Women’s equality
The American Association of University Women on Aug. 26 is celebrating Women’s Equality Day 2021, 101 years of women voting.
Women’s Equality Day marks the anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote.
Thousands of women and their allies worked for decades to make that day in 1920 possible. The right to vote was a great step in women gaining equality. Many of today’s elected leaders are sticking up for women and their rights.
Because Hawaii was not yet a state, it could not vote for or against the 19th Amendment. On Aug. 18, 1920, Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify the amendment, making women’s suffrage legal in the United States.
Hawaii women became enfranchised, along with their mainland sisters, when the 19th Amendment became part of the U.S. Constitution in August 1920. Hawaii sent a symbolic “ratification star” to the National Women’s Party in celebration.
AAUW have been empowering women since 1881, even before they could vote in the United States.
It is vitally important that we all commemorate this anniversary of women’s right to vote, and we ask citizens to take a moment to reflect that expanding the right to vote is fundamental for democracy.
Rosemarie Muller
AAUW Hawaii
Get vaccinated
Speaking for myself only, since the day I was born up to my Social Security age today, my body has consumed prescribed and over-the-counter medications, bombarded with body and dental ex-rays, consumed fruits and veggies possibly tainted with pesticides, may have eaten foods with traces of salmonella, eaten seafood products containing mercury, loaded my body with synthetic vitamin supplements and protein shakes, ate food from tin cans, drank water from plastic bottles, consumed sodas, used weed killer, bug sprays, household cleaning solvents, paint-related products such as thinners, breathing in recirculated air from the smallest commercial offices, to restaurants, to big box stores, breathing ever day car exhaust fumes, etc.
Well, I guess you get my point by now. But many folks never give it a second thought as to what the long- or even short-term effects these things have on our bodies.
Many worry about the side effects of the COVID-19 vaccines. I don’t blame them, and yet we continue to indulge in these activities. Yes, it is your choice not to get vaccinated, and I respect the choice you make.
More nonvaccinated people are being infected with COVID and are being hospitalized than those who have already been vaccinated.
Your chances of getting full-blown COVID are much higher than the chances of having vaccine side effects later. Please vaccinate.
Rick LaMontagne
Hilo