(EQUAL RIGHTS AMEND
MENT)
What does the ERA say? It’s
simple and straight-forward.
“Section 1. Equality of rights
under the law shall not be denied
or abridged by the United States
or by any State on account of
sex;
“Section 2. The Congress shall
have the power to enforce, by
appropriate legislation, the
provisions of this article;
“Section 3. This amendment
shall take effect two years after
the date of ratification.”
ERA first got its head start
when the original constitution of
1787, which was founded upon
English common law, owned by
husbands or by masters, without
independent individual rights
under the law. Secondly, the
courts have failed to interpret
the 14th Amendment to include
all women.
For blacks, the 15th Amen
dment conferred citizenship and
the right to vote upon the
emancipated slaves and the 14th
Amendment has not included
women within its guarantees.
Women have but one con
stitutional right, the right to
vote, for which a specific con
stitutional amendment was
necessary.
The leader of the National
Women’s Party, who played the
dominant role for women’s
equality was Alice Paul. She was
founder and Honorary President
Emeritus, which introduced in
Congress the first ERA bill
(1923), ever proposed for
women.
Since the passage of the ERA
in Congress, the National
Women’s Party has exerted all
of its efforts and money to obtain
ratification of the ERA in the
States.
The National Women’s Party
is a non-partisan and non-profit
organization, depending on dues
and contributions for the ERA
and restoration of the Sewall-
Belmont House.
Essentially, the proposed
amendment provided that
“equality of rights under the law
shall not be denied or abridged
by the United States or any State
on account of sex.” The measure
was first introduced in 1923 after
it became apparent to the suf
fragettes that simply achieving
the franchise did not solve the
problem of discrimination
against women. In fact, for the
following 35 years, the amen
dment was a project of tne
National Women’s Party, an
organization founded by sut-
fragettes, which maintains a
headquarters only a block from
the Senate Office Building. It
was primarily this group
women, aided by the business
and professional women’s clubs,
which keep the proposal alive for
decades and did most of the
lobbying. The amendment was
routinely endorsed by the major
political parties, having been
part of the Democratic platform
for 26 years and the Republican
platform for 30 years.
When Congress approved me
ERA to the constitution nearly •>
years ago, it seemed a log'ca'-
even perhaps perfunctoo'
capping of women’s re^wea
struggle for J
months, 22 states had ratified
the amendment and the
necessary 16 more were ex
pected to do so long before the
1979 deadline. Then in early 1973
various groups mounted a power
opposition drived protesting that
the amendment would abolish
many legal safeguards for
women, like protection labor
legislation, and would require
women to be drafted and go into
combat. Only 8 more states
approved the ERA in 1973 and 3
in 1974. Meanwhile, Nebraska
and Tennessee voted to rescind
their ratification. (Congress
decided recently that once a
state votes yes it cannot
rescind).
The ERA in standing to the
states is; the states
which have not ratified the
amendment are: Nevada, Utah,
Arizona, North Dakota,
Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas,
Illinois, Louisiana, Alabama,
Georgia, South Carolina, North
Carolina, Virginia, Florida, and
Mississippi. The majority not
ratified is the southern states.
Update, 35 states have ratified
the ERA with 3 more needed by
March 22, 1979, for it to become
part of the United States Con
stitution.
As for North Carolina, ERA
cleared the North Carolina
House of Representatives 61-55,
February 1977 and was sent to
the Senate where survey in
dicated the measure was suf
ficient strength to win approval.
ERA, very simply assures that
rights under the law shall be
shared equally by men and
women regardless of gender. It
puts women where they have
never been before, the United
States Constitution. However,
the ERA does not belong to the
“Women Liberation
Movement”. The Movement
began in the mid-1960’s, but ERA
was authored and sponsored for
49 years by the National
Women’s Party. Their role
purpose and dedication over 49
years and their role activity,
was to help women attain a legal
status — to become a person —
by an Amendment to the United
States Constitution by passage of
the ERA. For passage of the
era will give a legal guarantee
of equality, full citizenship and
true justice for half of our
population —women.
Questions about ERA
1. Why should we have an
. ERA? Because women have
never been accorded legal status
as persons or guaranteed equal
protection of the laws under the
Fifth and 14th Amendment to the
Constitution of the United States.
It is also necessary because
women’s rights are not fully
protected; Title Seven of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the
Equal Employment Opportunity
Act of 1972 are limited in their
scope.
It would also write into the
United States Constitution the
irinciple of individual liberty
and freedom of action upon
, vvWch this nation was declared
to be founded.
2. How does ERA affect em
ployment? Federal laws already
prohibit discrimination in
employment because of sex.
Further, the Equal Rights
Amendment would simply
prohibit any discriminatory
action by the government. It is
agreed that the amendment
would have no effect on the
private employer.
3. What is the reality the ERA
can influence? First it is
essential to realize the ERA is a
law affecting other laws. It
applies to laws and situations
specifically covered by laws.
