Ninety years ago, the right of women to vote in the United States was ratified into the United States Constitution.

The question isn't whether such an amendment was right or wrong, but what took it so long?

The ratifications of the 19th Amendment wasn't a new or radical idea. Many countries had previously granted women the right to vote.

So what was the big issue, and why did we not do it earlier?

The 19th Amendment, as ratified, reads as follows: “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex." Only 28 short words.

From our vantage point in time, we don't think for a minute that this was unjust or unfair. Of course, it took a while longer to eliminate poll taxes and other limitations for those of color to vote.

So why did we limit the right of half of our population to vote until well into the 20th century? Without going into a long history lesson, the real reason was fear by those in power to give the franchise to those who were out of power.

It was August 18, 1920, when the Tennessee legislature became the swing state to consider, and then approve the amendment. Tennessee, a bastion of the south, a very conservative state, who saw the wisdom in giving the right to vote to those who had fought for, worked for, and yet been denied the right to vote in this county for the previous 130 years.

There are those who will argue that the right for women to vote would never have passed but for political maneuvering in the deep south.

But the Tennessee vote, which passed with a margin of just two votes, became that which gave voice to women throughout the land.

Just as any major change brings with it controversy and adulation, so did this vote. Some said it was the end of the democratic spirit of the nation. Women were chattel, they were less than men, they could never appreciate the right to vote and use it wisely. Time has proven otherwise.

Can you imagine a United States today where only men, and landed men (meaning property owners) had the right to vote? We would be without the wisdom and strength of such great Americans as Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosa Parks, Shirley Chisholm.

Without the right to vote, who would have paid any attention to Geraldine Ferraro, Sarah Palin or Meg Whitman? Whether you agree or disagree with the views of these historic personalities, they have contributed to our national dialogue. We cannot ignore the contributions they have made to our country. And we cannot ignore that those contributions would not have occurred without the ratification of the 19th Amendment to our Constitution.

The passage of that landmark amendment should be celebrated, honored, remembered and cherished as much today as 90 years ago.

Doug Rhoades lives in Kelseyville.