Forward Into Light

“Mr. President, how long must women wait for liberty?” These were the last words of Inez Milholland, a leader in the women’s suffrage movement.

Unfortunately, little is taught about the history of this movement. Many people do not know about the 72 years that women fought in order to gain the right to vote.

Last night we watched Iron Jawed Angels. A tremendous movie that documented how these women were also labeled “appeasers” and “treasonous”. Isn’t that always the way it goes; those who speak truth to power are marginalized and labeled enemies of the state? As documented in this movie, they are also treated extremely badly by the very government that is supposed to support and protect them.

These women, led by Alice Paul and members of the National Women’s Party, were thrown in prison for petitioning their government. They refused to pay the fines for the trumped up charges of “blocking traffic” and were subjected to torturous force-feeding when they went on a hunger strike as political prisoners.

Alice Paul fought her entire life for women’s rights. She gave up so much and suffered so deeply for me. I must honor her sacrifice.

The fight is not over. The Equal Rights Amendment has still not been ratified. Although there are many organizations who have picked up the torch, few people in America understand what is at stake or pay attention to the backwards spiral that the women’s movement has been in.

That is not really the purpose of this post though. This morning I received an email from Emily’s List stating that this November many women will not be coming to the polls.

Let me repeat that, this November women will not vote.

After everything that these women went through – as well as the women before and after them – in fighting so that we could have the right to have a say in the laws that we must abide by…

They deserve the honor and recognition of our votes. At the very least, out of respect for all of them, women must turn out at the polls.