Iron Jawed Angels

I just watched a great HBO movie - Iron Jawed Angels. You folks will be proud of me, because it actually came out within the last year. You can rent it now, and if you have HBO maybe it comes on occasionally. I don't know. It's all about the suffragist movement. It was very moving for me to see their struggles. These nice middle class women got beat up and thrown in jail, put in solitary, etc. For me, it was most moving to just see them on the picket line, in the middle of a WWI, as people came and yelled at them for their lack of patriotism. Or just the fact that they went every day, regardless of weather, standing there, being a presence. Watching that, it hit me - they were doing it for me. And for every woman who's reading this. They did all that for us.
In the feminist spirit, a song I wrote a while ago. I was listening to my radio, to a news story that detailed a struggle some men were having. It sounded kinda familiar, and I said aloud to my radio, "welcome to my world." So at first I meant it kinda tongue-and-cheek and sarcastic, but it didn't end up that way:

You walked in and the good ol’ boys just smiled
Decided that they’d humor you for a while
If only you would do their dance
They’d act like they were givin’ you a chance

Welcome to my world, my brother
Welcome to this place of woe
Welcome to my world, my brother
Don’t forget it when you go

They acted like you were just a joke
Started laughing every time you spoke
They took for granted that you’d lose
Imagine if you never got to choose

Welcome to my world, my brother
Welcome to this place of woe
Welcome to my world, my brother
Don’t forget it when you go

You say that this world today is fine
You say that it’s not your concern, it’s mine
But the fate of humanity
Is only safe when everybody’s free

This is the saddest day you’ll ever know
But for me it is the status quo
I hope that now you’ve seen the light
Understand just why I just have to fight

Welcome to my world, my brother
Welcome to this place of woe
Welcome to my world my brother
Don’t forget it when you go

So won’t you help me in my fight
So won’t you help me in my fight
My brother


The family of humans is not united. We are mother versus son, child versus parent, kin verus kin. And the answer lies not in appeasement but in hard-won reconciliation. Moments of truth in lifetimes of agony and strife. This is the cross we bear. This is the legacy we honor. This is the fight we inherit, and it is difficult, but we can have pride in our heritage. We can be inspired by those who went before, and find the courage to carry on.