OCR Text |
Show May 17, 1974 Signpost Page 7 by Sue Stevenson Staff columnist In a letter to her husband while he was attending a Constitutional Convention, Abigail Adams wrote: Mr Dear John: By the way, in the new code of laws, I desire you would remember the ladies and be more generous and favorable to them than were your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power in the hands of husbands. Remember, all men would be tyrants if they could. Your.loving wife, Abigail The request was too revolutionary, and he replied: "Depend upon it my dear wife. We men know better than to repeal our' masculine systems." ' Nearly 200 years later, the government of our nation is still a masculine system. ' The federal constitutional amendment that would specifically prohibit legal discrimination based on sex, i.e., "Equality of rights under the law shall not be abridged by the United States or any state on account of sex." has traditionally met with opposition that equals the strength of its advocacy. Opposing and proponent plagues of political opportunists, hysterical revolutionaries, remonstrants ; andor commissions to investigate, task forces to poll, survey, or statistically analyze; has thwarted the realits of equal protection under the law of the land for women. After 48 years in Committee, the ERA was sent to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives in 1970. The Amendment passed by a vote of 350 to 15; the first full House action on the Amendment since it was introduced in 1923. Controversial protective riders were issued, and also a substitute amendment by Sam Ervin. Ervin's hearings were, for the most part, opposed to the original wording and favored instead his substitute Amendment, which would ensure at least partial retention of protective legislation, as well as other laws designed to "protect" women. On October 7, the debate reached the floor of the Senate, where unrelated riders were introduced in the hope of weighting the bill with so much controversy that it would die and it did. Eighty senators ir much more than the required two-thirds had signed their names as sponsors of the Amendment, but that was when no one in the Senate throught the Amendment would ever get through the House. ' Thus, in 1970, for the first time in history, the Senate was in a position to veto the Equal Rights Amendment; and required to take stock of exactly what a pro or con vote would mean to him or her politically. The opposition of the ERA has had marked influence with two keyed assertions: the subjection of women to the draft, and alimony and child support for divorced women . Supporters of the Amendment say that the statement about the draft is true, but irrelevent, since the draft is about to end anyway, and the argument about support is simply false and would be clarified by the courts in each individual case. Thirty-three states have ratified the ERA. The backlash of the ERA debate is being felt whether pro or con in politicalfeminist rhetoric. Women who have evidenced their inability to utilize their 53 of the electoral vote to gain their political power base, are showing concern for the kinds of gains they will or will not receive by the passage of the ERA. They are undecided whether or not the needed changes in the "status of women" can be achieved by constitutional law, or if this could best be brought about by the continued perpetuation of "defined biological differences" and "prescribed psychological conditions" of femininity. Lack of equal opportunities Perhaps the lack of equal opportunities and rights for women in the past would explain their lack of decision-making prowess, as to whether or not they even need equal rights, and how they should obtain them. First Lady of Utah, Lucy Beth Rampton stated in a recent welcoming address to a Coalition of Women for Ratification of the ERA, that she was "smart enough to know how dumb to be! " Mass Meetings May o o Aon opsone 20th Pre-registration ends today Pre-registration for autumn quartet- for day-school students at Weber State College is being finalized today. Students who attended during spring quarter can complete registration, except payment of fees, during this pre-registration being held in the Union ballroom, north section. Those students who had reached the status of junior or senior by the end of winter quarter pre-registered on Tuesday, with sophomores scheduled to sign up on Wednesday and freshmen yesterday. Following is the schedule, by first letter of surnames, by which students should arrive at pre-registration;. A-B, 8 a.m.; C-D, 9 , a.m.; E-F-G; 10 a.m.; H-I-J, 11 a.m.; K-L-M, noon;; N-R, 1p.m.; S-V, 2 p.m., and W-Z, 3 p.m. However, Harold Wiese, registrar, says students can probably be accommodated at any time on the day their class is to register. "I don't think we will have any trouble, as long as students come on the specified day between 8 a.m. and 3: 30 p.m.," he said. Students should pick up their packets in the administration building and discuss course selection with their advisors before arriving at the ballroom to pre-register.Payment of fees must be completed after July. -;.. Students who pre-register can make payment in person at the cashier's office in the administration building after that Jl ($0300 date, or payment can be mailed . be provided during , pre-iri a special envelope which will registration. Steak 'N' Everything Angelo's Famous Steak 'n' Everything Sandwich is made from U.S.D.A. choice sliced sirloin steak, dotted with bits of sizzling succulent green bell pepers and sweef bermuda onions, laced with tender white mushrooms and topped with the finest moz-zarella cheese, grilled and seasoned to perfection to give you a wonderously flavorful experience. Special Introductory Price PANGH0 & ANGELO'S Where Pizza is always in good taste - 367? Harrison Blvd. .; ... ' ; ;, , -Z 5394-3575 I 1 43 Reg.$1.6e s |