Tag: History
Lessons from History
By Jo Meleca-Voigt on 03/31/2009 @ 01:26 PM
I live in a place where unpopularity historically has taken a back seat to equality. The drive from my house to my favorite gay coffee shop includes a jaunt over the Genesee River on the Frederick Douglass/Susan B. Anthony Bridges. Both namesakes spent time in Rochester and fought for what they believed in without regard for consequence.
After being freed from slavery, Douglass moved to Rochester NY, housed a stop on the Underground Railroad and fought to desegregate Rochester City schools. Similarly, Susan B. Anthony fought for the abolition of slavery, but is best known for her relentless and tenacious work in gaining women’s suffrage; fruition she never witnessed.
Douglass and Anthony did not act alone. They were organizers and leaders. They motivated others to pitch in and believe in the injustice of inequality. They challenged public officials and engaged in civil disobedience. They dared to risk everything to end inequality.
We can and must learn a lesson from the trailblazers of the past. The fight for marriage equality is going to take the efforts of a collective community and the leadership of the not-so-faint of heart.
It’s so easy and appealing to wait for another day or for someone else to stand up. Some blame hectic work schedules for their inability to take the time to be active. While often that is true, and unavoidable, many just don’t see involvement as conquerable or important. Many see the social inequity as unconquerable. My guess is however that social inactivism is a result of apathy.
Apathy is real and permeates our culture. Those who wish to continue to squelch our rights are counting on apathy to deliver their agendas. Anthony was a huge thorn in the sides of those who opposed her quest. Did the University of Rochester president welcome Anthony when she fought for the acceptance of women into the university? No, he put every obstacle possible in her way, hoping that she would give up. He hoped that apathy would allow the institution to continue to discriminate.
Imagine if Frederick Douglass or Susan B. Anthony were apathetic. Imagine if they thought that they couldn’t make a difference. These were exceptional human beings and while I try to emulate their commitment to their cause, I would never pretend to be their equal. But, I continue to be motivated by them, knowing that one person CAN make a difference. Could that person be you?
Jo Meleca-Voigt is a teacher in Greece, NY. She lives with her wife Christine and their two cats, Casey and Kennedy. She enjoys traveling and is proud of her Italian heritage.
