If asked who my historical inspirations are, my answers would be Jesus of Nazareth, Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King and Jeanne D’Arc (Joan of Arc).
This last is one of the more remarkable figures to ever walk across the world’s stage. Six hundred years later, her exploits remain inconceivable.
Imagine if after 9/11, a teenage girl from Greenfield High School walked into the Oval Office and told George W. Bush that if he gave her an army, she would defeat Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaeda. Needless to say, she would have been committed to a mental institution.
And yet, that is essentially what Jeanne D’Arc did.
The outline of her story is well known, but the details are fascinating.
As a young teen in the 1420s, Jeanne heard the voices of her saints telling of her duty to see the Dauphin (prince) of France crowned in Reims, an act that would prevent full English domination during the Hundred Years’ War. She met with the regional governor for permission to go to the French Royal Court.
In response, he suggested she be taken home and thrashed. Undeterred, Jeanne mounted a charm campaign among the common folk, which eventually persuaded the governor to give her an armed escort to accomplish her goal.
As there was no media in those days, few outside of the immediate royal court knew what the Dauphin looked like, much less Jeanne. Playing on this fact, he disguised himself as a servant while another lowly retainer sat on his throne. Upon entering the court, Jeanne walked unerringly up to the Dauphin and bent her knee. She then whispered to him a hidden fear of his, a secret nobody knew but him. Convinced, he granted Jeanne an army and sent her to relieve the siege of Orleans.
The grizzled veterans who commanded the French army hardly received her with enthusiasm. To them, her appointment was a pathetic act of desperation.
They told Jeanne, “Look, honey, just sit on your horse and wave to the troops. We’ll do the real fighting.”
Jeanne’s response was “No, I’m in charge of the army, and you will obey my commands.” They did, and a victory happened, followed by several others. The French population went mad with joy. The English, seeing their hopes of conquest vanquished, labeled Jeanne a witch and marked her for destruction.
They got their wish after she was captured. The Dauphin, now King Charles VII, did nothing to save her. Condemned on charges of heresy for dressing like a man, she was burned at the stake in Rouen in May1431. She was 19 years old. The French liberated their nation two decades later.
Jeanne’s tale is echoed by a lesser-known woman warrior. Hannah Senesh was a Hungarian Jew who emigrated to Palestine in 1939. As both World War II and the Holocaust progressed, reports reached Palestine of an impending roundup of Hungarian Jews by the Germans. Hannah’s beloved mother still lived in Budapest.
Hannah Senesh joined the British Army and trained as a commando. Her unit parachuted into Yugoslavia to assist local partisans.
Hannah, however, had her own priority, to warn Hungarian Jews of their impending fate. As she crossed the border into Hungary, she was captured, imprisoned and tortured.
Like Jeanne, Hannah was brave and resolute. Her commando comrades testified that whenever they felt downhearted and defeatist, it was Hannah’s spirited enthusiasm that lifted their flagging morale. In prison, Hannah secretly communicated with other prisoners to give them hope, played with the incarcerated children and taught them to read and write.
Some of Hannah’s German captors were impressed by her. She was a fearless Jewish woman who vocally held them accountable for their crimes. At times, the guards would voice their admiration for her courage.
Hannah was shot to death by Hungarian fascists in 1944. She was 23. In 1950, her remains were buried with full military honors in Haifa as Israel’s own Jeanne D’Arc.
These two young heroes prove that women can lead as well as any man.
Which brings us to Hillary Clinton.
While I have my own trust issues surrounding her intentions, I have no doubt whatsoever that Hillary Clinton has an inner core of toughness that makes her the liberal equivalent of the “Iron Lady,” Margaret Thatcher.
For the past quarter century, Hillary has been bashed and battered, faced accusations from the right and the left — some of which pushed the bounds of sanity — but she now stands proudly as a presidential candidate. Nor do I doubt her ability to be a competent president, even if many of her lofty promises fall by the wayside.
By contrast, her adversary, like most bullies, shrivels as a coward when challenged. Donald Trump and his minions underestimate Hillary Clinton at their peril. It is my wish that when she becomes president, she rises to the occasion and surprises us all.
Daniel A. Brown lived in Franklin County from 1970 to 2014 as a teacher, artist, writer and photographer before moving to Taos, N.M. He remains a frequent contributor to The Recorder and welcomes feedback at: dbrown1793@gmail.com