OCR Text |
Show Door Ed Much has been written and said about ERA by both men and women in our State. And more will be said. The adage "Never Judge an Indian until you have walked a mile in his moccaslns"applleshere. Three years ago, I became a second-rate citizen-a-widow, a single worn an 1 My income was cut 100 percent, so I returned to work, making mak-ing one-third of myhusbands yearly Income. My expenses went up 100 percent, I have to hire repairs and maintenance mainten-ance on home and autos. Along the Wasatch Front we compete with students and their wives from other states and countries, because be-cause they work for less, and it Is hard for career-seeking career-seeking persons to find em -ployment here. I am fortunate. fortu-nate. On my one-third less salary sal-ary I pay property taxes on home and auto and buy insurance in-surance on bothjvly utilities are based on the same rates as the male wage earner in the same community. Inflation Infla-tion affects my purchase as it did his on the basic needs of life. Men control our destiny, they need not sign part of their retirement to us. If he doesn't, it is lost to the company onhis demise. Have you read all of the Social Security laws that affect you? You indicate ERA will make me less of a person.. I don't think so. I can still be the Christian that I was taught to be in a home where compassionate service was taught by example: Assistance Assis-tance to the poor, needy, widow and orphan. I can still wear a dress and be a lady; I can wait in line on an airplane air-plane to use a bathroom when the sign says "occupied",or ride on an overnight train where the bathroom (as those in my home) has no sign, but a good lock on the inside. If I was younger, I could serve my country, repaying it for the many freedoms that are mine. I can still be a loving, caring mother and grandmother and play the many womanly roles in my community. Please don't keep us in chains. Help us to be equal regardless of sex. Your congress con-gress has given equal rights to blacks, and other minorities minor-ities - why not your sisters? Yes, how can you possibly feel for us 'until you have walked a mile in our moccasins?' moc-casins?' Leah P. Johnson Or em, Utah |