“We the People”

As a man, I find it shocking and disgraceful that half the people in our nation lack full, fair equality under the law. Simply because they are women, millions and millions of Americans–our mothers, sisters, and daughters–live as second-class citizens. I cannot imagine any excuse or explanation which could justify this blatant discrimination. To paraphrase Lincoln, we cannot survive as a house half equal and half unequal. It’s not acceptable.

Our founders drafted our Constitution in a time when white, male, property-holders were “more equal” than others. Over time, we’ve amended our Constitution to reflect more inclusive and enlightened understanding. “We the People” understand that all the people deserve full and complete respect, and equal status under the law. Today, few seriously argue that some people deserve fewer rights than others or should suffer inferior status.

The 14th Amendment added this to the US Constitution: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”

The 15th Amendment specifies: “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.  … The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.”

These amendments outlaw inequality “on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude,” but were silent regarding gender. These legal protections for some people facing de jure discrimination failed to extend equal status, rights and protections to women. It is long past time to redress this omission and pass the Equal Rights Amendment. The ERA would closely parallel the text of the 15th Amendment, extending equality to women. Anything less would leave our Constitution a flawed and incomplete document.