The furor over Illinois Gov. Ron “Senate Seat For Sale” Scandal Blogojevich thumbing his nose at the political establishment and incoming President has led some to suggest that it’s time for a new consittutional amendment. In this Guest Voice post, founder of the Equal Rights Allliance, suggests that a certain other amendment should not be forgo tten.
Don’t Forget The OTHER Constitutional Amendment
by Sandy Oestreich
The Blogojevich Incident of a governor appointing someone to fill an open Senate seat while the governor is under suspicion of previously trying to sell the seat is indeed as rare as hen’s teeth.
In our opinion, we believe there is still one more Amendment that does deserve serious attention. That’s the Equal Rights Amendment that barely missed passing in 1982 by 3 states’ ratifications. It still retains the ratifications of 35 states, one of which has now RE-ratified to show strong intent. It is still “viable and contemporaneous” and has never been declared deceased at all. That despite Special Interests who make a living from trying to corral the 21st Century Woman and Man back into her/his respective “boxes”.
Yes, the ERA is still alive and bills to ratify are multiplying every year. Florida’s ratification bills are hot on the griddle for the 2009 Legislative Session.
Anyone is warmly welcomed at www.RatifyERAflorida.net to gain an amazing respect for this ERA:
Equality under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex [1972 language for “gender”].
It’s not for abortion, same-sex anything, women in combat, or unisex bathrooms.
It IS for the fundamental moral American value of equality for all.
Who could be against equality for all?
Time for all of us to ask that question of the legislators in the UNratified states. They are for equality for all, they say. Just not THAT equality!
Amendments should be for important stuff, like fair treatment for the whole population, male and female alike. Doncha’ think?
Sandy Oestreich, is a Prof. Emerita; a former elected official; internationally distributed science author; nurse practitioner; biographied in the new Feminists Who Changed America, 1963-75.
and Founder/President Equal Rights Alliance Inc. the organization with leaders dedicated solely to Florida’s ratification of the re-ignited ERA; and Vice President, the national ERA Education Fund, Inc.
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.