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| | ==ERA and Abortion== | | ==ERA and Abortion== |
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| − | The hippie culture had its effect in legalizing abortion. Previously, the leaders of the women’s rights movement had opposed abortion. Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, were opposed to abortion. Democratic President Jimmy Carter was (and is) against it, but did nothing about it as president. Alice Paul, a famous advocate of women’s rights in the 1920s, called abortion “the ultimate exploitation of women.” | + | The hippie culture and the breakdown of morals in the 1960s had an effect in legalizing abortion. The original leaders of the women's rights movement were opposed abortion. Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, for example, were opposed to abortion. Alice Paul, a famous advocate of women's rights in the 1920s, called abortion "the ultimate exploitation of women." Democratic President Jimmy Carter was (and is) against it, but did nothing to reduce or stop it. |
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| − | But the culture of “me first” and “do whatever you want” led to laws legalizing abortion in New York, Washington, Hawaii and Alaska. The big change came in the Supreme Court decision of Roe v. Wade (1973), where the Justices said that the U.S. Constitution provides for a right to abortion. Our Constitution does not support abortion, and even our textbook mistakenly says the right was based on the 4th Amendment. That is wrong. The Supreme Court said abortion is in the “penumbra” (shadowy area) of the Bill of Rights. First the Supreme Court had turned its back on God in the school prayer decision of Engel v. Vitale in 1962, and then it turned its back on the image of God by legalizing abortion in Roe v. Wade in 1973.
| + | The culture of "me first" and "do whatever you want" in the 1960s led to laws legalizing abortion in California, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii and Alaska.<ref>http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1282/is_n14_v41/ai_7813831</ref> But there were signs the tide was changing back to pro-life. In 1972, a referendum in Michigan to legalize abortion was soundly defeated by the voters. |
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| | + | A different type of "feminist" emerged in 1960s that opposed marriage and supported abortion. Betty Friedan, one of the leaders of this new feminist movement, published "The Feminine Mystique" in 1963. She argued that popular magazines brainwashed women into domesticity. |
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| | + | In 1966, Friedan founded the National Organization for Women (NOW), and demanded a new right to abortion and passage of the so-called "Equal Rights Amendment." |
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| | + | The Supreme Court stunned the country by declaring abortion to be a constitutional right on January 22, 1973, in the case of ''Roe v. Wade''. Even the women "Jane Roe" in that case, whose real name is Norma McCorvey, now says the ruling was wrong and abortion is a mistake. But the Court ruled that the U.S. Constitution provides for a right to abortion even though it is never mentioned anywhere in the original document, or any amendments, or any statements by those who drafted anything in the Constitution. The Supreme Court, by a 7-2 vote, ruled that abortion is in the "penumbra" (shadowy area) of the Bill of Rights. First the Supreme Court had turned its back on God in the school prayer decision of ''Engel v. Vitale'' in 1962, and then it turned its back on the image of God by legalizing abortion in ''Roe v. Wade'' in 1973. |
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| | + | At the same time, this new breed of feminists was demanding passage of the so-called Equal Rights Amendment. It simply stated that: |
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| | + | :Section 1. Equality of Rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state on account of sex. |
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| | + | :Section 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article. |
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| | + | The House of Representatives had passed this Amendment by a 354-24 margin. The Senate had passed it by a margin of 84-8. Both political parties (Republican and Democratic) favored it; all presidents until Ronald Reagan supported it; and the media strongly backed it. Its ratification by 3/4ths of the states (38 states), as required to amend the Constitution, seemed inevitable. |
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| | + | But a handful of conservative women met in a hotel near Chicago O’Hare airport on July 7, 1972, to discuss ways to stop the amendment. One woman proposed naming the movement, “Stop Taking our Privileges” or simply “STOP ERA.” The name stuck. |
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| − | The Feminine Mystique 1963: feminist Betty Friedan's book that argued that popular magazines brainwashed women into domesticity
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| − | National Organiz. for Women "1966: Friedan founded it, known as ""NOW"", copying civil rights groups, but NOW demanded abortion rights, ERA"
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| | Equal Rights Amendment "1972-82: STOP ERA movement, led by Phyllis Schlafly, defeated it; issue helped defeat Carter in reelection" | | Equal Rights Amendment "1972-82: STOP ERA movement, led by Phyllis Schlafly, defeated it; issue helped defeat Carter in reelection" |
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| | By the middle of 1973, 30 states had ratified the so-called “Equal Rights Amendment.” This proposed amendment provided that: | | By the middle of 1973, 30 states had ratified the so-called “Equal Rights Amendment.” This proposed amendment provided that: |
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| − | Section 1. Equality of Rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state on account of sex.
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| − | Section 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.
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| − | The House of Representatives had passed this Amendment by a 354-24 margin. The Senate had passed it by a margin of 84-8. Both political parties favored it; all presidents until Ronald Reagan supported it; and the media strongly backed it. Its ratification by 3/4ths of the states (38 states), as required to amend the Constitution, seemed inevitable.
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| − | But a handful of conservative women met in a hotel near Chicago O’Hare airport on July 7, 1972, to discuss ways to stop the amendment. One woman proposed naming the movement, “Stop Taking our Privileges” or simply “STOP ERA.” The name stuck.
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| | First they slowed the momentum of the passage of the amendment by state legislatures. After 30 states passed it in 1972 and 1973, only 3 passed ERA in 1974. Just one passed it in 1975, none in 1976, and only one in 1977. That brought the total to 35, just three shy of the 38 needed for ratification. Meanwhile, the states of Idaho, Kentucky, Nebraska, Tennessee and South Dakota were persuaded they had made a mistake, and they passed laws nullifying or rescinding their acts. | | First they slowed the momentum of the passage of the amendment by state legislatures. After 30 states passed it in 1972 and 1973, only 3 passed ERA in 1974. Just one passed it in 1975, none in 1976, and only one in 1977. That brought the total to 35, just three shy of the 38 needed for ratification. Meanwhile, the states of Idaho, Kentucky, Nebraska, Tennessee and South Dakota were persuaded they had made a mistake, and they passed laws nullifying or rescinding their acts. |