THE STRENGTHS AND IMPORTANCE OF WOMEN IN POLITICS

A series of essays.....

~~~VOTES FOR WOMEN *** WOMEN OF THE WORLD UNITE~~~

.....as seen through my eyes!



By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

Our First Lady: A Potent History Lesson

"I wake up every morning in a house that was built by slaves — and I watch my daughters — two beautiful, intelligent, black young women — playing with their dogs on the White House lawn. And because of Hillary Clinton, my daughters — and all our sons and daughters — now take for granted that a woman can be president of the United States."

***Michelle Obama at the 2016 Democratic National Convention



Ruline Steininger: A Passion For Politics 

I was born...

...in a home where my Daddy never failed to vote Republican.

At the time I was born, my mother was not eligible to vote in the Presidential elections. That wouldn't happen until August of 1920, with the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution.

I was welcomed into the Steininger household of Pleasant Hill, Iowa, on April 14, 1913. They named me, Ruline. I enjoyed a happy childhood with few complaints. I knew how much I was loved. And, seven years later my baby sister was born. It seemed to me that the year 1920 was just chock-full of surprises.

Now, even though a baby sister has a way of changing your life forever, little did I know at the time that the changing tide in our nation and in Washington D.C. could or would affect my life so greatly. But, it certainly did!

Even when I was quite young, I never failed to keep my eyes and ears opened. Why, as a five-year-old, I can remember running to the front yard to wave goodbye to soldiers or passing troop trains headed for World War I.

My Daddy was, in addition to a staunch Republican, the pastor of our local church. I recall someone ringing our church bells everyday that our young men were fighting for us in this war to end all wars. My Mother always believed it was a good thing to constantly remember these young men and what they were fighting for. I can't recall for certain, but she may have helped to ring the bells herself from time to time.

I remember the day the war finally ended....our bells rang out loud and clear all day long! The boys I had waved goodbye to were coming home to stay.

Of course, none of us knew then that this would not be the last time our young men and women would be heading across the sea to fight for their country. Little did I believe that as a newlywed, my husband would be drafted into the Air Force in 1942. I wouldn't see him again until three and a half years later.

                       YOUTHFUL RULINE STEININGER
Courtesy: us.hola.com

   
It's kind of sad that women were so prohibited in their careers back when I attended high school. We only had two options to look at and they were either nursing or teaching. When I graduated high school in 1931, I looked forward to my college career. Sadly, my debts added up quickly and I was forced to drop-out.

These were the years of the Great Depression. Life was difficult for most everyone we knew. But, I was determined to make something of my life and utilize my strengths as an independent woman of my day. After all, I voted for Franklin Delano Roosevelt when I was twenty-three years old and never told my Father about my party of choice.....ever!

I have remained a staunch Democrat since my first presidential election.

I never gave up when it came to my education either. I obtained a degree in art in 1941 and began teaching for the next twenty-four years.

Somewhere along in there I was fortunate to have had my two sons. They both are artists in their own right and I am quite proud of them. I'm even more proud of my three grandchildren in whom I see the bright future of this country.

With 103, yes.....one hundred and three years behind me now, many of them devoted to working long, hard hours for my Democratic Party in one capacity or another, I am witnessing the fruit of my labor: The possibility of having the first woman president in the White House!



              RULINE STEININGER TODAY AT AGE 103
    Courtesy: www.cnn.com

My dreams were dashed in 2008 when Hillary Clinton conceded defeat to Barack Obama. I was still in my first century of life, however. That century saw world wars, two Great Depressions, man walk on the moon, and the grand teachings of Doctor Martin Luther King.

Now that I am in my second century of life, the most remarkable thing to happen would be to see a woman as president!

My baby sister who is going strong at ninety-six told me she won't vote for Hillary because of her e-mail problems. Wish I could change her mind before November. We'll have to wait and see what happens with that one.

If I were to give any kind of advice about what it takes to live a long life, the wisdom I've accumulated would include: Walk for an hour every day; eat organic food; take the stairs instead of anything else, and stay interested in your community, our government, and world events. My passion has always been politics!

