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On August 26th 1920, the Nineteeth Amendment to the United States Constitution became law, allowing women to vote in Presidential elections. In 1971 Congress enshrined this date in the following resolution;
WHEREAS, the women of the United States have been treated as second-class citizens and have not been entitled the full rights and privileges, public or private, legal or institutional, which are available to male citizens of the United States; and
WHEREAS, the women of the United States have united to assure that these rights and privileges are available to all citizens equally regardless of sex; and
WHEREAS, the women of the United States have designated August 26th, the anniversary date of the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment, as symbol of the continued fight for equal rights: and
WHEREAS, the women of United States are to be commended and supported in their organizations and activities,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, that August 26th of each year is designated as "Women's Equality Day," and the President is authorized and requested to issue a proclamation annually in commemoration of that day in 1920, on which the women of America were first given the right to vote, and that day in 1970, on which a nationwide demonstration for women's rights took place.
August 26th 2008 saw a historic convention of the Democratic Party following Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton's bid for the Presidential nomination, and a Convention in which that party saw fit to recognise another historic day, Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech of August 28 1963.
Yet, one element of King's message was overlooked. Women still constitute aproximately 50% of the population of the United States yet the party chose an all male ticket for the 2008 Presidential elections, disenfranchising the millions of voters who had supported Senator Clinton.
Whether one believes that the Republican choice of Sarah Palin for the Vice Presidential nomination is representative of American women and their aspirations or not, it is a sad reflection that whereas many other countries have women in high office, the United States has waited 24 years for the second woman to be so nominated. In 1984 Geraldine Ferraro ran as Walter Mondale's partner on the Democratic ticket, and in 2008 served on Clinton's campaign. Ferraro's dismay at her own party's short sightedness compared to the Republican choice of Sarah Palin, is likely to find resonance in public opinion.
Will it be another 24 years before King's dream of equality manifests itself as equal opportunity of leadership to women in the United States? Will it be even longer before the vision of the 1868 Fouteenth Amendment of equality under the law for "all persons" is actually realised?
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Passion, Reason, and Reality; an oxymoron in three parts.
I know the passion of the plea for equality. A thing so easily made into an inequality by our society. There has been the long standing principle of separate but equal in America. The principle is so ingrained that it is seen and not recognized. America the free is relegated to myth by so many inequalities. The entire issue of second class citizens, women, racial groups, lifestyle pursuasion, disabled, poor, fromer felons. The list can go on. Go on and still not change because passion is not an emotion of the group.
It is reasonable to believe that through our social contract, the Constitution and its amendments, equality exists in our society. It is reasonable to understand the blood letting of the Democratic Primary and Obama's challenge to Washington insiders precluded the selection of Clinton as the second class president running mate. It is reasonable to assume McCain chose Palin because she countered the insider image and reflected the values he holds. It is also reasonable to presume the Palin decision was a direct slap at the Democratic Party and an oppertunistic grab at disaffected Clinton supporters.
There is a reality. The first position I take is in regard to equality. I have a passion for equality. I learned as a child leading other children in Viet Nam that leadership is composed of the ability to inspire rahter than the ability to direct. That just as much as rank has no place in how a person dies, neither does gender. There is an essential difference between the genders and it is purely one of form, not function. I do not subscribe to different planetary orgins of the species.
I have a reason for who I will follow, who I will respect, to who I will aver. My reason is not based on gender, it is based on ability and inspiration. I am so fortunate. I am blind. Now that I don't see, I see so much more clearly. I wish the glass ceiling did not exist. I won't break it for the sake of principle. I simply won't accept those who maintain their superior position based on that glass ceiling as opposed to their ability.
I have a passion. James Simon Kunnan told us in The Strawberry Statement: Notes of a College Revolutionary that society, by it nature is reactionary. It moves forward very slowly. Without the radical, it would move backwards. That is my passion. To be the radical that stands on reason to gain equality for all. To move forward to a place where we do not need to speak of gender in terms other than those of form.
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Everyman's death diminishes me because I am involved in mankind...
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Kelly
"Will it be even longer before the vision of the 1868 Fouteenth Amendment of equality under the law for "all persons" is actually realised?"
Yes, Michael, I think it will.
Institutionalized sexism and racism, religious discrimination and discrimination based on sexual preference are still huge factors in who gets to be President of the U.S. and who does not. I refuse to deny that this exists. Barack Obama is the Democratic nominee, but look how long it took for a man of color to reach his position? It's taken 2 1/2 decades for another woman to finally be nominated for V.P. But even then, only certain women of certain backgrounds are considered. All other things considered equal, what are the chances that a lesbian, a woman who follows Islam or Buddhism, or any woman of color could be President of the U.S.? Not very good in my opinion, at least right now. So, who gets to have the power of what is considered to be the highest office in the world? Some of us clearly won't no matter how intelligent or good for the country we may be, because of our characteristics and preferences. We are still incredibly limited and prejudiced on what characteristics we will accept in a President and Vice President. We don't all have an equal chance of being President or V.P.
Bethany
