Kirkpatrick selection gives boost to Women’s Equality Day
The Annual Women’s Equality Day Potluck Picnic is set for Aug. 26, at Comstock Park (29th Avenue and Bernard Street) to celebrate the passage of the 19th Amendment ensuring women the right to vote.
That historic event took place on Aug. 26, 1920, with Tennessee casting the final vote needed to amend the Constitution. It is astounding today to realize that U.S. women have only been voting for 86 years.
And this year we have a very special reason for celebrating Women’s Equality Day – the selection of Anne E. Kirkpatrick as Spokane’s first female chief of police. I heard Kirkpatrick speak at a public forum and was very impressed with her openness, her emphasis on integrity and transparency and her understanding of Spokane’s desire for accountability.
In a new book, “Breaking the Brass Ceiling: Women Police Chiefs and Their Paths to the Top,” Dorothy Moses Schulz notes that “…because fewer than 15 percent of the nation’s police officers are women, they have found it especially difficult to rise through the ranks.” While Kirkpatrick may not be on duty in Spokane in time to attend the Equality Day Picnic, we look forward to working with her.
For more information about the Women’s Equality Potluck Picnic, call (509) 448-2189. The picnic is free and open to the public. Activities include music, door prizes and a special proclamation. Join in the celebration.
Senior safety
It’s especially important for seniors to realize they are not alone in times of trouble. Hate Incident Response Team is an all-volunteer organization committed to providing support for victims of hate incidents. Their mission is to fill in the gaps between victims and local agencies.
Victims may need emotional support, information about safety, property repairs and advice about their legal rights. This service is free, and crisis team members can be reached at (509) 459-3626.
Calendar
Annual Inland Northwest Senior Wellness Conference is set for Sept. 7, starting at 7:30 a.m. at Spokane Community College. Advance registration is $15. Event features 150 exhibits, 15 health screenings, lunch, 12 presentations and speaker Dr. Paul E. McGhee. For more information, call (509) 326-1471.
Don’t know much about geography
I wish that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt had listened during American history class when the topic being discussed was the Civil War and the infamous and bloody Battle of Shiloh. It might have changed their minds about a name for their daughter. Shiloh may have positive connotations to some, but to me, and I expect other Americans, including Herman Melville who wrote the sorrowful poem “Shiloh – A Requiem”– the name evokes a sad time in the history of America.
It’s never too early
I hope all children have poetry in their lives. Shel Silverstein was an early poetic Pied Piper for children, and in his book “The Great Cat” he warned:
Do not play jacks
With the Jaguar cat –
You’ll never ever beat her,
If she can’t win,
She’ll start to whine,
If she gets an eight,
She’ll pick up nine –
She’ll say she didn’t,
But you’ll know she’s lion –
She’s such an awful Cheetah.