes, making counterarguments, and stringing together both logical and emotional appeals to facilitate real change in our country. However, the film did not portray this groundbreaking Supreme Court case and, initially, this choice by the directors left me feeling disappointed and confused.

Nonetheless, after ruminating over the film for a few days, I finally have recognized that the movie’s purpose was not to show how the legal system works and how court cases are won. Loving instead sought to showcase how lives are shaped by the decisions of other people – judges and legislators. I’m not a politician, and I don’t reside in Washington D.C. nor do I live near my home state’s capital. Because I am far in distance from the political system, I often neglect to remember how much it affects me and the level to which it impacts our society. However, watching this movie reminded me of the magnitude of the effect a written law can have on a person’s way of life. Richard and Mildred were arrested multiple times for being involved in an interracial marriage, just because a few politicians decided that it wasn’t acceptable. The decision by a couple of judges to make laws against interracial marriage unconstitutional vastly changed Richard and Mildred’s lives, for the better. They could live in peace because people in D.C. said so.

As a woman, I have the right to vote and exert a form of power over my government because of a single Amendment written into the Constitution. My female ancestors did not have this same right because of ridiculous sexist laws conjured up by a few misogynistic politicians. It’s honestly insane to think about the potency of written laws and the decisions of a few judges/legislators. The great effect of laws and court cases on the human race makes it all the more important that we continue to fight for liberal laws that will make our lives better, and to fight against oppressive, inhumane, and unjust laws.

In the end, although we may feel distant from politics, we must recognize the impact of laws and court cases on our society and on our ways of life. We can’t ignore the government; we must instead work to improve it.