A collective birthday party
On Feb. 14, 2020, the League of Women Voters will celebrate 100 years of empowering voters and defending democracy. Looking back over this century of life, I am struck by the persistence of the LWV to ensure that all American citizens, native-born and foreign-born alike, have the right to vote, that that right is protected against all efforts of suppression and that all voters have access to a non-partisan course in civic engagement to launch them into the American political system.
In 1945, President Truman invited the LWV to serve as a consultant to the U.S. delegation at the United Nations Charter Conference. LWV expressed support for the UN, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. To this day, LWV has continued its presence at the United Nations through its one official and two alternate observers.
In the 1960s, LWV directed its energies during the civil rights movement to build a solid foundation of support for equal access to education and employment. In 1969, LWV was one of the first organizations calling for the United States to normalize relations with China.
In the 1970s, LWV adopted an official position on the direct popular election of the president and developed broad national positions on water, air, waste management, land use and energy. In 1974, the national bylaws were amended to allow men to become full voting members of LWV.
In 1976, LWV sponsored the first televised presidential debates since 1960 for which they won an Emmy award for Outstanding Achievement in Broadcast Journalism.
Over the next five decades, LWV was in the forefront of the struggle to pass Voting Rights Act Amendments. In the arms control field, pressure from LWV helped achieve Senate ratification of the groundbreaking Intermediate Nuclear Forces
Treaty (INF) in 1988. In that same year, LWV also completed a study of U.S. agricultural policy. In 1983, LWV adopted a position on public policy on reproductive choice. LWV has been active in promoting immigration laws that provide efficient, expeditious systems for immigrants to enter the U.S and to pass fair policies that end the crisis at our border, end the separation of families and provide a path to citizenship.
Please join us on Sunday, Feb. 9, 2 to 4 p.m., at Harbor Lite Lodge, when we will celebrate LWV birthday, including cake! This is in conjunction with 2nd Sunday Work Parties.
And, again on Tuesday, Feb. 11, at 9:30 a.m., at Caspar Community Center, we will continue our celebration while making decisions about our local LWV program focus for 2020-2021. We would love community input.
League of Women Voters has fought hard for 100 years and we’re prepared to fight had for 100 more. Please join us in our celebrations.