Oh, and vote! I am looking forward to voting for the first female president of the United States this November!

***Facts extracted from Ms. Steininger's interview at IowaAging.gov.



"Believe in something larger than yourself. Get involved in the big ideas of your time."

***Barbara Bush



"The battle for the individual rights of women is one of long standing and none of us should countenance anything which undermines it."

***Eleanor Roosevelt



"Hate is too great a burden to bear. It injures the hater more than it injures the hated."

"Struggle is a never ending process. Freedom is never really won, you earn it and win it in every generation."

Lastly.....

"Women, if the soul of the nation is to be saved, I believe that you must become its soul."

***Three quotes by Coretta Scott King



     
        CORETTA SCOTT KING


Watching the Democratic National Convention these past three nights, many of my own thoughts and beliefs from my past several decades of life ring loud and clear through the words of the men and women gracing that large stage. "Strong women get things done!" is the qualifying theme that resonates the most with me.    

Like the intricate weave of a strong basket meant to cradle objects in a lifetime of service, these strong women open up their hearts and show us a profound love for family, home, and country that's greater than anything we could ever imagine. 

Strong with undaunted beliefs, women are understanding, caring, loving, and never to be underestimated....women have always been equal!! The women on our political front today prove this daily. As the Broadway performers sang loud and clear last evening: "What the world needs now is Love, Sweet Love.......!" For all and by all...always!   



Copyright © 2016 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved

HOPE

A series of essays.....

 TRANQUIL LAKE LOCATED JUST NORTH
OF BOONE, NORTH CAROLINA ~ TAKEN 6-14-2016

.....as seen through my eyes!





By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

HOPE

.....is a small and humble word that holds the weight of the world and all who inhabit her above it, merely waiting to be smashed into a million different pieces at any given moment....if we allow this to happen.

Hope is fragile. Hope is personal. Hope is the longing or desire for something paired with the belief in the possibility of its occurrence. It is the idea that if we work hard enough, study intensely, believe in all possibilities, and center our expectations towards a common goal...our pertinacious desires will be fulfilled; our expectations for the future will be achieved.

Hope is seen in the absence of evil or negativity even when we are surrounded by both daily. We delight in the birth of a baby because we take comfort in the purity of soul this young child represents and, once again, in our lifetime, desire that feeling for ourselves. To be free from moral wrong and not corrupted by hate, fear, treachery, greed, and blatant untruths is to have hope in what lies ahead of us. Hope is to be able to start fresh and see the world through the eyes of children where the spectrum of color constantly amazes and delights and is not valued through the skin tones of varying shades of black and white!

Hope is a small treasure we should keep in our pocket (heart) at all times. Like a talisman touched for luck to avert danger, we hold tight to the possibility that it will take us to where we need to be at any moment in our humble lives. We trust, expect, and believe in the power of our hope because without it, our desires will be as unattainable as an illusive dream....bordering on wild fantasy and unrealistic aspirations.

Hope can be universal and not restricted to a single mind or train of thought. Its presence produces connecting threads like the silken strands of a spider's web that stretch out to connect with and support others who seek truth and love around the world. Even with its intricate design majestically outlined by early morning dewdrops that glisten in the rising sunlight, this group effort can be dashed by outside entities programmed to undermine us at every turn. Hope can repair these broken threads as long as we continue to place our faith in its existence and carry on.

Hope gives us the confidence to aspire to greater things. Without it our world becomes small, inadequate, and characterized by despair and life is difficult if not impossible to navigate. Given hope and the opportunity of education, employment, the expectation of a brighter future, and self-esteem....the possibilities become endless. Hope may come in the guise of a mentor, the examples of a loving parent, a teacher, or ministers of the Divine Will. When hope takes us beyond the boundaries of the ordinary and into the realm of the exceptional, we are destined to become the inventors, philosophers, artists, scientists, and leaders that draw us into a brighter future where the imagination rules and hope itself springs eternal.

