Suffs

I won't forget that frigid January morning

When my heart was in my stomach

At the president's front door

I could barely feel my toes, but my spirit was on fire

With the thrill of trying something

No one's ever done before

I could feel my shoulders tighten

So unsure how this would go

But we vowed to keep a vigil here

To let the old men know

The young are at the gates

The young are at the gates

Open up the futures here, the young are at the gates

The young are at the gates, the young are at the gates

Tyranny, your time is near, the young are at the gates

What on earth is going on up there?

It looks like people are blocking the entrance to the White House.

Excuse me, Mrs.

Catt.

Unfortunately, ma'am, the president must postpone your meeting indefinitely.

May we know the reason?

Since early this morning, the National Woman's Party has been keeping a silent vigil at the gate.

Silent?

I believe they're refusing to leave until the president endorses Suffrage.

Well, please send him our congratulations on his re-election whenever he has a moment to consider our Let Mother Vote campaign.

We'd love to share a cup of tea with him.

Good day!

She'll run out of stamina soon enough.

Damn it, Alice.

At first we feared we were too few to keep this going

How could such a little army go on standing in the cold?

But day by day more women came from

From all corners of the country

I could feel a hum of hope each time

A new one joined the fold

We got nurses from Virginia

College girls from Michigan and Idaho

And we weren't all young, you know?

We got workers from the factory

Teachers from New York

Even Mary Church Terrell came through

I brought my daughter, too

And what started as a dozen

Turned to hundreds within weeks

Standing there with standing stares

With icy air upon our cheeks

Though not a word was spoken

Our volume only grew, as winter turned to spring

We never left the avenue

The young are at the gates, the young are at the gates

Open up the futures here, the young are at the gates

The young are at the gates

The young are at the gates

The young are at the gates, the young are at the gates

Tyranny, your time is here, the young are at the gates

April 6, 1917.

Wilson declares war on Germany.

"It is a fearful thing to lead our country into war.

But we must fight for democracy."

How can he say this with no irony?

Ruza, you're a genius.

I know.

But why?

Let's put Wilson's words on our banners.

Show how hypocritical he is to fight for democracy abroad while denying it to us here at home.

Burn him down with his own match!

Wait, it also says any citizen who makes unpatriotic statements shall be punished.

Uh, what does he mean punished?

Alice, we can't do this anymore.

If we go out there now, they might arrest us.

They might, but Inez died trying to finish this fight.

So are we going to give up?

Or are we going to make damn sure her sacrifice was worth it?

I won't forget

That muggy April morning

As we took our place, a crowd of scowling men began to form

10 policemen lurked nearby

Holding billy clubs and smirking

I could feel us start to panic

Like a fast approaching storm

But then suddenly we felt it like a mighty cannon blast

Every cost and battle lost of every generation past

So we rose up in defiance

Yes, we chose to risk it all for our sister's silent voices

Let the patriarchy fall

The young are at the gates, the young are at the gates

Come and get us if you dare

The young are at the gates, the young are at the gates

And we'll be at the gates until you open up your eyes

Until the world will realize the old way

Always dies

The young are at the gates

Mr.

President, something terrible has happened.

I came here straight from the courthouse.

What is it, Dudley?

I just witnessed the trial of the National Woman's Party pickets.

The judge sentenced them to six months in prison for obstructing traffic.

Sir, surely you agree this is some kind of grievous mistake.

Well, this is the first I am hearing of the Suffragette situation now.

But I was standing right here when you ordered their arrest.

And it's Suffragist, not Suffragette.

Christ!

Dudley, calm yourself down.

I say, you really need a wife.

But what about the laws that make marriage essentially a death sentence for women.

What?

Sir, whether or not you knew of this before, now you know.

So perhaps a pardon is in order.

The country is at war!

Those girls' banners are treasonous.

Does quoting the president amount to treason?

Careful, Malone.

I campaigned for you.

I looked these women in the eye and told them to believe you.

Come now, Dudley.