Why ALL WOMEN should Vote

WHY WOMEN SHOULD VOTE

This is the story of our Grandmothers and Great-grandmothers; they lived only 90 years ago.

Remember, it was not until 1920 that women were granted the right to go to the polls and vote.

The women were innocent and defenseless, but they were jailed nonetheless for picketing the White House, carrying signs asking for the vote.

(Lucy Burns)
And by the end of the night, they were barely alive.
Forty prison guards wielding clubs and their warden’s blessing went on a rampage against the 33 women wrongly convicted of ‘obstructing sidewalk traffic.’

They beat Lucy Burns, chained her hands to the cell bars above her head and left her hanging for the night, bleeding and gasping for air.

(Dora Lewis)

They hurled Dora Lewis into a dark cell, smashed her head against an iron bed and knocked her out cold. Her cellmate, Alice Cosu, thought Lewis was dead and suffered a heart attack. Additional affidavits describe the guards grabbing, dragging, beating, choking, slamming, pinching, twisting and kicking the women.

Thus unfolded the ‘Night of Terror’ on Nov. 15, 1917, when the warden at the Occoquan Workhouse in Virginia ordered his guards to teach a lesson to the suffragists imprisoned there because
they dared to picket Woodrow Wilson‘s White House for the right to vote.

For weeks, the women’s only water came from an open pail. Their food–all of it colorless slop–was infested with worms.

(Alice Paul)

When one of the leaders, Alice Paul, embarked on a hunger strike, they tied her to a chair, forced a tube down her throat and poured liquid into her until she vomited. She was tortured like this for weeks until word was smuggled out to the press.

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/suffrage/n wp/prisoners.pdf

So, refresh my memory. Some women won’t vote this year because- -why, exactly? We have carpool duties? We have to get to work? Our vote doesn’t matter? It’s raining?

Personally, I strongly suggest we all take a moment to watch HBO’ s new movie ‘Iron Jawed Angels.’ It is a graphic depiction of the battle these women waged so that We women could pull the curtain at the polling booth and have my say.

All these years later, voter registration is one of the things that I have been doing this election. But the actual act of voting had become less personal for many. Frankly, I’ve been told by many who never took advantage, that voting often felt more like an obligation than a privilege.
Sometimes it was inconvenient – or didn’t really Matter.

And so, now comes the question I pose to you.

‘What would those who fought so hard for their right to have a say on who leads our country think of the way I use, or don’t use, my right to vote? All of us take it for granted now, not just younger women, but those of us who did seek to learn.’ The right to vote, needs to become valuable to all of us – all over again.

HBO released the movie on video and DVD. I wish all history, social studies and government teachers would include the movie in their curriculum I want it shown anywhere else women gather. I realize this isn’t our usual idea of socializing, but we are not voting in the numbers that we should be, and I think a little shock therapy is in order.

It is jarring to watch Woodrow Wilson and his cronies try to persuade a psychiatrist to declare Alice Paul insane so that she could be permanently institutionalized. And it is inspiring to watch the doctor refuse. Alice Paul was strong, he said, and brave. That didn’t make her crazy.

The doctor admonished the men: ‘Courage in women is often mistaken for insanity.’

Please, if you are so inclined, pass this on to all the women you know.

We need to get out and vote and use this right that was fought so hard for by these very courageous women. Whether you vote democratic, republican or independent party – remember to vote.

History is being made.

Hansesail Trip – & Photos

For those of you not on my Preferred list – I’m reposting part of an earlier blog…

Earlier in August, I did make one trek with Micha (prounounced Me-sha) to Rostock. I got to see the Hanse Sail 2008 – which is a parade of some 200 tall ships (clipper ships, whaling ships, and transport ships) and a race between them out on the high seas. You know me – and all the pictures. Here’s a few of the best.

More can be found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoenixesrose/sets/72157606875617954/

The Aphrodite.

Thalissa’s Mermaid Figurehead

Mercea’s “King of the Seas” figurehead

Catching Some Wind

Stad Amsterdam’s Railing and Rigging

The Month of Hell is Over

Sorry it’s been such a rough month folks. Between Supervisor and Manager being on vacation and winding up working 10 – 12 hours a day covering some of the different things at work while they were out I didn’t have much time to post blogs, commentary – or even have much fun.

I will say that now that everyone (almost) is back in the office I might be able to catch a few breaths and start to live life for life’s sake instead of for work.

In one week (the most brutal of them all this month) – I had:

2 Powerpoint presentations (I built them and gave them)

2 team meetings (not my own – where I do a presentation q/a session to other groups)

and a Developer conference presentation (for an hour).

In between doing my normal job, learning all the new features coming out, handling escelations to that would normally go to the sup/ manager – and making sure everything was co-ordinated – I thought that was impressive.

Amazingly, my pup was good the entire time (yes, I gave him an extra bone) didn’t tear anything up – didn’t even get into anything (curiousity killed the cat but the dog just slept on the couch I guess) and was my little hero through all of it. Especially when, upon coming home after a long day, I’d flop on the couch and fall asleep – some nights with no dinner because I was so mentally exhausted.

Yeah… I’m glad it’s over. I spent this weekend relaxing, sleeping, and figuring out the pattern for crocheting slippers.

On a side note – I did make one trek with Micha last month to Rostock. I got to see the Hanse Sail 2008 – which is a parade of some 200 tall ships (clipper ships, whaling ships, and transport ships) and a race between them out on the high seas. You know me – and all the pictures. Here’s a few of the best.