How far can we fall?

In the 19th century women led the way for the big three--abolition and then civil rights and education for former slaves, temperance with its strong social impact on families, and woman's suffrage which included custody of their own children. And now? In the 21st century women are demanding the right to kill their own children, more rights for criminals who are killing black citizens, and the right to gender transition so they don't have to be such silly, ignorant women.

Abolition, Women's Rights, and Temperance Movements - Women's Rights National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)

Women and Abolitionism | The Abolition Seminar

Abolitionist Movement — History of U.S. Woman's Suffrage (crusadeforthevote.org)

History of the Movement | Westerville Public Library (westervillelibrary.org)

A tribute to women on Day 3

Day 3 of the RNC convention coincided with the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment and women’s constitutional right to vote.  So there were many tributes.  Let me say, I’ve never been that impressed with how women have used that right.  Particularly women in Congress.  They’ve pushed for killing the unborn; many have eschewed marriage; some have denied the importance of fathers and have denigrated men, who they outlive and women enjoy better health outcomes; women in Congress have insisted on affirmative action, yet want outsized government protection using the federal government like a step-father for their children. But the planners of the RNC convention really did give me a more positive view.  With the national right to vote (women were already voting in local and state elections in 1920) some women used it as a psychological boost even if they misused (in my opinion) their powerful vote.

It’s always been my opinion that it was the 19th century when American women were in their glory fighting for the rights of others and themselves.  They moved a nation with the BIG THREE—may American women someday live up to the expectations of those brave, strong women.

• Temperance, the fight to live without the scourge of addiction to alcohol,
• Abolition, the fight to end slavery in the United State, and
• Suffrage, the fight for women to be able to vote in federal elections.

A hymn to our collective mothers—birth, foster, adoptive and mentors

Faith of our  mothers, living yet
in cradle song and bedtime prayer,
In nurs’ry love and fireside love,
Your presence still pervades the air:
Faith of our mothers, living faith,
We will be true to you till death.

Faith of our mothers, lavish faith,
The fount of childhood’s trust and grace,
O may your consecration prove
The wellspring of a nobler race:
Faith of our mothers, lavish faith,
We will be true to you till death.

(A. B. Patton, public domain)

The 19th amendment

Last week was the anniversary of the passage of the 19th amendment, the right of women to vote in the U.S. I'm trying to think of a political movement since 1920 where it made any difference. Women were the ones who got the 18th amendment passed, and that was before they could vote. They were powerful in the emancipation of slaves movement and the equal protection for former slaves in the 14th amendment. They rolled up their sleeves and taught in schools, and ran the underground railroad for those escaping. In all states and townships before 1920 it was women pushing the education and public health issues, getting regulations in place and laws passed. Women's groups in churches collectively raised millions to support missionaries. But in recent years, all I hear from women is something vague about "health care," which is code for the right to abort their children. They are still letting the men do the heavy lifting. And now a very small group of women are delighted to have a female crook running for President. The rest of us, not so much.

Woman’s suffrage and the right to vote

I’ve now heard three lectures on Woman’s Suffrage and women getting the vote in 1920 at this week’s Lakeside Chautauqua Lecture series.  I used to think it was a very significant part of our history, but not any more.  Nothing really changed for women except voting rights that I can tell.  The parallel 19th and 20th century movements of women’s groups concerning property rights, education, custody of children, safer child birth, dress reform, public health, public libraries, Sunday schools for factory children, female ordination in churches, seminary attendance, temperance,  and general national movements including freedom to travel, mass production of automobiles, cooperative extension, lyceum, Chautauqua, voting in local  and municipal elections, and more technology for the home (sewing machines, indoor plumbing, electricity) had already greatly improved women’s lives by 1920. 

They did vote, by the millions, but not for women or even women’s issues for another 40-50 years. WWI had a much greater impact on women than the 1920 right to vote. Then it was the Great Depression and WWII that changed lives. Women never got to vote on abortion, or even same sex marriage.

Just to be clear, this is my opinion, not that of the lecturer. She believes the Right to Vote was very important. I'm happy I can vote--I just think that by 1920, it made little difference in the lives of women.