The story of my family is full of men who have served this country in the name of freedom, from an ancestor who fought in the war of independence and was scalped. I do not remember him, but I remember my grandfather and his uncle. My grandfather fought for freedom in the trenches of Europe during the great war. My uncle returned to Europe to fight to free Europe from the control of Adolph Hitler and his wicked extermination camps. Honor my ancestors who served in the name of freedom. At school, I learned how important their service has been the cause of preserving my freedom. I learned to George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and the Sons of Liberty. As an adult, however, when I think about my personal freedom that enjoy every day, I think for women who have fought peacefully until those freedoms that were written in the Declaration of independence and the Constitution has become a reality for me.
I loved my grandfather and his uncle and remember the personal stories of how they suffered two great wars. Sometimes, however, freedom can be achieved without resorting to war, when a person lives in a democracy. I'd like to talk about some of the women who fought peacefully from 1776 until 1920 in order to ensure that the precious freedoms so important to the founding fathers become reality for mothers founded too. These are: freedom to own property, receive training, working in my chosen profession and receive equal pay for equal work, to protect my children from domestic violence, child labour and making decisions about sending our children to war and he has no taxation without representation. I have all these freedoms because a group of women was willing to be harassed, imprison and tortured, ridiculed and put on a list of red and even the risk of their own security personnel without retaliation to secure freedom from slavery and the right to vote.
Therefore, I would like to honor a couple of women listed in the Timeline of women's suffrage at http://dpsinfo.com.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton-worked in railroad subway and co-founded the Organization of women's suffrage.
Susan b. Anthony-co-founder of the women's suffrage movement. She was arrested for voting in the election of 1872 and bail of $ 1,000. Despite an eloquent appeal was denied a trial by jury and convicted of the offence. She was fined $ 100.
Harriet Tubman-also known as Moses of her people. He risked his life and was severely beaten several times to lead his fellow slaves into the promised land. After slavery, lived in New York and continued to work for civil rights and suffrage.
Jane Addams-founder of Hull House, peace activist and served as Vice President of the Organization of women's suffrage. Was put on the red list in 1920 due to his efforts to relieve hunger in Austria-Hungary, Germany and the Soviet Union. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1933.
Alice Paul and Lucy Burns were suffragettes who were arrested for protesting in front of the White House on the night of terror in November 1917. They were imprisoned and tortured for two weeks until a journalist wrote about their situation and were released.
Margaret Sanger was an author of sex education and female advocate of birth control. Opened a birth control clinic women 1st in Brooklyn, NY in October 1916. The clinic was closed for ten days later, but MS Sanger maintained the case in the courts until a Federal Court's decision in her favor allowed her to open the second clinic in New York City in 1917.
These women were left out of the history books that I've been studying when I went to school in 1960. I have always taken my freedom to vote, own property, receive an education, work in the career of my choice for granted. Like many others, I was taught that these freedoms have been gained by the courage of those men who wrote the Declaration of independence and the Constitution, as well as the hundreds of thousands of others who have died on the battlefields in all wars fought since 1776. I am grateful to all these men to protect the democratic Government that we have in this country, but I am thankful there was someone who truly understood the meaning of democracy is rule by the people and were willing to risk life, their fortunes and their sacred honor, "as a sign of peaceful protest to ensure that all people have a part of that Government.
Brenda Duffey author and peace activist
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