The Senate Rules Committee today heard testimony both for and against SCR 3, a resolution calling on the Missouri General Assembly to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). This is the third year in a row I have sponsored the resolution and I wish I could say I am surprised by the intense opposition, but not much surprises me anymore.
We didn't get enough notice for the hearing to get a large number of witnesses to testify in favor of the legislation. Fortunately, two brave women came to town to testify and I truly appreciate their support.
Although the ERA seems like a no-brainer for the majority of Americans, there were several people on hand to testify against the bill. These organizations all have full-time lobbyists in the capitol, so they were not affected by the short notice. The following groups testified against equal rights for women: Concerned Women for America, Missouri Family Network, Eagle Forum, Missouri RoundTable for Life, Missourians United for Life and Missouri Right to Life.
This is the same group of folks who testify against the ERA every year. They list a parade of horribles that will alledgedly occur if gender equality is added to the Constitution including legalized gay marriage, state-funded abortion and mandatory unisex bathrooms. This year their testimony was limited to the abortion issue, which in my opinion is completely unfounded. Missouri has gender equality in its Constitution and I haven't seen any lack of abortion regulations passed in this state.
The silliest line of questioning came from Senator Gary Nodler (R-Joplin) who asked whether ratifying the ERA would require the government to spend equal sums on money for ovarian cancer research in both women and men, even though men don't have ovaries. He asked the same question about women and testicular cancer. I provided an intelligent and accurate response regarding how a court would handle such an absurd case at which point he cut me off with a preposterous rant that started with a reference to the "pregnant man" and ended with the Senator bashing the competence and integrity of judges.
Despite all that, I felt good about today's hearing. I put forth a commonsense argument that the majority of Americans agree with. The opposition relied on their old standbys -- fear and hate -- and made no logical argument for defeating the resolution.
In the end I know the Senate will not pass the resolution. I will introduce it again next year and we will go through this circus again and again until we have a legislature that is committed to simple concepts like equality. It took 144 years to secure the right for women to vote. We've only been working on ratification of the ERA for 37 years. If we can't get it done, our daughters will pick up the fight when we are gone.
If you feel passionately about this issue, I would encourage you to contact the members of the Senate Rules Committee and urge them to pass the resolution out of committee, so we can have a full debate on the Senate floor.
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11 comments:
Dear Senator Justus -- THANKS for showing up and doing your work today!! Being from Springfield, I can't imagine "our" Senator championing the issues important to women!! Sincerely and with admiration, Kellie
Excellent column. I fully support gender equality, but I have two questions I hope you will answer.
Why women need an ERA when we have the 9th and 14th amendments?
Why is a constitutional amendment in front of the rules committee? That doesn't seem like a logical fit.
Dear Senator Justus,
Thank you for your work on the Equal Rights Amendment. I appreciate your dedication to this fundamental right.
I'm sorry that you didn't feel you had the support you needed to compete with the opponents. There ARE expert witnesses for the ERA just as there are for our opponents. Unfortunately, your organizers do not ask them to be involved or speak.
As a former resident of your state and a septuagenarian Republican feminist, I have been watching your MO campaign for several many years. Sadly the few women in your state who are the perennial organizers of the efforts have not yet understood the definition of insanity. You know, doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. The continuous reintroduction of this resolution without changing their strategy, tactics or employing new and more effect arguments has meant the resolution has lost its vitality in your state.
Many of these women are affliated with the National Organization for Women and their support of other contentious issues, mean they have no credibility in predominently conservative states like yours. It is easy for legislators to dismiss them and their issue (the ERA) because of their associations with unpopular feminists organizations and causes.
Your state needs new ERA leadership that can gain the respect of legislators, that can increase the grassroots support and who will employ modern day, strategic advocacy methods.
Until such time, I'm sorry to say I think the insanity definition will continue to apply.
ahem...so the 70 year old feminist (and blog respondent) believes not enough was done, AND believes that no more should be done.
Compelling.
You are my hero Jolie!
I don't believe the effort to push ERA is insane but i have to say that if there are expert witnessess who are not participating because they are waiting for an invitation that is insane.
Anonymous, all the things you said about building grassroots support is very true but i don't think its not necessarily new leadership that you need. I'd say the Senator exhibits thetype of leadership that is in short supply these days. What we need are bold leaders to stand with those currently engaged in the effort.
Anonymous, i would be interested in hearing some of your ideas on how this effort can be more successful in Missouri.
Barb S--I don't know how you interpreted my comments as being contradictory. I thought I wrote what I meant very clearly. I didn't say that more needs to be done AND nothing more needs to be done, as you've said. I said more needs to be done AND in a different way. If what has been done over and over isn't working don't blame just the opposition. Work to find out what needs to change within your campaign.
To jerryjonesjr--I did not say the issue is insane. I said the way the ERA advocates in your state promote the issue and lobby for it the same way over and over whilst consistently achieving the same results reminds me of that definition of insanity. And no doubt others might see your campaign similarly.
And for both of you my comments were, and are not, a criticism of Senator Justus. Quite the opposite. I do very much appreciate her committment to this issue. Legislators and members of Congress who are willing to introduce (and reintroduce) ERA resolutions--in spite of the fact that there is rarely enough organized and vocal public support to get these measures passed--are true ERA heros. Especially those legislators in the red states who jeopardize their re-election sometimes by supporting the ERA. BUT legislators cannot be the leaders of a campaign for this issue. They can be strong proponents and champions even, but Senator Justus should not be expected to organize and run the ERA movement in MO.
I believe you do need new leadership if the current leadership is not willing to learn by their mistakes and adjust the campaign accordingly. And if they are carrying so much political or contentious issue "baggage" that they are unlikely to win the support of anyone other than "the usual suspects" then they need to step aside. Longevity of support is not a leadership qualification.
Your leadership is the "face" of your campaign. The wrong leaders can do more harm than good. Your campaign needs to win new supporters and to increase the diversity of age, race and political party affiliation of its supporters. Then maybe next time opposing legislators won't dismiss this issue so handily.
Sen. Justus,
Thank you very much for your outspoken support of the ERA in the Senate - particularly in this unfriendly climate. I firmly believe that the ERA is necessary and still possible to pass. I also agree with those that we need fresh voices to keep the argument alive and viable. The Missouri Women's Coalition strongly support your efforts.
Thank you!
Thank you Senator Justus!
We must get organized and never allow the opposition to overpower us. Missouri must build a power force of women who, knowing we already have equality, must demand that our constitutional documents reflect our reality.
If necessary, we will re-ratify our already ratified states to bring intense movement to find the additional three states that we need for passage.
I feel helpless as I watch from another state!
If we can obtain equality for women, can space exploration or personal computers be far behind?
Honestly, I cannot fathom how any American can oppose equality.
Do opponents imagine that when the Declaration of Independence stated, as a foundational and self-evident premise, that "all men are created equal," that applies — literally — only to the fellas?
If so, that's a spectacular syntactical airball, and they need to go sit on the bench.
I would like to point out to anonymous 70-yr-old that it is your political party that is blocking the ERA in Missouri. Why not do something about your party's stand on it instead of denigrating our efforts and our organizations?
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