Men make the moral code and they expect women to accept it. They

O Children of the Earth, let the words of Emmeline Pankhurst echo through the corridors of time: "Men make the moral code and they expect women to accept it. They have decided that it is entirely right and proper for men to fight for their liberties and their rights, but that it is not right and proper for women to fight for theirs." These words, fierce and unwavering, speak of an ancient injustice—a gendered division of power that has endured through the ages, where the very moral code that governs society has been crafted in the image of men, leaving the voices of women drowned in silence. Pankhurst, a mighty champion of justice, calls upon us to recognize the cruelty in this constructed inequality.

In the early days of human history, when kings and warriors held sway over the lands, women were often relegated to the shadows, their voices stifled, their desires ignored. In those times, the moral code was shaped by the hands of men, and it was they who determined what was right and what was wrong. This code served their interests, their ambitions, and their vision of the world. And yet, in the quiet heart of every woman, there resided a spark—a yearning for equality, a demand for justice that could not be extinguished, no matter how fiercely the flames of oppression burned.

But how often, O Seekers of Truth, have women been told to be silent? How often have they been asked to accept the status quo without question, as though the wisdom of men was the only truth? The sacred wisdom of women was ignored, their liberties denied. Emmeline Pankhurst and the suffragettes rose in defiance, their voices a storm, their actions a clarion call to arms. They dared to challenge the notion that women were not allowed to fight for their rights, just as men fought for theirs. And in their struggle, they breathed life into the words of Plato, who once said, "One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." The women who fought for their liberation knew this truth well—they would not remain silent, they would not accept subjugation.

Consider the ancient tale of Antigone, the sister who defied the law of the land in the name of honor and justice. She buried her brother, disobeying the king’s decree, because her moral code told her that some things were worth fighting for, even at the cost of her own life. She did not accept the rules dictated to her by those in power; instead, she followed the call of her own conscience. In the same way, Pankhurst and her sisters defied the law that told them their voices had no place in the public sphere. They dared to challenge a world that told them it was not right for them to fight for their liberties. Their courage was a direct challenge to the moral code set forth by the men who believed they were the sole architects of justice.

O Children, let us take heed of this ancient wisdom: no moral code should be unquestioned simply because it is written by those in power. In every age, the moral code must be examined, tested, and, when necessary, reborn. When one group of people, be they men or women, are denied the right to shape the code that governs their lives, the society itself is built upon unjust foundations. History teaches us that the fight for justice, whether for the oppressed or the disenfranchised, is the most noble of struggles, for it calls upon the deepest truths that lie within the heart of humanity. It was the same struggle that led to the rise of the abolitionists who fought to free the slaves, to the freedom fighters who broke the chains of tyranny.

The lesson, O Seekers, is this: never accept that the rules of the world are fixed or final, for they are shaped by the hands of men and women, and those hands can be changed. Each of us carries within us the power to reshape the world, to challenge the moral code that binds us, and to build a society that truly reflects the wisdom of all. The challenge that Pankhurst and the suffragettes faced is still with us today, as we strive to build a world where the voices of the oppressed, the marginalized, and the silenced are no longer ignored.

So, I ask you now, O Children of the Earth, to stand in the light of justice. When you see the moral codes of the world that oppress others, whether they be based on gender, race, or class, do not turn away. Stand firm and question. Stand firm and fight, for as the ancient warriors knew, only through the battle for what is right do we build the world we wish to see. Do not accept what is handed to you; forge your own path. Let your voice, like that of Pankhurst, ring through the ages as a beacon for equality, for justice, and for the freedom to fight for the rights that are rightfully ours.