Congress decided that June 30, 1982 was the last day to consider if gender equality could be in the US Constitution. I guess it is like your mom saying if you don’t clean your room by noon, you can’t go to the movies. If 38 states don’t want both men and women explicitly included in the Constitution by June 30, 1982 then, tough shit. “The Equal Rights Amendment had a deadline and an extension, Ladies. We have tried our best to include you but time is up.”
The Madison Amendment, which states that congressional salary changes must take place at the beginning of a term (the coveted 27th amendment), took 203 years to pass. They seemed to be a bit more lenient with that one. However, the amendment, which guarantees equality of rights under the law would not be declined on account of sex, got seven years + an extension of 3 years, 3 months. So lets do the math: congressional salary legislation can take 20 times longer to pass than the ERA is allowed and, apparently, no one will mind.
Math is really not my specialty (don’t tell my boss, as I do the bookkeeping) but, in any event, 35 ratified states, the overwhelming majority of Americans, are now being denied their rights because of a few legislators who want their insurance lobby perks. We plot and plan every two years with hopes, signs, and signatures that Louisiana, Florida, Illinois, Oklahoma, Missouri, Nebraska, Arkansas, etc. are going to pull a rabbit out of a hat and deliver equality. And it is one guy, one vote that stops the whole damn from bursting open that would allow the US Constitution to include everyone.
Why is one guy in State X (write in any of the 15) telling millions of American men and women anything? Why are we spending millions on the military, killing people in the Middle East so they include women in their constitution? Why is this whole issue just a snooze?
Well, WAKE UP AMERICA. Today is the anniversary of the day you blew it ~ June 30. You didn’t clean your room on time; so no equal rights for you.
was i hit # 20K?
Posted by: sharron | June 30, 2009 at 03:28 PM
I just read this aloud, after reading it silently. When I gave voice to your words, my eyes filled up... hot tears of hope and courage, pride and shame.
Posted by: Melissa Darnell | June 30, 2009 at 09:16 PM