STOP ERA
Mrs. Schlafly and her
followers contend that the
majority of women do not
want ERA. The amendment,
they say, would wipe out many
rights and privileges women
now enjoy because of their sex
ranging from alimony to
freedom from the draft.
She quotes a 1971 Roper
Poll which states that 77 per
cent of American women are
opposed to equal treatment
under the draft, and a 1972
Harris Poll which shows that
78 per cent of the nation's
women didn't think their life
goals had been hampered by
being a woman.
The STOP ERA
movement has been supported
by many national organizations
including the National Council
of Catholic Women, the
Rabbinical Alliance of
America, the Daughters of the
American Revolution, the
AFL-CIO and the Virginia
Federation of Women's Clubs.
ERA was still riding on the
crest of popular support when
H.B. 181 was introduced on
the opening day of the General
Assembly's session by Del.
Dorothy McDiarmid of
Fairfax. Since that time
unqualified support has begun
to crumble, as all 140
legislators have been showered
by competing messages, letters,
leaflets and petitions.
Last Thursday the intensive
lobbying efforts of both sides
were climaxed at a day-long
joint hearing before the House
and Senate Privileges and
Elections Committee in
Richmond, where over 40
speakers gave their opinions. It
was one of the most chaotic
legislative hearings ever held in
Virginia with nearly 1000
women jamming the state
highway department
auditorium, the largest meeting
place available.
On the right side of the aisle
dressed primarily in red, white
and blue sat the opponents of
the bill wearing octagonal
badges with "STOP ERA"
emblazoned upon them. The
proponents, sporting a large
variety of badges, some
flower-shaped, secured the left
side of the aisle.
Both sides delivered two
hours of testimony each. Amid
cheers, boos and shouts,
Del. McDiarmid opened
the hearing for the proponents
and Phyllis Schlafly was there
to sound the alarm against the
amendment.
