Let's not disrespect the women in History.

The Women’s Rights Movement began on July 13, 1948 with Elizabeth Cady Stanton. It was a normal summer day in upstate New York when a group of women got together for tea. During the course of the conversation Mrs. Stanton spoke on how it disturbed her how women were not given the same freedom and equality as men even though the American Revolution was fought and won some seventy years earlier. She spoke of how during the war women had taken risks, some fought to save their homes, their land while their husbands were away battling the enemy on the front. Still the stature of women under the new democracy was no different than before the war.

During their conversation on that warm summer afternoon in July a legacy was born. A group of patriotic women who saw their mission. They knew they had to take the steps needed to improve the new republic, to help it keep its promises for a better life for all citizens. After all women were citizens too. So these brave women planned their event with Elizabeth Cady Stanton paving the way. Using the Declaration of Independence as her blue print she wrote what became known as the “Declaration of Sentiments.”

Using their words against them in a sense, Elizabeth Cady Stanton wrote “We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men and women are created equal/ that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” In the Declaration of Sentiments, she emphasized areas of life where women were treated unjustly.

Stanton wrote: “This history of mankind is a history of repeated injuries and usurpation on the part of man toward woman, having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over her. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.” Giving this a lot of thought she then listed their specific grievances: 

1.    Married women were legally dead in the eyes of the law 

2. Women were not allowed to vote

3. Women had to submit to laws when they had no voice in their formation

4.Married women had no property rights 

5.Husbands had legal power over and responsibility for their wives to the extent that they could imprison or beat them with impunity

6. Divorce and child custody laws favored men, giving no rights to women 

7. Women had to pay property taxes although they had no representation in the levying of these taxes
8.Most occupations were closed to women and when women did work they were paid only a fraction of what men earned 

9.Women were not allowed to enter professions such as medicine or law 

10.Women had no means to gain an education since no college or university would accept women students 

11.With only a few exceptions, women were not allowed to participate in the affairs of the church
12.Women were robbed of their self-confidence and self-respect, and were made totally dependent on men

A very strong and powerful list of grievances for 1848 since this was an acceptable way of the times, to treat women. The Declaration continued on with: “Now, in view of this entire disenfranchisement of one-half of the people of this country, their social and religious degradation,-in view of the unjust laws above mentioned, and because women do feel themselves aggrieve, oppressed, and fraudulently deprived of their most scared rights, we insist that they have immediate admission to all the rights and privileges which belong to them as citizens of these United States.”

Next came the first Women’s Rights convention in which they discussed the Declaration of Sentiments and the 12 resolutions. The only resolution that did not pass unanimously was a women’s right to vote and it became a heated debate. No matter what Elizabeth said her words fell on deaf ears that is until Frederick Douglass, who was a noted Black abolitionist spoke up. He argued, “Suffrage, is the power to choose rulers and make laws, and the right by which all others are secured.” The final outcome was the resolution won but not unanimously.

And so the Women’s Rights movement was born. It hasn’t been an easy battle but with women like Elizabeth Cady, Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Matilda Joslyn Gage and Lucy Stone The movement began and grew with other great women following in their footsteps. Names like Esther Morris, the first woman to hold a judicial position, Abigail Scott Duniway, the leader of the successful fight in Oregon and Washington in the early 1900’s, Ida B. Wells-Barnet and Mary Church Terrell, organizers of thousands of African-American Woman who worked for suffrage of all women and the list goes on to include many amazingly strong women who wouldn’t give up. It took women a long time to be taken seriously in this country. But many brave and fearless women took up the fight never giving up.

Now let’s fast forward to 2017, March 8^th, 2017 to be exact. Why that date you may be asking yourself. Well because it is the “A Day without a Woman” strike. In my opinion it is a day of disrespect to all the hardworking, dedicated women of all races, who fought for our rights, never gave up, and encouraged us to keep building and growing.

Who is behind this march? Who are these woman many are choosing to follow? Ramsea Yousef Odeh a convicted terrorist in Israeli in 1970. Who is she? Odeh is a Palestinian who was convicted in two terrorist bombings which killed two students in one bombing, who were out shopping for groceries, minding their own business. She was sentenced to 10 years in prison, yet these two young students lost their lives.

Where is she now? You guessed it, she is right here in the USA living as a naturalized citizen. How? Easy, she lied on her immigration and naturalization paperwork. I don’t know, I’m not a lawyer, but to me that would warrant automatic suspension of her citizenship and deportation. In 2014 she was convicted of immigration fraud but she managed to win a new trial claiming she was suffering from PTSD when she filled out her application so she is claiming it was not her fault. A little extra information, she also worked as an ObamaCare navigator, a little food for thought in case you are wondering how she has managed to still be on US soil.

Of course there are other organizers and supporters of this “women’s march” including half a dozen Marxist professors and Black Panther supporter Angela Davis. Yes the same Angela Davis who fled to Cuba after the guns she ILLEGALLY obtained were used to shoot up a courthouse.

In my opinion, to march in this facade of a protest for women’s rights is disrespectful to all the women of the past who really had the best interest of women, in this country, at heart. They gave and gave, fought and cried, till they couldn’t take anymore then they pushed on and fought some more refusing to take no for answer. We have come a long way and we don’t need people like this leading us into destruction.

You want to celebrate women and all their amazing accomplishments then do so. March is Women’s History Month, why not volunteer at a school and talk to the young men and women about the history of this great nation and how together we can only make it better for everyone. Teach them about the role women played in improving their lives in this country and the lives of others. October is dedicated to Breast Cancer Awareness, why not march for a cure. May is Mother’s Day, why not volunteer to go help at a civic center or a school to help children make the perfect Mother’s day thank you for everything, Mom gift? Women are not forgotten in our society today. We have a voice and we use it.

We are lawyers, doctors, judges, congresswomen who have a voice to make life better for all. Women are honored today by our society. We are no longer ignored or on the back burner as if we do not matter. To join in this “women’s strike” is a slap in the face of all who had worked so hard to pull us above all of this negativity and fight for our equality. Brave women who stood up to the men of this great nation and wouldn’t take no for an answer.

So before you go follow these terrorists and activists on March 8^th, 2017 take a moment to remember all these women who took a stand so you could have a voice. Women, all women, no matter what race, culture, and religion you are, deserve to be honored on this day, otherwise known as International Woman’s Day. Don’t be a follower ladies, be a leader. Show your children, your daughters, just how important being a woman is. Teach them the important part we have played in history. Guide them in continuing to build a better future for all.

May God Bless America and all the beautiful, amazing, hardworking, dedicated women throughout the world.