okay. all right, then i will see you on thursday. this sunday night on q&a, the university of toronto of jean edward smith on our president, george bush. >> maybe bush's fault is a fact that he's a born identity of christian who brings that ideology into the presidency. he believes that he was god's agent here on earth to fight evil. >> bush called francois of france -- the book of revelation of the new testament, that's the

center of the center of the universe from many evangelicals. sunday night at 8:00 eastern pacific on cspan q&a. next, nancy unger, discusses of american history of the 20th century. unger is the author of "bel "belle la follette." >> the humanist of association of the greater sacramento area hosted this event and it is about an hour.

>> professor unger asked me if i can give her only a brief introduction. lets see if i can. i would like to pronounce i it it - it -- in research of "bell "belle la follette." she discovered the truth who was denounced by some as disgraceful to the white race. what? disgraceful? she fought for women and peace and civil rights. that was so much more.

the most influential of all american women who would have to do with public affairs in this country. today professor nancy unger will help us to belle la follette. [ applause ] >> nancy? >> hello, thank you for that lovely introduction. i have given eight talks to the humanists community of silicon valley and they are one of my favorite audiences because they stay awake and they ask great questions. i am looking forward to this talk. i want to thank you for inviting me to the greater sacramento

area. i want to thank bill potts for his heroic effort of his talks and making me feel welcome. i have been dying to talk to you about it of the many women who contributed significantly to american politics even long before women had the vote. >> heroillary clinton may well the first female president and if she is, she will deserve the credit for it. it took a lot of work by previous women and some men to compellingly make the case that women are capable of ballot cal leadership even at the highest levels. as we look at forward or maybe not looking forward so much to the 2016 election, we have a lot to learn from this great

american and not only about politics. lesson one, don't make the mistake of under estimating a woman just because she was first known as a political wife. the new york times -- the most influential of all american women who have had to do with public affairs in this country. she faded quickly from popular memory. when she is recalled, it is in relations to her husband and son. i am afraid that i contributed to this approach in my biography of her husband fighting for follette. i have to say in my defense that he started it. >> his wife's accomplishments began with this progressive

reform giant calling her my wife's best template. >> as district attorney and three terms congressman and lawyer and three terms of governor and wisconsin and most significantly during his 19 years in the u.s. senate. according to their son in law, george middleton accepts john adams with his abigail, no man in public life would have such equal of a mate. articles and essays and a soft film in plays all hail bell belle la follette. only a few goes so far to recognize her in her own write and no account until now reveals the depth of reign of her

interest and activism and the contributions she made to meaningful progressive and reforms. lesson two. don't believe everything that you read or hear. >> upon her death in 1931, newspapers across the nation for belle la follette, in carrying out a higher calling of a wife and a mother. she had a masculine mind but quickly praised her for being essentially feminine, maternal. it is like that old compliment like you don't sweat much for a fat girl. another tribute concluded interesting for those women of

necessity must remain in the background. a family friend who should have known better painted la follette surrendered her home. she was content to get actions and actors. she played herself of the woman's part. >> she sat in the gallery and congress or at home with the children or advisors. she could but she did not often make the speeches or do the deeds. although this tough mate behind the scenes came to dominate historical record, in reality, belle la follette -- she was far from being his assistant. she held no elected office and could not even cast a ballot

until she was 61 years old. she over came her natural shineness to her influence. her family needed the money. all those who joined lincoln and identifying her of what he called victorious mother did her a grave disservice, she did make the speeches and do the deed and the nation improved because she did. so lesson three. don't buy into tired ideas about gender or anything else. bell case in 1859 grew up in the farming community of wisconsin for her commitment to feminist principles was submitted at a young age. in her experience, men and women

were both so in dispensable. as she put it, "traditions and laws fixing the legal disabilities and the in furious status of women prevails and highly developed judgment placed them for all practical purposes on an equal footing with men." >> such a perspective was consistent with her family's religious views. her mother, mary, lectured at the congressional church promoting women's rights to vote. she was captivated. >> mary told her daughter that she felt "quite -- i did not se

reason why i should vote if belle cannot. >> lesson number four. be fear less and challenge authority. >> belle case refused to accept the rules assigned to girls. >> young belle case case -- questioning and challenging things that were taught and accepted. and was fear less and insisting of things being understood and worthwhile before accepting them. her years as a student at the university of wisconsin fuelled her fear less. one professor recalled miss case was her eagerness for knowledge and her readiness to pay the price in hard work profited to the full by the university opportunities.

