By Kate McMahon
@katem_courant
Hello Ladies and Gentlemen!
Welcome to K8’s Corner I’m Kate McMahon (K8),The Courant’s Opinions Editor for the 2015-2016 year. I thought it would be a good idea to introduce myself before I start sharing my opinions. This will be my third and final year here at the Courant. Let’s see…I like saying hi to people in the hallways, playing hockey, and making people laugh. That’s about it. Stay golden NCHS.
In March of 1776, Abigail Adams wrote to her husband saying, “Remember the ladies, John,” while he was fighting for America’s independence from Great Britain. Although this was over 200 years ago, it seems we are finally able to listen to Abigail Adams’ waning.
The nonprofit, grassroots organization called, “Women on 20s” is seeking to replace Andrew Jackson’s portrait on the $20 bill with that of a female face. The organization sought a winner through an online election poll between Wilma Mankiller, Rosa Parks, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Harriet Tubman.
(May I interrupt? Now I’m sure you’re wondering how anyone with the last name “Mankiller” could amount to anything in their life, however I understand now, after extensive Googling, that Wilma was actually the Cherokee nation’s first female chief. Despite the power she wields, there is zero chance the American public, including myself, could get over her name. Truly a shame that she lost before the voting even began.)
Even though my girl Eleanor Roosevelt did not snag the W (Don’t worry, Eleanor, you will get the next one), Harriet Tubman soared above the rest of the contestants with 118,328 votes making her the hopeful new face of the $20. In addition to acting as an overdue demonstration that our country values women just as much as we do men, this is also serves as a radical departure from honoring more than just male political figures.
We live in a society in which the majority of the men who are pictured on our stacks’ are also on my sealed “Presidents of the United States of America Placement” (Hey there, I did get this for Christmas when I was a young whippersnapper and it would be a lie to say I don’t still use it. “Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe…” I know all 43– try me I dare you.)
Unfortunately the only non-presidents on paper currency in the United States are Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin, and Salmon P. Chase. (Hey it’s just me here again with a couple questions:
1. Why is his name Salmon…who the H-E double hockey stick names their child after a fish?
2. That poor kid, someone should have called Child Protective Services up in young Salmon’s house because there is no way he made it through middle school unscathed.
3. Since when do we have a 10,000 dollar bill…
4. Do I have to be on the list of “Top 10 Drug Lords EVER” to see it?)
Besides the three people previously named, the rest of the faces on our currency were forced to fulfill the title of President of the United States before fulfilling the the oval portrait on our paper currency. But what does that say about us as a nation? Is it that we only value the work of those who are in that exclusive club? If we look at other nations like in Italy, Guglielmo Marconi, the inventor of the first successful radio, appears on the Italian 200 Lire note. Marconi did not have to hold a political office in order to receive this honor. He was not notorious for killing over 4,000 Native Americans (cough cough Andrew Jackson). Instead, his country displays his portrait to illustrate their pride in his innovation.
Other countries also follow the trend of not having solely politicians on their paper currency. For example, in New Zealand, Lord Ernest Rutherford who is known as the father of nuclear physics, is on the 100 New Zealand dollar. If the United States decides to follow the same path, then this would be a radical departure from the obvious trend of, “keeping our bills presidential.” However, 27% of our bills are not presidential. (3/11= .272 I hope my math is correct although it is very possible it is not, just ask Ms. Lee).
Believe me, a man by the name of Salmon could never ascend to the White House without some serious Olivia Pope election rigging up in here. So if we already have three out of eleven bills displaying men who are not presidents, what is the big deal? Why can’t we add a woman or even a scientist? Or a women scientist…wow now that is a curve ball…now we are talking.
Changing the faces on our paper currency may seem like a small aspect of our daily lives, money is money no matter if it has a woman or man on it. After all, when I asked my mom if I could borrow a Hamilton, she said, “What is that a $100?”, which poses the question, who really cares?
My Connecticut Muffin coffee with vanilla will still be $3.45 no matter if I am handing my man Alfredo a $5 with a picture of F. Scott Fitzgerald or a $5 with Rosalind Franklin on it. But, this is not about a picture on a piece of paper. No, this is about the fact that eleven men represent our country, and those men are a reflection of what we put on a pedestal. I see no negatives in the possibility that we as a nation can put both men and women whether they are scientists, activists, mathematicians, authors, inventors, or even more presidents if we so desire, on that very same pedestal.
If we start with a Harriet Tubman then that is exactly what it is, a start. Maybe down the line I will see Steve Jobs looking back at me when I am paying for overpriced coffee. But, I can accept the fact that a women on paper currency will allow for a much needed boost to the feminist movement.
I cannot say it better than Ellen Degeneres, “Maybe if we’re on money, like men, then we’ll start making the same money as men.” Shots fired @ the Department of Treasury and @ our modern day lack of respect for women. Additionally, if anyone tries to make the argument that women are pictured on two coins, then I once again refer to Ellen Degeneres, “I think I can speak for all women when I say, we can do more than feed meters.”
So sure put Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill, but do not do this because you have to shut up the clammering women’s rights activists with pitchforks. Instead do it because it is what we as a nation need to realize about our society and who we value. Do it because you want to, do it because you think it is right. Do it because it is time to listen to Abigail Adams and remember the ladies because it is about damn time.