The ERA cannot directly affect
areas not controlled or regulated
by law. It cannot and will not
have any legal impact on the
workings of an outgoing
marriage relationship. It can,
however, have a profound and
positive impact on marriage and
the security of the family by its
effect on other areas of women’s
lives. Support, in the form of
both money and child care, will
be the responsibility of both
parents. The women who have
devoted their lives to caring for
their husbands and children will
be treated more justly than they
are now.
4. How would ERA affect the
custody and support of children
in case of divorce? The welfare
of the child is the legally
established principle of deter
mining custody and support of
children. State courts would not
be deprived of their functions in
deciding cases, nor State
legislatures be deprived of
enacting governing laws. The
ERA would not deprive mothers
of child support payments nor of
custody. It would make fathers
eligible for custody rights and at
the same time eliminate ar
bitrary preference given to
fathers for custody of a son, as is
the present law in spme States.
Both parents would be liable for
support of children. The amount
of liability would be based upon
their earnings and economic
circumstances, not upon the sex
of parent. In balancing financial
responsibilities a value would be
placed upon the services con
tributed by the mother in the
home, as provided in the
Uniform Marriage and Divorce
Act.
5. How would ERA affect
“homemakers” and property
rights of married women?
The career homemaker has a
most demanding job which
utilizes enormous amounts of
time and talent which women
choose to do. ERA will give this
career the dignity and
recognition it deserves.
The laws of 42 States are
grounded in the common ’ law
principle that the one who earns
is the one who owns the property
acquired with his or her ear
nings. The homemaker, having
no earnings of her own, has no
ownership in the property
acquired during the marriage.
Husbands and wives w\Jl not be
required to contribute equal
amounts of money to marriage.
Homemakers will be
homemakers and wage-eamers
can continue to provide financial
support.
To be continued in the next
issue of Ram's Horn.
Emma Lesane
Chaplain’s Corner
Southeastern Community
College has established and set
up a Chaplain’s Corner for the
Students. A minister will be in
the student lounge from 10:(X)-
12:00 noon on each Tuesday and
Thursday. The first session was
held on April 5,1977. A minister
from the Columbus County area
will be available to these
students. This idea came about
by a survey on campus of the
students. One request in this
survey was that students be
given a minister on campus.
Different races and faiths will be
available, due to racial and faith
differences of the students.
The Reverend Tommy Beaver
was with us on the first session.
Walter McDaniel, a SCC
counselor and minister sat in
with Rev. Beaver. The minister
Beaver is from Whiteville, North
Carolina. He Pastors at the
Christ the King Luthern Church,
Whiteville, North Carolina. He is
originally from Salisbury, North
Carolina. He earned his degree
at Appalachian State University.
He attended also the Lutheran
Theological Seminary in
Columbia, South Carolina.
Minister Beaver, served in a
church before coming here. He
came to this area as a mission
development for a Lutheran
Church. He has two kids ages 7
and 3. He is always escorted in
his life by his lovely wife. Rose.
He says he enjoys the areas
especially hunting, campng and
boating.
Minister Beaver says he hopes
this will work for the students.
Beaver says he wants the
students to know they are here to
help. He says he wants students
to know the conversation isn’t
limited to just religion. He wants
students to feel free to talk to
him (the Minister) about
anything. He said he would just
like for them to come over and
say “HELLO.”
McDaniel says things will go
greater if participation goes
okay. He says the hours will be
changed to the students needs.
He says he wants this thing to be
flexible. He also suggest a gospel
hour, Bible study or prayer
meeting, whatever suits the
students. Minister McDaniel
says the message we want to get
across is quote, “We care and we
are human.” He says too that the
ministers show their care by
actions. The actions are being in
the sessions.
Minister Beaver says it should
be like going to church. He says
one doesn’t have to go to church
every Sunday hut go because
you feel the need. You feel you
have burdens you need to
resolve. He wants us to come on
'mesday and Thursday at the
same time. He wants us to feel
free to come by.
The ministers say if the
students feel the lounge isn’t an
appropriate place, let them
know. They want to know
whether or not privacy is
wanted. So, the students should
feel fee to correspond with these
ministers.
JoAnn Munn
SCC’s Weekend
College
Southeastern Community
College has established a
weekend college. It is open to all
who have the opportunity to
attend. We know that there are
many housewives and others
who are not able to attend during
the week and have wanted to
take a single course or pursue a
degree of some kind.
On March 12,1977, in the lobby
of the Main Building,
registration was held at 8:30
a.m. Classes began at 9:00 a.m.
on March 12,1977.
There is an enrollment of 60
students. There are courses
being offered that are of interest
and based on the course need.
ENG 101 - Freshman English -
and Beginning Tennis are the
two courses that are most in
teresting to the students
enrolled.
“We will run courses anytime
we can get enough people in
terested” quoted Dean Brown.
So, husbands, wives, and
students who can’t work a class
into your weekly calendar, come
by and look into our Saturday
college at SCC.
ANN BROWN
r'yjeiS.iS.y
Pi^A/AiV '
The ancient Greeks believed the first lizard was a young
man who dared to laugh at a goddess.
The odds against rolling a 12 and against rolling a 2 at dice
are each 35 to 1.