| My grandmother was a suffragette. And today | | | | oddly, from my point of view, does not |
| is her birthday. | | | | support Hillary Clinton for President. |
| | | | |
| She'd be 115 today. | | | | As Hillary Clinton moves to secure the |
| | | | popular vote, with the help of her loyal |
| Her name was Amelia Loving. | | | | supporters, including myself, we all have had |
| | | | to look at the ugly reality of hatred towards |
| I honor her memory this election season by | | | | women in our American Society. |
| raising my own consciousness regarding sexism | | | | |
| in our society, especially rearing up now in | | | | A You Tube Video, depicting Hillary as a |
| the Clinton/Obama battle for the Presidency. | | | | witch, a *itch, showing the likes of Keith |
| | | | Olbermann and Chris Matthews spewing hateful, |
| The term women's suffrage refers to the | | | | sexist slurs that honestly hurt all women, |
| economic and political reform movement aimed | | | | and these examples were representative of |
| at extending suffrage ? the right to vote ? | | | | many months of such bashing: Sent me directly |
| to women. The movement's origins are usually | | | | to my local NBC affiliate to protest media |
| traced to the United States in the 1820s. | | | | bias, and to say that I was boycotting the |
| | | | station. |
| Women received the right to vote a full 100 | | | | |
| years after the Black Man, in 1920. The | | | | I held a sign that said on one side: Stop |
| answer to which country was the first to give | | | | Media Bias!! |
| women the right to vote in national elections | | | | |
| is usually credited to New Zealand. | | | | On the other side of the sign: Media Bias |
| | | | Suppresses Votes!! |
| Today women's suffrage is considered a right | | | | |
| (under the Convention on the Elimination of | | | | Also, my companion wore a white plastic bag |
| All Forms of Discrimination Against Women), | | | | that said: Count Every Vote!! |
| although a few countries, mainly in the | | | | |
| Middle East, continue to deny voting rights | | | | Several days later, the folks in Florida sued |
| to women. | | | | the DNC (Democratic National Committee) for |
| | | | not settling this problem of vote suppression |
| Women in New Zealand were inspired to fight | | | | long before this. |
| for their voting rights by the equal-rights | | | | |
| philosopher John Stuart Mill and the activism | | | | It took a few days to organize the protest, |
| of British feminists. In addition, the | | | | and one other lovely woman was there, as |
| missionary efforts of the American-based | | | | well. Several newscasters came out and got a |
| Women's Christian Temperance Union gave them | | | | statement, but I don't know if it was aired |
| the motivation to fight. There were, in fact, | | | | or not, since I no longer watch the station! |
| a few male politicians that supported women's | | | | |
| rights, such as John Hall, Robert Stout, | | | | It was raining, and it was a cold rain. |
| Julius Vogel and William Fox. In 1878, 1879, | | | | |
| and 1887 amendments extending the vote to | | | | People passing in their cars beeped their |
| women failed by a hair each time. | | | | horns in sympathy to the cause. One elderly |
| | | | gentleman bought us a cup of coffee and |
| In 1893, New Zealand became the first major | | | | cookies. He said, "Thank you for what you are |
| self-governing country in the world to give | | | | doing!!" |
| women the vote. | | | | |
| | | | Hillary has stood up for Women's rights for |
| Although the Liberal government which passed | | | | 40 years, long before she ever met her |
| the bill generally advocated social and | | | | husband, our former President, Bill Clinton. |
| political reform, the electoral bill was only | | | | And now, she has opened a dialogue whereby a |
| passed because of a combination of | | | | National Gender Re-education is taking place. |
| personality issues and political accident. | | | | |
| The bill granted the vote to women of all | | | | And she is not going to give up. Her |
| races. New Zealand women were not given the | | | | supporters continue to give her money. We |
| right to stand for parliament, however, until | | | | continue to protest Locally and Nationally |
| 1918. | | | | for equal representation for every man, woman |
| | | | and child. |
| In 2005, almost a third of the Members of | | | | |
| Parliament elected were female. Women | | | | We will carry her all the way to the |
| recently are also in prestigious positions | | | | convention, just as a person is carried after |
| such as prime minister, Governor-General and | | | | she wins a major seemingly insurmountable |
| the Speaker of the House of Representatives, | | | | challenge. |
| and chief justice. | | | | |
| | | | My grandmother nods approvingly. |
| In sharp contrast to New Zealand, the United | | | | |
| States has only recently elected a woman | | | | But this fight does not end here. |
| Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, who | | | | |