A Strong Woman

[freshwest]

70. Sojourner Truth... And it's not even February anymore. That's the one I love best.

Whatever it takes one to get through HELL, I'm all for it. Those who haven't been, good for them, I won't tell them what to think or how to live.

Part of her life story is in what may or may not be the most accurate version of the famous 'Aint I A Woman?' speech delivered at the Women's Convention in Akron, Ohio, on May 29, 1851.

Marius Robinson, who attended the convention and worked with Truth, recorded his version of the speech in the June 21, 1851, issue of the Anti-Slavery Bugle:[7]

One of the most unique and interesting speeches of the convention was made by Sojourner Truth, an emancipated slave. It is impossible to transfer it to paper, or convey any adequate idea of the effect it produced upon the audience. Those only can appreciate it who saw her powerful form, her whole-souled, earnest gesture, and listened to her strong and truthful tones.

She came forward to the platform and addressing the President said with great simplicity: "May I say a few words?" Receiving an affirmative answer, she proceeded:

I want to say a few words about this matter. I am a woman's rights. I have as much muscle as any man, and can do as much work as any man. I have plowed and reaped and husked and chopped and mowed, and can any man do more than that?

I have heard much about the sexes being equal. I can carry as much as any man, and can eat as much too, if I can get it. I am as strong as any man that is now.

As for intellect, all I can say is, if a woman have a pint, and a man a quart – why can't she have her little pint full? You need not be afraid to give us our rights for fear we will take too much, – for we can't take more than our pint'll hold.

The poor men seems to be all in confusion, and don't know what to do. Why children, if you have woman's rights, give it to her and you will feel better. You will have your own rights, and they won't be so much trouble.

I can't read, but I can hear. I have heard the bible and have learned that Eve caused man to sin. Well, if woman upset the world, do give her a chance to set it right side up again.

The Lady has spoken about Jesus, how he never spurned woman from him, and she was right. When Lazarus died, Mary and Martha came to him with faith and love and besought him to raise their brother. And Jesus wept and Lazarus came forth. And how came Jesus into the world?

Through God who created him and the woman who bore him. Man, where was your part?

But the women are coming up blessed be God and a few of the men are coming up with them. But man is in a tight place, the poor slave is on him, woman is coming on him, he is surely between a hawk and a buzzard.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ain%27t_I_a_Woman%3F

Yes, we and others are still coming up and if we do not win, humanity itself, by not loving all of each other, could lose everything, freedom, liberty and our future.

It's not about one or the other, or a reasons to fight each other. Those are the tools of the ones who profit from our willingness to hate each other. They are laughing. Will we keep on playing the roles they want?