Iron Jawed

Last night I saw the movie "Iron Jawed Angels," and I have been haunted and preoccupied by it all day.

From 1912 to 1920, Alice Paul and Lucy Burns led feisty, courageous women to convince the United States government into adopting a Constitutional amendment guaranteeing women the right to vote. Unfortunately, they incurred the wrath of President Woodrow Wilson, the ire of other suffragette leaders, and the disdain of many uneducated American men and women.

Idiotically, often today the word suffragette has a demeaning connotation. Weren't suffragettes stout old maids with facial hair? Historically, the word applies to "a female supporter of the cause of women's voting rights; one who believes that in a representative government, all citizens have the right to vote in electing public officials and adopting or rejecting proposed legislation."

Alice Paul had no illusions that women were especially brilliant, and thus needed to vote. She did not know what they were going to do with their votes, and she didn't care. She firmly believed that a vote was equal to self respect; a vote was part of being a legitimate citizen. Without voting rights, women were living under taxation without representation. They were not allowed to help make laws, yet they had to obey them, like children. They were not allowed to serve on juries, so they were not tried by their peers, and Alice Paul considered that unconscionable and unconstitutional.

Politically and culturally these intelligent, highly educated, informed women were repeatedly told they were flippant girls, incapable of participating in politics, that it would degrade them and lead to the disintegration of their families. Supposedly the happiness of their feminine natures was tied to their being protected and controlled by their husbands. Supposedly they did not have heads for smart things.

Not true! God gifted many of these suffragette leaders with outstanding minds, remarkable acumen in political matters and women's rights, and they were tenacious. Alice Paul graduated first in her class at a Hicksite school in Moorestown, New Jersey in 1901. She went on to receive a B.A. in Biology from Swarthmore College in 1905, an M.A. in Sociology from University of Pennsylvania in 1907, a Ph.D. in Economic from University of Pennsylvania in 1912, an LL.B from Washington College of Law in 1922, and an LL.M. from American University in 1927. Flippant? Stupid? I think not!

These suffragettes believed so totally in the importance of having a voice that they bravely and purposefully lobbied, campaigned, paraded, demonstrated nonviolently, picketed the White House, persuaded the public and legislators, and even suffered torture in Occoquan Workhouse to pave the way for my generation, my daughter's generation, and generations to come. Through state and national battles, through horrific oppression, and through unspeakable torture after they were falsely charged and arrested for "obstructing traffic", these visionaries persevered. They pursued a single purpose without wavering, and on August 21, 1920, the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote, became constitutional law. Later, the U.S. Court of Appeals even declared the arrests of all 218 suffragists unconstitutional, and Alice Paul continued to fight for women's rights up until she died in 1977.

I was born in 1955, just 35 years after our country officially recognized women as equal voters. No longer were females just chattel (tangible, movable, personal property). No longer were we without a voice. No longer were we reigned over or taxed without equal representation.

In studying this historical event, I saw admirable perseverance and tenacity, similar to that of our Biblical apostles. According to tradition and the Bible, eight of the apostles died for their cause - Jesus. At least two, Peter and Andrew were crucified.

All of this pondering on a movie, all of my reviewing of history, all of my focusing on our apostles has brought me to the questions: Would I stand firm for anything? Would I stand firm for anyone? Would I be brave? Would I be without fear? Would I persevere? I know I am not an angel, but am I iron jawed in my proclamation and praising of my Jesus?

I can tell you I still have not completely answered these questions. I do, however, know that if I am in God's will and in His purpose, I have an enabler. I have One who will give me power, the means, and the ability to successfully and victoriously persevere.

[The Lord says] "Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

"I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians; I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with heads held high." Leviticus 26:12-13

"It is God who arms me with strength

and makes my way perfect.

He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;

He enables me to stand on the heights."

Psalm 18:32-33

"His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:

'Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,

because he has come and has redeemed his people.

He has raised up a horn of salvation for us

in the house of his servant David

(as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),

salvation from our enemies

and from the hand of all who hate us -

to show mercy to our fathers

and to remember his holy covenant,

the oath he swore to our father Abraham:

to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,

and to enable us to serve him without fear

in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.'"

Luke 1:67-75

"But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body." Philippians 3:20-21

Almighty, Eternal Father, I am comforted to know you are my strength and enabler. You have given us intelligence and the desire to follow you. Only through you, in you, and by you, shall I persevere. Thank you for never forsaking me, and thank you for guaranteeing my victory! Amen.