I didn't post anything on Women's Equality Day. I totally meant to, but today was rather busy. Away-from-my-computer busy. And when I did sit down at my computer, I didn't sit down to write the post I'd been thinking about.
In my defense, I was joining forces with fellow awesome feminist bloggers, planning secret conspiracies we plan to soon unleash on the unsuspecting patriarchy. Notice the new fancy "Criss is what a Feminist looks like!" blogroll over there, on the right? Those are my new friends. Go visit them, read their inspiring words, and leave nice comments for them.
So, on to Women's Equality Day. This is the day, in 1920, when we were first given a recognized political voice by being granted the power vote. A good day, all in all.
This morning, a thought struck me, and I realized it coincided nicely with today's date.
[Warning: shameless self-promotion -- oh, wait. I'm on my blog. Isn't the whole concept of a blog "shameless self-promotion"?]
Yesterday, my second guest post was published on Change.org's Women's Rights site. (Psst! That's your cue to go read it and comment on my brilliance. Then come back here, so we can finish this.)
My Equality Day thought: Barack Obama is a huge role model for minorities, especially African-American males. I remember reading or hearing someone point this out during the campaign, that if Obama won the election, for four (hopefully eight) years, black children would see The President of the United States, the Leader of the Free World, doing all those important presidential things, and he would be a black man. Someone who looks like them.
I don't know if you saw this photo when it happened, but it made me tear up. I think this is a huge thing.
Well, chicas, we have one of those now (and she even comes with her own catch phrase!) We have Justice Sotomayor. I don't care what your color or nationality, she's yours, too. We are all Wise Latinas.
The problem is the Supreme Court doesn't appear on TV quite as much as the President does.
Going back to the Equality Day train of thought (can you tell I should have been in bed a while ago?): I don't know how much of your high school US government class you remember, or how often you think about all that, but remember the system of checks and balances? We have three main branches of government: executive (President), legislative (Congress), and judicial (Supreme Court).
These three have the same power. They are equal. They are there to cancel each other out, or to keep each other in check, if need be.
Therefore, the President is not THE most powerful office, because the Supreme Court has the power to override what he (or she) says, if the issue is brought before the Court. Congress has the power to veto. The President has the best PR, but really, these three branches are equal.
Let's go back to Justice Sotomayor, and let's not forget Justice Ginsburg. They are expremely powerful women; they are in a position of extreme power. We need to recognize this, and remind ourselves of it. And remind those around us, who may not have taken great notes in their US government classes.
(I always thought I'd much rather be a Supreme Court Justice than President. Yes, I know the case has to come before the Court before the justices can have their say, but when they do have their say, it is The Last Word. And I am quite a fan of The Last Word.)
[Because I didn't want to blow it, even though I opened this window exactly at midnight, I did change the time on the post, so it shows as being posted at 11:59 on August 26th. So sue me.]
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