Mrs. Pankhurst

I just attended my first rally. I’m not quite sure what I expected. Every time I thought about going, I thought of this line from the Mary Poppins song Sister Suffragette, “Take heart for Mrs. Pankhurst has been clapped in irons again!” I looked that up tonight and found that Mrs. Pankhurst was not only a real person, but was the leader of the British Suffragette movement. How did I not know that? I guess Mary Poppins only took me so far. Maybe if I was more like my daughter, who has a nose for research and is minoring in women’s studies, I’d know this. But I know it now (and you do too if you didn’t before!)

I’d like to think that if my best friend, Kathleen had been alive in the late 1800’s/early 1900’s, she’d have been as celebrated as Mrs. Pankhurst was. Kath and I have known each other since we were 13. Some of you may know her as @kathjustus on twitter. Her work in social justice, specifically at this time to abolish the death penalty is important and far-reaching. She’s always supported me, through stupid decisions and smarter ones. And even though I arrived at the rally tonight after she spoke, I’m sure she was inspiring and eloquent. She has a passion for her work and that comes through in everything she does.

Kathleen lives what I only give lip service to. Oh sure, I’ll retweet an appeal to sign a petition and show up for a few minutes at a rally when it’s convenient for me to do so. But Kathleen works tirelessly for a cause. It’s her job. The rally tonight was on behalf of Reggie Clemons. I encourage you to read about him here.

So tonight I learned two things (not including the fact that Mrs. Pankhurst was a real person). First, I learned that there is a lot of work yet to be done to stop states from murdering citizens with our tax dollars in the guise of a justice system that is far from just. Second, I learned that the young woman I’ve known since we were both 13 is as amazing to me now as she was then. Back then I saw her as someone who didn’t accept things as they were, but instead worked to make them better. She’s always been there for me, and now I also know she’s there for others.

Do you have a Kathleen in your life? Someone who you’ve known for a long time but continues to amaze and inspire you? Tell me about her/him.