Tuesday, November 4

Our Right

Eighty-eight years ago, we, as females, were given something we should've had all along--the right to tramp to the ballot box and cast our vote alongside men, to be counted equally. That's right, we have had this right for less than ninety years. I'm sure some of you have grandparents older than that.

Here, in the first paragraph of the Declaration, is the assertion of the natural right of all to the ballot; for how can "the consent of the governed" be given, if the right to vote be denied?
-Susan B. Anthony

To deny political equality is to rob the ostracised of all self-respect; of credit in the market place; of recompense in the world of work; of a voice among those who make and administer the law; a choice in the jury before whom they are tried, and in the judge who decides their punishment.
-Elizabeth Cady Stanton

I never doubted that equal rights was the right direction. Most reforms, most problems are complicated. But to me there is nothing complicated about ordinary equality.
-Alice Paul

If you don't like the way the world is, you change it. You have an obligation to change it. You just do it one step at a time.
- Marian Wright Edelman
So today, go out there and use what other women worked so hard to get. Stand in line if you have to, wait as long as required, and make your voice be heard.

If you won't do it for yourself or your country, do it for all those who fought for it. They deserve it.

6 comments:

  1. This is exactly why I am rabid about voting. Too many women fought too hard not that long ago for me not to vote.

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  2. Exactly! We dishonor their fight when we choose to stay away from the polls.

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  3. Totally agree. Already voted by absentee ballot. The polls terrify me. heh

    By the way, this is hookedoncoffee from lj, aka snoopyfan from NaNo! How's the novel going? :D

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  4. You make a very good point, but actually women got the right to vote in the United States after the passing of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution in 1920...88 years ago.

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  5. @Christina: Hey there! Good to see you! I love going to the polls, actually. So much excitement! And the novel is going all right, I'm behind thanks to the political stuff, but I have more free time tomorrow to catch up. How about yours?

    @a: Um...can I use the excuse that I'm an English major and writer, and they don't teach us basic math? Please? Fixing this now, thanks for pointing it out!

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  6. Happy voting everyone! Get out there an DO it!

    I found a post on Peterman's Eye that has the speech Susan B. Anthony gave after getting arrested for voting. This should encourgae us all!

    http://www.petermanseye.com/interesting-times/day-s-events/364-a-woman-s-right-to-vote

    Cheers!

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If you don't feel that you are possibly on the edge of humiliating yourself, of losing control of the whole thing, then possibly what you are doing isn't very vital. If you don't feel like you are writing somewhat over your head, why do it? If you don't have some doubt of your authority to tell this story, then you are not trying to tell enough. --John Irving