Hope is a feeling within that guides us in the right direction. Like meditation, hope helps us deepen and expand our horizons and understand how beautiful and whole our lives can be. May hope be our motivator and lead the weary and strong alike into a future that benefits all of mankind through genuine kindness and love.




     THE PERFECT END OF THE DAY ON                     PROVENCE DREAMING
                     LAKE MICHIGAN
       Courtesy of: Corinne Grimm                                                      



Copyright © 2016 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved

"BIRTH OF A NEW SPIRIT IN AMERICA"

A series of essays.....

RACHEL ROBINSON: ENORMOUS  COURAGE AND MORAL INTEGRITY

.....as seen through my eyes!





By: Jacqueline E. Hughes


This is a message for all of the strong women out there; past, present, and future. This is a message about repression and its flagrant use throughout the history of this great nation.

Last evening, after the Nightly News was watched, our daily events discussed, and dinner consumed, we decided to watch Part One of the Ken Burns' documentary entitled Jackie Robinson which we had recorded a few weeks ago.

As the credits rolled, we must have spent another hour, at least, discussing what had recently been unveiled before us. As the Brits might say......, we were gobsmacked by the revelations compiled and brought to the screen by this ingenious documentarist, with kudos reaching out to his daughter, Sarah, in the 'writing' category.

KEN BURNS

I must say that I am always deeply happy when my own research takes me far below the surface and into places that I'd previously only skimmed over, or remembered from college courses.

Last evening we were formally introduced to this truly amazing couple, Rachel and Jack Robinson, via the spirit, wisdom, and talent of Ken Burns. I know that Rachel and Jackie, both strong and caring individuals in their own right, would have marked great strides down their independent paths......however, together they were a powerful partnership that blossomed constantly within the goodness they created and the hate they were forced to endure.

The blatant hatred of the color of their skin.......a fact that often eclipsed the intelligence, sound judgment, and innate talent possessed by this team, should and will be a blight on our society, forever!

There had to be a good reason we waited until now to watch this documentary. Following this past week of violence by and directed towards our police, it was time to stimulate our sense of equilibrium with another solid dose of reality. Life has a way of taking things from one extreme to the other and, eventually, meeting in the middle, if we're lucky.

"Robinson couldn't have done it without his wife, Rachel," proclaims Burns in an interview with Newsweek. "Rachel was his confident, his rock, and his only refuge from the incessant abuse he endured."

Burns was able to highlight the strength behind the relationship of Jackie and Rachel, college sweethearts, in an interview with Barack and Michelle Obama. Their 'journey' has been similar to Jackie and Rachel's. "Jackie is the first to go through a door back then. The president is the first to go through a door, and he's saying (to paraphrase President Obama in the documentary), that when people are giving you shit for stuff that has to do with the color of your skin, it’s good to go home to where people love you and have your back."

RACHEL AND JACK ON THEIR FIRST DATE

Rachel would always have Jackie's back! "Home was our place away from the world, and it was central," said Rachel. "We made a point not to talk about every negative encounter that happened. That would have been too much. We treated our home like a haven and when you come into a haven you don't want to bring in painful things. You want to cherish it. You use the haven to get yourself ready for the next day."

Rachel graduated from UCLA with a bachelor's degree in nursing and went on to obtain a master's degree in psychiatric nursing from New York University, according to Wikipedia. Last evening, we saw this beautiful lady, mother of three, constantly protect Jackie's back all through the time when Jackie was breaking baseball's color barrier in 1946 and 1947. Later, with Rachel by his side, Jackie went on to fight for Civil Rights in this country and assist in getting John F. Kennedy into the White House.

Number 42, first baseman and shortstop for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Jackie faced adversity from birth: He was born a black man in a white man's world. One of the stipulations he had to comply with as a member of the Dodgers' team was to turn the other cheek when racial hatred came aiming its ugly fist at him. Rachel helped Jackie control his temper and realize exactly why his opportunity/venture into this elite side of baseball was so important to both black and white people alike.