>> lesson five, remain your own person. >> bob follette pursued her adve advently. >> bob grew frustrated when belle grew more interested in pursuing her career than planning a life with him. >> she married bob on new year's e eve. lesson six. stop wasting your time. eight months and ten days after their wedding, belle, gave birth for the first of her four children. >> the supreme experience in

life is motor hoerasm motherhoo. even with her children were small, la folette refused to waste her time of activities that most people ashsumed shoul take up as the day of a mother. >> asking what custom could be more barbarous than a ten course dinner? >> "what tiekind of food, fewer courses." >> lesson seven, stop apologizing for not wasting your time. >> belle la follette rejected

the -- as a telephone came into popular use, for example, she found it absurd that women were criticized as lazy and extravagant for phoning in their orders when men were praised for their efficiency and transactioning businesses over the phone. >> why is it? >> those who are convinced that women's place is in the home are most concerned when women stay-at-home and telephone for supplies instead of going for the market. >> from the advent of the typewriter, she complained women apologize for a typewriting personal letter as though it was an offense. even though the size print of the handwriting is the most nerve-wracking process. >> she believes that wome women women -

women -- she responded in favor of preserving women's time, health and energy. "many precious association with the handmade had been sacrificed for gains." >> she noted with self disgust that the membn who said women should not ought to vote as long as they could tighten their gown. it is humiliating that we submit to the tyranny as we do.

>> although she struggled to keep her own weight in check. >> she is not upset about it but focused on remaining sick. in case you let your prescription of the wisconsin magazine of history. that's la follette walking with bud, the family dog. i found this on ebay. in la follette ran three miles before breakfast everyday. the washington post celebrated her scaling of, a 12,000 foot volcano from costa rica. lesson nine. involve yourself in the larger world.

la follette believers in growing desire of women leisures and to share the work of the world. it was reenforced in 1911 by the p publications of shiner. >> schreiner describes women who had empty lives. a term la follette used differently of her demand of quality opportunity. she took up the law course as well. the first woman to graduate from the university of wisconsin law

school. see if you can figure her out. she seems to be the only one who actually earned a diploma. >> a passion that was not shared by the young couple with life in the nation's capitol. to the query, what do washington and women talk about. >> belle la follette complains oh, too much of the weather. she reminded her sisters in washington official life. we are not supposed to belong to the butterfly in pair acrasidic class. >> lesson ten, recognizing the personal is political. belle urged all women to

recognize problems that were personal were political and requiring women to political activism. how much we pay for food or coal or clothing is determined by control of the natural resources, tariffs and distribution of taxes and the regulation of the private mo monopolie monopolies. these are women's problems. la follette opposed her husband. she devoted herself of l la follette magazine. it is published today as a progressive. she concluded lets fool these men publishers and put our time

on the world's events in count less columns. belle la follette introduced and celebrated and promoted reforms. >> women responded with gratitude and others journalists celebrating her approach. >> one of the most readable women pages is edited by belle. la follette is always independent and fear less in her expression of women. >> in 1911, her series thought for the day covers thoughts of

suffrage and economics and dress and women and health, appears in 57 newspapers in more than 20 states. >> lesson 11. fight for what's right even if it violates time and tradition. >> in addition to the standard slaves of progressive roles including labor protection and natural resource and tariff and tax reforms. >> a wide range of less conventional, she supported not taking her husband's name upon marriage. >> opposed corporal punishment for children and supported sex education for children. >> she said special -- she turned a survival of barberism