Under pressure from left-wing groups who were incensed with her comments about anthem protests being "dumb and disrespectful," Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg retracted her statement as "inappropriately dismissive and harsh."

ESPN:

"Some of you have inquired about a book interview in which I was asked how I felt about Colin Kaepernick and other NFL players who refused to stand for the national anthem," Ginsburg's statement read. "Barely aware of the incident or its purpose, my comments were inappropriately dismissive and harsh. I should have declined to respond."

It's the second time in recent months that the 83-year-old Ginsburg has apologized for public comments. She said her comments criticizing Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in July were "ill advised."

The latest controversy arose after Ginsburg commented on Kaepernick's refusal to stand for the anthem, since adopted by other football players and athletes in other sports. She said the athletes have the right to protest "if they want to be stupid."

Kaepernick had a measured response to Ginsburg's initial comments.

"It is disappointing to hear a Supreme Court justice call a protest against injustices and oppression `stupid, dumb' in reference to players doing that," Kaepernick said, according to The San Jose Mercury News.

Ginsburg was right to be "dismissive" of Kaepernick, whose hysterically exaggerated rhetoric about "oppression" and cops getting away with murder deserved her harsh response.

But criticizing the protests in any way is suggestive of racism.  After being called out on it, Ginsburg relented and retracted her woreds.

This isn't the first time a liberal has been forced to withdraw a sensible statement under pressure from the left.  During the Democratic primary campaign, Martin O'Malley was pilloried by Black Lives Matter for saying that "all lives matter."  He groveled in public the next day, begging forgiveness.

Just recently, Bill Clinton was forced to publicly change his mind about Obamacare being "the craziest system in the world."  The next day, he said Obamacare "did a world of good."

Ideological discipline on the left is maintained by the collective.  You step out of line, and the shaming brigades will force you back on the right path.  This is the totalitarian impulse that's part of the left's makeup, and woe betide the luckless lefty who strays from the approved message.