Unity

The United States White House, Washington, D.C. (www.history.com)

     Let's celebrate unity, "For United We Stand, divided we fall." 

   

   Despite my vote for Hillary Clinton for President, I was pleased to see the crowds in Washington on Friday, for President Trump's Inauguration. I watched from home - all day and night. For me, it was not about who was elected, it was the fact that we all had the opportunity to vote. It was about the peaceful transition of power that is a strong, unifying tradition of our democracy. It was about the graciousness of politicians with divergent ideologies listening respectfully to a speech many did not agree with. It was about recognizing that no one human being can ever be perfect in the eyes of every citizen. It was about understanding that my political party doesn't have all the answers any more than  yours does, and sometimes (for the sake of maintaining our democracy) you have to accept that you have to give another's point of view their chance to be heard and lead. 

President Donald Trump greets Hillary Clinton at the Inaugural Luncheon in the U.S. Capitol January 20, 2017, in Washington, D.C. - Us Weekly

     My favorite moments of the inauguration were: seeing all the former presidents and first ladies arrive; the hand shake between Clinton and Trump; and when President Trump asked everyone to stand while he thanked Hillary Clinton for attending. The applause for her, during the luncheon at the Capital, was  recognition of how hard it must have been for her - knowing she had won the popular vote and, in the minds of many, should have been the one taking the oath of office that day.

                  PBS time lapse video of People arriving to witness the peaceful transfer of power

    Saturday also found me glued to the TV all day. Again, unity was the theme. The Women's March on Washington, brought together people from all over the country. The need to speak out and demonstrate their concerns was so great, that marches occurred not just in Washington, but across the country and around the world. Did this undermine our democracy? No. These marches were a demonstration of our democracy - the right to assemble, and the right to free speech. These women were from cities and towns; low incomes and high; black, white, Hispanic, Native American and Asian; gay and straight; Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and Atheist; democrat and republican; and from ancestries that span the globe. They did not come alone. They boarded buses and came together, and they brought their families - including husbands, brothers, and fathers.. Their differences did not matter. They came together in unity to make their concerns heard. They are worried about men who think they have a right to a woman's body, and about governments who think they have a right to regulate a woman's body. They know the history of women's abuse and suffering, and they want to make sure we go forward, not backwards. These women want equal pay for equal work; healthcare for themselves and their families; the right to marry their partners regardless of gender; the right to be treated fairly and with dignity regardless of their country of origin; and they know that Marches such as this have the ability to create change.

PBS highlights of the 2017 Women's March

    In 1987, gay rights demonstrators came to Washington to raise awareness of the AIDS epidemic. They unfurled a massive quilt, each square representing loved ones who had died from Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Although this disease has not yet been eradicated, progress in the areas of  discrimination, prevention and treatment have been made.

1987 Unveiling of the AIDs Quilt from YesterGay TV

    For many years, people from all over the country descended on Washington, D.C. to protest the Vietnam War.  Beginning as a small group of protesters in the 1960's, the anti-war movement continued to unite and grow as the number of killed and wounded American soldiers rose. Eventually, President Nixon was persuaded to end the war in 1973. 

1967 Vietnam War Protest - from Iconic

    The Civil Rights movement was not just one event. Over time, black Americans organized and united in their quest to eliminate discrimination and segregation. The famous 1963 speech, I Have A Dream,  delivered by Martin Luther King, Jr. occurred during  the Civil Rights March on Washington. One year later, President Johnson signed The Civil Rights Act of 1964.

1963 Civil Rights march - from History Flix

     It's hard to imagine, but women have not always had the right to vote. Fortunately, early feminist organizers were willing to work hard to change this. Women united against the denial of basic freedoms. While the 14th Amendment extended citizenship to former slaves, it did not include women. The 15th Amendment extended the right to vote to former slaves, however it did not include women. Not until 1920 was the 19th amendment ratified, giving women the right to vote. It happened as a result of women organizing and uniting for a common cause. Does violence occur at these marches? Sometimes, but not by protesters. The suffragettes who marched in the 1913 Women's Suffrage parade were spat on and attacked. The violence is caused by rioters and those who would silence the voices of peaceful protesters. Fortunately, the world takes notice, and changes are made.

1913 Women's Suffrage Parade on Wahington - From the National Women's History Museum

     The point of today's post? I am grateful for unity. I am grateful for the many who came before me, willing to do the hard work of organizing for change, and sometimes risking personal harm in the process. I am grateful I live in a democracy. I am grateful for the right to vote. I am grateful for the peaceful transition of power. I am grateful for laws that don't permit harm of my body. I am grateful I currently have health insurance. I am grateful my friends are able to legally marry. I am grateful for advances in medicine. I am grateful for laws preventing discrimination and segregation. I am grateful for the many caring and compassionate people who are able to look past differences and unite for a common cause -  improving the lives of all. 

I am grateful, are you?

Laura S. Pringle is the author of The Pringle Plan, a series of educational guides. 

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 ©2016 Laura S. Pringle. All Rights Reserved.