Editor’s Corner: Support each other

It has been said that life is simply a matter of adapting and surviving. Women have known this from the beginning of time. From English palaces to the western frontier to new millennium boardrooms, women have been seeking their place in a world created, ran, and dominated by men.

Have you ever really stopped for a moment to think about Amendment 15 to the U.S. Constitution, adopted in 1870? It thankfully gave the African-American male the right to vote. It was long over due. Yet, very few men seemed to notice that this amendment totally ignored women.

Amendment 15 read: "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 race, color, or previous condition of servitude."

It was not until 1920 that Amendment 19 was adopted, finally giving women a legal voice. The amendment states, "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."

By this time women were ironically already being elected to political office, yet they couldn't cast a vote. This continues to blow my mind every time I think about it.

This country was built by women brave enough to attempt to be different: women who were strong enough to fight the system. When this great country of ours was settled, women worked right along beside the man as they still do today. Western pioneer women worked as long or longer than men as teachers, cooks, laundresses, storekeepers, housewives, gunslingers, dance-hall girls and even newspaper editors.

Maya Angelou one said, “Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.”

And, it was Isabelle Allende who once said, “I can promise you that women working together - linked, informed and educated - can bring peace and prosperity to this forsaken plant.”

Women are leaders everywhere you look—from the CEO who runs a Fortune 500 company to the housewife who raises her children and heads her household.

As we continue to break down walls and defy stereotypes, may we all remember to stay united. We have always been able to accomplish our goals because women, in general, did not knock each other down. I’m am seeing this slowly change and it’s a scary thought.

May we continue to encourage each other up; to support each other; and to pray for each other!

Sandra Brand is the editor of the NEA Town Courier and The Osceola Times. She may be reached by phone at 870-763-4461 or 870-563-2615 or by email at brand@osceolatimes.com.