History teaches us about our past. Who did what? Who did what when? And who did what when — and why?
History also serves as an invaluable roadmap that can help guide our future actions and decision-making, while also helping us to better understand what is happening right here and right now, today.
The life and death of Grace Brown is indeed an American tragedy. That tragedy? The ongoing crisis of intimate partner violence, particularly violence against women, all across our shared American landscape and experience.
It is a tragedy that continues to repeat itself over and over again every day across our country — ravaging, ruining and ending the lives of countless Americans at the hands of an intimate partner.
Not only has this American tragedy continued, but incidents of domestic violence across the nation have actually experienced a significant and disturbing increase in the last few years, particularly during the pandemic.
It has been more than 100 years since the death of Grace Brown.
Will it take another 100 before we, as a nation, truly take to our collective hearts and heads the fact that violence and other forms of abuse have no place in any relationship, no place in any home, no place in any community — and no place in a boat sitting out in the middle of Big Moose Lake.
History speaks to us. But are we listening?
—Julie Weisberg, Director of Public Communications Family Planning of SCNY