Politics
With the election day over, I am reflecting more on how intense the past 3 months have been. From Sarah Palin's distracting "thanks, but no thanks" rhetoric-from bridges to taxes, to her absolutely shamelessness about how regressive here "family" values were, I felt for McCain--who got swept up in the fanatical negativity of his shrinking party. Then the only kind of Katrina storm that matters in our world: financial market crisis, that said, our economy is no longer sustainable. Then last night (November 4), we as a nation, did the right thing, and a diverse electorate got out there and voted for unity and a new story.
Every century, a new story is created. In the 20th Century it was about industry and technology. Today it is about unity, multi-everything, strength in diverseness, and dare I say nurturing a nation and its people, all people, back to health- social, economic, cultural, political, and for all citizens to be empowered.
Today, I just got an amazing email forwarded by Hillary Adams about Why Women Should Vote.
The author is "Clancy" and she borrows from the Records of the National Woman's Party at the Libary of Congress. In her email she tells more about the abuses these women of protest went through even though they were seeking equal opportunities.
The right to vote for women was not only hard earned, but one that clearly must be honored as our systems still try to disenfranchise each American with economic distraction, call back to 'family values' and role models that seek to keep women from creating our own positive change. During this mythic election year, the struggle women had to gain the right to vote further underscores that disparities and inequalities in our nation are something we have to be more outspoken about and not take "no" for an answer.
The story of our foremothers who spoke out about the right to vote was a struggle, they were jailed, beaten, and threatened with being labeled "mentally ill" all for wanting to evolve women’s role and humanity. Of course these women were also seen as "militant" and "forceful" somehow being outspoken makes you a less of a woman because we aren't docile? This "civil disobedience" or "angry" women brought the issue to the
forefront. Although this story of "Women of Protest" does call them
the militant arm of the National Woman's Party, I see them as the
original suffragettes and "civil disobedient" or an action to "Get
Angry" (see Amy Kalafa of " Two Angry Moms" post )as a way to say "enough."
Sarah Palin is a reminder of the illusion the "call for the past" can be. She represents a misguided but real force in our country, mostly because there is still a longing in our hearts for women to "go back" and be just the nurturers or simple "family" value purveyors if we are in fact "outspoken". This nostalgia for "simpler" times is a harbinger of regressive values, and a slippery slope, that denigrates the women who came before us to evolve our opportunities and human rights to determine our futures. So read on about our history, and realize that women are still having to fight for equal pay, health care for all, and public policies that give us more freedom and flexibility for our future. See the film by HBO, Iron Jawed Angels: and realize that we must stand up for women, in our country and throughout the world, to stop being treated like second-class human beings...so I am so glad we can vote, and realize it isn't a token exercise but a right to be outspoken! For more information about getting "Angry" see Amy Kalafa, Two Angry Moms (yes, angry moms!) and RI Women's Fund for more on the disparities American women and girls are still experiencing.
Here is the email about Why Women Should Vote and do comment below.
