13. Carrie Nation’s Crusade
In the years leading up to Prohibition, American passions rose and reached a fever pitch about the best means for dealing with the social scourge of alcohol. Many chose the traditional means of civic engagement such as boycotts, organizing and joining interest groups, or lobbying and pressuring politicians. Others, such as Carrie Amelia Moore Gloyd Nation, chose the direct action route.
Carrie Nation was an imposing woman. Standing over six feet tall, built like an offensive lineman, sporting thick, powerful arms, and a no-nonsense visage, she became the scourge of saloons. Eccentricity – or more – ran in the family, such as a mother who believed herself to be Queen Victoria. Carrie described herself as: “a bulldog running along at the feet of Jesus, barking at what He doesn’t like“. She figured that Jesus did not like saloons, and set out to do something about them.
