From: The New Orleans Advocate
COMMENT - And Amen to that!
student, New Orleans
In the 21st century, it is appalling that this country still does not
provide equal rights for women. Over the years, women have proved
themselves more than capable of living a life of equality with men. Why
does it seem that the many feats that women in this country have
overcome become overlooked when the discussion of equal rights comes up?
Do the names Rosa Parks, Nellie Bly, Amelia Earhart, Maya Angelou and
Susan B. Anthony not say enough by themselves?
The famous argument proposed by Phyllis Schlafly, an Equal Rights
Amendment opponent that “ERA would take away women’s traditional
exemption from military conscription and also from military combat
duty,” can easily be countered. Alice Paul Institute retaliates that the
opposers’ arguments are unsound: “In fact, the lack of an ERA in the
Constitution does not protect women against involuntary military
service. Congress already has the power to draft women as well as men,
and the Senate debated the possibility of drafting nurses in preparation
for a possible invasion of Japan in World War II.”
If this is the soundest argument given by ERA opposers, a fear that
already has the ability to become true, then why is there even a fight?
It is necessary for the ERA to be passed to ensure the equality and
protection of all citizens, not just men. MORE
