March 4, 1917
Jeannette Pickering Rankin is a great example of someone who bravely stands up for their beliefs despite what the majority thinks. Before she became the first woman to become a member of the U.S. Congress, Jeanette placed herself in situations where she would learn about the difficulties faced by those who were poor and second-class in the United States.
http://moralheroes.org/jeannette-rankin
She was also a founding member of the ACLU
“The greatest threat to peace is the barrage of rightist propaganda portraying war as decent, honorable, and patriotic.” ~J Rankin
= new reply since forum marked as read
I'm currently reading 'Washington Goes to War' by David Brinkley. The congressional vote on Dec. 10, 1941 to engage in war with Japan was carried by a margin of 434-1. Rep Rankin was the only dissenting vote ("I am a woman and am not allowed to go to war, I therefore cannot in good conscience send anyone else to do what I cannot"
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After she cast her vote, she ran into the woman's coat-room and began crying. When an assistant found her and asked what was wrong, she simply replied, "my career in congress is now over. I have so much left to do, but I will be going home soon." And she was correct. Leaving the building later that afternoon, she was chased by an angry mob, and was forced into a public telephone booth to hide, from where she called to capitol police to rescue her.
She received death threats for that one vote for the rest of her life.