88 Years ago today

June 4th, 1919 - A constitutional amendment was proposed that would make the United States of America even greater.

Originally posted by "19th Amendment of the US Constitution":

Amendment 19 - Women's Suffrage

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.

Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

... I've mentioned before how Schoolhouse Rocks gave a generation of children access to American History and politics that they may not see today. One of the shorts in their "America Rocks" cartoons was about the 19th amendment. Watching it as an adult has shed light on something we don't generally think about today. We take our right to vote for granted, because we have the right so easily.

Women's suffrage is amazing to me. I never knew that women were not specifically granted the right to vote until after African Americans. Which brings up another amendment that should be talked about in the same context, the 15th Amendment. Also, the 19th Amendment happened less than 100 years ago.

In honor of your right to vote, whether it be by the 19th Amendment, 15th Amendment or living in a democracy that people fought to create, pay attention to who and what you are voting for. While we are at it, pay attention to who and what you are not voting for. There is a reason people have fought, been imprisoned and died for the right to vote. Due to the way things are now it is often easy to forget the sacrifices others have made that allow us this right.

Along with the right to vote, people have also made sacrifices to allow us the freedom to choose not to vote at all. In respect of those sacrifices I will say, if you choose not to vote be clear what you are giving up and be clear what you are giving away. The world of politics can seem like a morass that is too difficult to understand, however, the United States government ( that is all I know well ) is set up to allow you to learn more. It might just be one of the best things you ever do for yourself.

References:
19th Amendment Notes on USConstitution.net
19th Amendment on Wikipedia
15th Amendment Notes on USConstitution.net
15th Amendment on Wikipedia