There is an easy solution to the social problems we are currently facing: The ERA

[Hydra]

In such a case, we can really stick it to the Authoritarians- Women, LBGTers, minorities and many other oppressed groups all covered equally under the law. No more "non-people."

There's no reason for us not to have an Equal Rights Amendment, and it's far past time for us to adopt it if we really want to be a First World Nation.

[bobbolink]

1. Nobody can seriously argue that wouldn't be good.

But how is that going to get housing for all of us without a place to live?

Or, do you not include homelessness in "social problems"?

[Hydra]

5. Oh, I do

And one of my pet issues is housing and food for all. I think the ERA should be applied in all situations if it passes, not just selectively.

[elleng]

2. 'far past time '

It didn't happen.

Government SHOULD NOT TINKER with our social lives (in the largest sense.)

[maryf]

3. Of course

But to reiterate what bobbolink said, how does this help the homeless, the poor, the economically disadvantaged?

[Hydra]

6. As I replied to Bobblink

I think it should be applied in all situations. Being poor, homeless or underemployed is no less a stigma than skin color, gender or any other convenient division.

[maryf]

9. Being poor, homeless or underemployed is no less a stigma

Absolutely! what designation can be placed on the impoverished to guarantee they get equal rights? Its all oppression regardless, just some are more life-threatening...

[pitohui]

7. many women are economically disadvantaged (inc. myself) because of discrimination

if i had been an equal citizen w. equal rights instead of a second rate citizen with no rights not to be groped or raped in the workplace when i was young, i would be in a different place economically today, as would a great many other women, some of them women with children or grandchildren who would have been raised with better food, better health care, better educations -- sexual harassment only became illegal in the 1980s and it is defacto pretty much not even illegal in a lot of situations today because if you are harassed and do try to do something about it, you become unemployable forever...so what choice is that?

the best way to help many of the homeless is not to make them homeless in the first fucking place

i'm amazed that so many don't grok this

women aren't poor because they're stoopit or addicted, at least not every goddamn time, in many cases women are poor because they never had an equal playing field and problems compound over time and it just becomes impossible to ever catch up

we can't change the past but in a country where it is no longer even pretended that women should have equal rights recognized under the constitution...well...i certainly understand why i meet so many young women who accept that their only chance of a decent life for self and children is to sell themselves either as strippers, sex workers, or to latch onto a rich husband...and those who are not psychologically or physically equipped to sell themselves in that way are just pretty much fucked in a lot of cases because chasing an education and hoping it will pay off just seems to dig them a bigger and bigger helping of debt and hopelessness

we're talking about a country where, even today, there is a high rape of our female soldiers on the fucking battlefight risking their life and limb for country in iraq...and we wonder why equal rights might be important? why do you think so many young women give up or try to pay for college by taking off their clothes? they know they DON'T have an equal chance and that the debt they take on is not as likely to pay off in a good, lasting career, all they have to do is run into the wrong man who won't take "no" for an answer and everything they've invested is fucked...so what's the use? might as well take control of it and pretend it's their choice, right?

do i sound cynical, well, i think i have good reason

my own country does not acknowledge that i should have equal rights and when equal rights is mentioned, i'm told "oh how does this help the homeless" after all only MALE VETS are homeless apparently!

equal rights, equal pay, etc. how does this NOT help the poor and the homeless unless you truly believe only poor men matter and poor women, poor children, poor families DON'T matter?

sheesh people think before you post once in awhile!

[maryf]

8. Women and children

Are far more represented in the poverty roles than men are...and one in three women in the military are sexually abused (harassed, molested, and/or raped), one in 9 men are, your points are very true.

What I meant was how can we place the poverty stricken as a group that deserves equal rights, economically handicapped?

This was not to preclude women's rights, just to promote poverty rights as well. It all comes down to the ruling elite that oppresses all anyway. Peace.

[JackRiddler]

4. Yes to ERA! But it's not an "easy solution to the social problems we are currently facing."

It's an important step. Twenty-five years late, but welcome nevertheless.

[CTyankee]

10. There is a group actively working to renew the ERA at the point where

They had all but 3 states for ratification. This group is working with legislatures of several states where theERA did not pass or did not bring itup for a vote and they'll try to get the needed number and then see. It's called the 3 state strategy. The other strategy is the "Start Over" strategy. The former is preferable of course.

It would be an interesting thing to see play out.