Deborah Hughes, the director of the Susan B. Anthony house in Rochester, and Sally Roesch Wagner, the director of the Matilda Joslyn Gage house in Syracuse, put on an interesting program Tuesday night at the Anthony House.
Sally and Deborah have a grant from the Essential Dissent organization, which promotes dialogue between adversaries. Anthony and Gage, of course, along with Elizabeth Cady Stanton, were known as the "Triumvirate" who laid the ground work for getting women the vote.
At one point, Anthony and Gage fell out, even refusing to speak to one another over a church/state separation issue. In order to get the vote, Anthony was okay with aligning herself with the right wing crazies who also wanted the US Constitution amended to make Jesus the head of government. Gage's position was, "No way, Jose."
So, in the program Tuesday night, Deborah and Sally alternated by reading actual letters from Anthony and Gage laying out the arguments pertaining to the controvery. Then Deborah and Sally engaged the audience in a model for reconciling differences between adversaries who hold different views on the events of the day through the use of dialogue.
All in all, it was an stimulating evening. Great job, Sally and Deborah!
So, in the program Tuesday night, Deborah and Sally alternated by reading actual letters from Anthony and Gage laying out the arguments pertaining to the controvery. Then Deborah and Sally engaged the audience in a model for reconciling differences between adversaries who hold different views on the events of the day through the use of dialogue.
All in all, it was an stimulating evening. Great job, Sally and Deborah!
Photo by Barbara Moore
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