With the deepening of the divide, we must work harder to be smarter, to be patient, to be kinder, to win.
Years from now historians will speak of those of us who went through these times, some of us as crusaders, some as tyrants. We have chosen our side to crusade for peace and social justice no matter how tiring it might be. Those looking back may not fully appreciate how we worked day by day and inch by inch to achieve social justice and how resiliency won and lies and greed were defeated. And, how the power of words “trumped” the constant lies. Yes, it is easier to kill a man than it is to work towards compromise with a bit of compassion. For some, it comes down to a choice of assassination vs. negotiation. One clearly requires a conscience and the use of intellect where the other merely requires a gun.
As we plow through our days and experience the ups and downs that this political climate presents us with, think back to the Suffragettes and their work on rights for women which started over 100 years ago. Let us learn from their struggles, their interim defeats, and their eventual success. And in the meantime, lean on our successes, learn from our defeats, regroup when necessary, and form new strategies for our success. For inspiration grab some popcorn, a Kleenex, and rent the Suffragettes movie or Iron Jawed Angels. Watch as women take a stand, risk losing their families and, for some, their lives. They circulated petitions, lobbied, and picketed because they realized that in order to win reform, women must have the right to vote. The right for women to vote was finally achieved peacefully in the United States in 1920 through democratic processes.
Let’s thank those hard-working women of our Congress, Senate, and Supreme Court who struggle daily to maintain the essence of our Constitutional rights that we have fought long and hard for and have earned over time. Thank you, Nancy, RBG, and all those hard-working dynamic women of our time. You will be remembered for the crusaders that you are. Let us learn from your courage as we move forward. The road is long and the journey may be rocky at times but, in the words of Confucius:
“It doesn’t matter how slow you go, as long as you don’t stop.”
Tomorrow we will once again pick up the sword and show strength in our convictions.
No matter how small or how large the Women’s March crowds are, PJ, you are so right that each shows the strength of our convictions. We need to keep being heard until we are treated equally. Thanks so much for your comment, my friend. Now on to the boat and everything in between!