Women

I was watching "The View" this morning. Yes, I know! I don't usually watch it but I was catching up on my taped shows from last night and when my shows were over this show was on when the tape was over. I got "caught" by the subject. They were talking about Don Imus' remarks about the woman's basketball team. One of the women said that he would not have said what he had said if it had been a men's team. That he was "sticking it to the women" - It got me to thinking about how society treats women and has treated women.

Mrs. Adams wrote to her husband during the time of writng the Constitution for this country to "remember the ladies." Of course they didn't. It would be a long time before women could vote or even hold their own property in this country. In much of the world today women are still subserviant to men and must have a man speak for them. Even in this country women are not fully vested in our society. Yes, they can hold and inherit property. They can enter into contracts. They do not, however always make as much money in jobs and professions as men do.

I was watching Cold Case the other night and I saw a show about a woman sufferagette who had been murdered. It brought back to me the story of these women who had to fight to get the right to vote. How they were treated by men who were threatened by them - who tried to keep them down and not allow them to be a part of society.

When I was teaching I asked my students about a line in their social studies book. "Women have made great advances there are even two women serving in the U. S. House of Representatives." It was very close to that. Yes, we had an outdated textbook. I asked them what percentage of the population were women. They told me 50%. I told them it was more like 52% and if that was so I asked them. "How many women should be serving in the House?" When I put it that way I made them realize that women were (and still are) under-represented in our government. I told them to go out and get involved and get themselves elected to office.

Yesterday I wrote about the Eastern Star. The state organization is run by a Worthy Grand Matron. Several of these women have become good friends of mine and I am amazed at their executive ability. In other countries women such as Margaret Thatcher and Mrs. Ghandi have been Prime Ministers of their countries. They were incredibally talented. And just look at what Queen Elizabeth has done. She has dedicated her life to her country. I am a great admirer of her and of these great women.

The church I attend was begun by a woman. Mary Baker Eddy was the most original thinker of her time and she founded a church and started a daily newspaper and gave of herself to the world. Whether or not you agree with her you have to admit she accomplished much. And she accomplished it before women could vote or even have a voice in a man's world. Against all odds she began a movement which is world-wide today and has blessed countless lives.

I know several women who are still walking three steps behind their jerk husbands. Husbands who treat their wives as if they did not have a brain in their heads. They aren't allowed access to the "family" funds. Some of them have to learn how to handle the household finances after their husbands pass on. Actually some of them take over after their husbands die and surpass them in accomplishment.

In some countries women go from their father's house to their husband's house and are not allowed even the freedoms they have in this country. I understand that Saudi women are not allowed to drive cars. Even worse than that some cultures practice female circumcision so that they cannot even enjoy pleasure from the most basic of human activity. When I was travelling around Mexico with my friend John by bus, a young lad climbed on the bus and offered to sell us his sister. She was not even ten years old. Many women are sold into slavery around this world.

All of this is just WRONG! Until women have equal rights and protection under law and the law is enforced things are just WRONG. I still don't understand why the Equal Rights Amendment did not pass. it should have. It should be the basic law of this country that all of its citizens are Equal under our law.

In the first chapter of Genesis it says "And God created man in his own image. Male and female created he them." Co-equal. Created He them, not from Adam's rib but from equal substance. Until mankind recognizes and acts on this idea (Houston) we have a problem. Just look around you and see how many women follow behind the men. I prefer to see them walking side by side. Dancing the dance of life as equals.

Stay warm and be happy, and thanks for listening.