you should vote

In case you've been hiding in a cave for months, here's a reminder: Today is election day!

Over the years I've spent a lot of time trying to convince various people that they should vote. This year, my college roommate is registered to vote for the first time ever. Yay! I'm not sure I can claim any credit but it's good news either way.

Last week I read an article about why women, in particular, should vote. I dislike the idea that women should feel more responsibility to vote because of the history of women's suffrage, but I do think it's good to remember and acknowledge the extraordinary contribution of the women who fought for that worthy cause.

I especially liked this part:

It is jarring to watch Woodrow Wilson and his cronies try to persuade a psychiatrist to declare Alice Paul insane so that she could be permanently institutionalized. And it is inspiring to watch the doctor refuse. Alice Paul was strong, he said, and brave. That didn't make her crazy. The doctor admonished the men:

"Courage in women is often mistaken for insanity."