When Number 42 became confronted by racial hatred and bigotry, he defined the moment as the "Birth of a new spirit in America!" He went on to explain that when a white team player defied convention, he was known to possess 'spirit.'  When he, a black player, defied convention, he was noted as 'an uppity n***** or ungrateful.'

Jackie's ability to live a good life with his strong wife and amazing family during this time is a testament to his true spirit. He was an honorable gentleman, family man, and leader who was given exceptional athletic abilities and was able to use them to everyone's advantage. His notoriety as Number 42 helped to launch his career as a Civil Rights advocate and to make his way through new doors as a Black Man who had experienced repression first-hand.

*Fear
*Hate
*Slavery
*Misinterpretation of Religion
*Bullying
*Lack of Education
*Need For Power
*Denial of "All People Created Equal" Under God

*Genuine Lack of Respect For Others
The above are all contributing factors in a world that chooses war over peace, hatred over love, and guns over verbal communication and understanding.

When you can look an adversary in the eyes and say, "I can't treat you right or with genuine respect if I look at you as being inferior to me," you have taken a giant leap in the right direction of understanding racism in America.

Yes, Black lives do matter and should matter to all of us who have never had the color of our skin be a threat to the quality of our life. If Jackie and Rachel Robinson were standing here today, I believe they would say this to all of us who, after so many years, continue to live through these difficult times: "We're all in this together, even if that's not easy."

Greatness, strength, and understanding are ultimately supported from the bottom....up, creating a strong foundation. Respect for others is a right given to all of us at birth. We must never allow others (parents, piers, friends, even high ranking leaders) to take this privilege of equality away from us. Let's teach our children that the color of their skin makes no difference and that we're all equal to one another in this world.

We are eager to absorb Part Two of Jackie Robinson tonight. I will listen, take more notes, and learn from the experience.


Author's Note: Rachel Robinson will turn 94 years young on July 19, 2016. Happy Birthday Beautiful Lady!


Copyright © 2016 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved

A HEALTHY DISTRACTION

 A series of essays.....

STAGE 5 OF LE TOUR DE FRANCE 2016

.....as seen through my eyes!




By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

My Fitbit Charge HD is screaming names out at me from its tiny screen: Mark Cavendish, Peter Sagan, Tejay van Garderen, Fabian Cancellara, "Little Tommy Voeckler," Nairo Quintana......to mention a few. Believe me, the act of 'shaming' leaves everything to the imagination. As a writer, the understanding and utilization of this concept is a daily practice with me.

My "Election Confession" is this: Like many of us, I need a nice, long, healthy break. I require a healthy distraction from poll stats, others telling me how I should feel and think, and too much raw information, positive and negative, being tossed back and forth like fresh eggs at a family reunion competitive event.

What better distraction than the 2016 Tour de France!
Stages: 21 (Legs within the race.)
Riders: 198 (From all over the world!)
Teams: 22 (Nine men per team.)
Duration: Slightly more than three, beautifully long weeks.
Location: As the 'Title' implies....riding sleek, well-balanced bikes throughout French villages and the breathtaking countryside in real time. (Or, at least, for the rest of the world, at the whim of the French television media system...France TV Sport.)

Beautiful narrow roads, plane trees, blue skies, with blue-white-red flags being caressed by a slight breeze are all witnessed and noted as the rhythmic peddling of each cyclist produces gentle sounds and a mesmerizing swaying motion. Quite often the motorcycle camera person follows the riders from behind, documenting and accentuating this syncopated rhythm created by man and machine; liquid poetry in motion! Each element mentioned above helps to transcend this seemingly simplistic sport into a phenomenal experience of the senses.

I am hooked.....and, have been for years!

The timing of the Tour de France could not have been better this year. When I needed a healthy distraction from man-made, political chaos, I found solace within the competition of music and dance atop feather-light bicycles made for speed.

Convincing my Fitbit that sedentary behavior is warranted for several days, at least, is another story. Flipping my arm up and revealing a downsized number of steps taken, miles walked, and calories burned has taken me a step back in physical progress, but a million miles forward in peace of mind and contentment of the soul.

As the French say.....Vive Le Tour!


Copyright © 2016 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved