Letters: Women’s suffrage, ashamed of politicians and debate voter | Feb. 26

Women’s suffrage marks 100 years

2020 marks the 100th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote with the passage of the 19th Amendment, championed by the women’s suffrage movement. This year we also celebrate the 100th anniversary of The League of Women Voters (LWV).

LWV is a direct result of 70 years of hard work by different women’s groups. A similar organization was first proposed in 1909 by “The Mother of Women’s Suffrage,” Emma Smith DeVoe from Tacoma. However, it would be another decade before the LWV was formally proposed at the National American Woman Suffrage Association in St. Louis. It was officially founded at the next convention in Chicago on Feb. 14, 1920; six months before the 19th Amendment would be ratified and signed into law.

The League is proud to be nonpartisan, neither supporting nor opposing candidates or political parties at any level of government, but always working on vital issues of concern to members and the public. If you (woman or man) believe in empowering voters, defending democracy, and envision a country where everyone has the desire, right, knowledge, and confidence to participate, contact the League of Women Voters of Benton and Franklin Counties at https://my.lwv.org/washington/benton-franklin-counties to join or ask questions.

Ashamed some slam assassination

Yes, I am ashamed of those Democrats and/or Republicans who are slamming Trump for the assassination of Solemani (general in Iran). I wonder if they might also be those who complained about Hitler and Stalin not still being living. Most people I know believe that when a terrorist loses, the world is a better place. You can’t build a great country when there are selfish bigots in control. The general was responsible for the death of thousands in Iran and was planning to exterminate many in the U.S. Is this what some of our leaders were hoping? Come on, you Americans, and give your country a chance! Or join your friends on the other side.

Debate told voter who won’t get vote

Being an undecided voter, I watched the televised Democratic presidential candidate debate on Feb. 19 and was expecting to see a civil debate on issues that would be facing our new president. Instead, I saw a lot of name calling and issues brought up from the past, most of which had little relevance to their abilities to lead our country. I was most appalled, though, by the behavior of Bernie Sanders. It appeared to me that he thought he was 100 percent correct in his opinions on every issue discussed. And when another candidate would attempt to question him, he would interrupt before they were finished, start yelling, waving his arms in the air, and at times almost turn purple with rage. It would be hard to imagine a future president behaving in such a manner while trying to negotiate with world leaders. Now that the debate has ended, I am still undecided, but I do know who I will not vote for.

This story was originally published February 26, 2020 at 12:01 AM with the headline "Letters: Women’s suffrage, ashamed of politicians and debate voter | Feb. 26."