University of Virginia Library

Flora Crater Discusses Platform
Aimed Toward Minority Groups

By ROSS HETRICK

A grandmotherly George
Mason co-ed is attempting to
find happiness and fulfillment
as Virginia's Lieutenant
Governor.

This is the objective of Flora
Crater, the first woman to run
for lieutenant governor in
Virginia's history.

"I am particularly concerned
about discrimination. As we
approach the two hundredth
anniversary of our country we
find it is a part of
governmental practice to
discriminate against major
groups of people." Mrs. Crater
said in a speech in the lounge
of the Law School Friday
night.

Discrimination

Discrimination against
blacks and women is the
primary concern of Mrs.
Crater's campaign.

"Certainly the people of
Virginia do not want any group
to be treated unfairly," she
said.

Mrs. Crater, who is a Fairfax
resident and senior at George
Mason University, first became
involved in politics as President
of her P.T.A. in 1949. During
that time, she found that good
county government was needed
to have good schools. She
therefore joined the Good
Government Committee
working for the reform of
county government.

CD/Arthur Laurent

Independent Flora Crater

Since then her political
career has been a steady
progression of more and more
involvement in local issues and
women's liberation.

She is the founder and
present coordinator of the
Virginia Women's Political
Caucus. She is also editor of
"The Woman Activist," a
publication of the committee.

"One time a friend of mine
came up to me and said, 'Why
are you in women's liberation
Flora, your husband lets you
do a lot of things,' " quipped
Mrs. Crater during her speech.

One myth that especially
infuriates Mrs. Crater is that of
women's privileged status.
"The myth says that women
are actually privileged by
having to do nothing more
than to look good, act dumb,
catch a man and use him as a
meal ticket for the rest of her
life," she said.

Poverty

She pointed out, however,
that poverty is greater for
women and one third of
poverty families are headed by
women.

On other issues besides
discrimination, Mrs. Crater has
not yet formulated any firm
positions. Instead, she talks in
broad generalities about such
issues as tax reform. This will
change, she says, as she
becomes more familiar with
the issues.

Mrs. Crater, who is running as
an independent, refuses to
endorse either candidate for
governor. She says that she has