Maine Feminist Paper Doll Project 2013: Margaret Chase Smith

The project is to honor and bring awareness to the rich history of feminism in the great State of Maine. (The official blog page for this project is Maine Feminist Paper Doll Project and dolls will be added weekly beginning the first week in April 2013 and ending, maybe in the last week of October 2013.) We started a Pinterest board of some of a few people we know have made great contributions to women's equality (and equality in general)! We know there are many more women and men who have contributed as well, so we are taking suggestions. Please feel free to comment with ideas!

On June 1, 1950, Margaret Chase Smith spoke out against "McCarthyism" in her speech "Declaration of Conscience."  In this speech, she railed against the stifling air of fear over one's thoughts that had descended upon the nation.  She spoke of the loss of:

            The right to criticize;

            The right to hold unpopular beliefs;

            The right to protest;

            The right of independent thought.

She finished her speech by saying: 

As an American, I want to see our nation recapture the 

strength and unity it once had when we fought the enemy instead of ourselves.

The whole speech can be seen here: http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/margaretchasesmithconscience.html