Aug. 26 is Women’s Equality Day
Congress declared Aug. 26 Women’s Equality Day in 1973 to commemorate passage of women’s suffrage and as a symbol of the continued fight for equal rights. That fight continues.
When the Constitution was ratified, “We the People” did not include women.
Today women are only partially covered, via the 14th Amendment. In Minor v. Happersett (1874), the Supreme Court decided women had citizens’ rights under the 14th Amendment, but not voting rights. Nearly 100 years later in Reed v. Reed (1971), for the first time the Supreme Court ruled that differential treatment based on sex is prohibited under the 14th Amendment. But in 1996 in U.S. v. Virginia, the Supreme Court ruled this prohibition has limits, giving sex discrimination less constitutional protection than race or religion.
The Equal Rights Amendment is needed to correct these limitations, to grant women full legal equality and formally add women to the Constitution.
For more about the Equal Rights Amendment, visit www.erataskforceaz.com.
Lynne Leonard
SaddleBrooke
US drifting in the wrong direction
Watching events unfold in Afghanistan, it is clear that the Afghan central government was a sham held in place by the United States military. The country is largely composed of and ruled by various tribes. The United States appears to be drifting in that same direction.
Narrow interest groups based on race, religion and other identifiable segments are pushing for the interests of their “tribe” largely without regard for America’s founding principles.
Groups banding together to promote their agendas is certainly not new; it has however morphed into the thinking of if you win, I will lose, and vice versa. As a result, cooperation and compromise within our government and amongst the citizenry on the major issues of the day is becoming an increasingly rare occurrence.
Yes, individual rights and interests have a strong place in a democracy, but we must also focus closely on the general welfare to strengthen our Republic.
Tony Banks
Oro Valley
Father knows best
In reaction to the Biden administration response to Gov. Doug Ducey’s ban on school district mask mandates, the Ducey administration asked, “What is it about families they don’t trust?” I agree. We should never have any laws barring anything a family does with its kids. This includes all laws regarding seat belts, car seats, leaving kids in hot cars and child abuse. We all know that parents always exercise great judgment. What a great country we could have if the nanny-state would just get out of the way.
Rick Jones
West side
Many to blame for Afghanistan war
Once again bleeding-heart liberals are crying copious tears over imagined atrocities happening to unvetted foreigners. Just remember it takes time to vet potential terrorists before allowing them into the country. If you are sickened by the pictures on TV, just remember the way you feel now the next time a president wants to start an unnecessary and immoral war.
There are many people to blame for the loss of American blood and treasure in Afghanistan, but George W. Bush easily qualifies as the most blameworthy. It is ironic that Bush, just last month, said that ending a lost war produces an eruption of loss and suffering; I wish he would have thought of this when he had a chance for a peace agreement in 2001.
Robert Mann
Northwest side
Abandoning allies in Afghanistan
As a retired U.S. Air Force officer, I am one of many watching with dismay the current disintegration of U.S. military and political resolve. Airborne over Vietnam in April 1975, I witnessed the results of the perfidy of our Congress in damning the South Vietnamese to unspeakable atrocities. Imagine, then, the joy associated with our initiative and success in the first Gulf War as our forces chased a despot back into his hole, freeing a small nation from oppression. That was leadership. That was courage. We were back!
Now, however, we have come full circle. This time it’s our executive branch, the misguided, socialistic Biden administration, that must accept the blame for and shame of abandoning an ally in its time of need. In 1992 I heard for the first time in 32 years in uniform, the words, “Thank you for your service.” Now I’m tempted to respond, “in service of what?”
Glenn Perry, Colonel, USAF (ret)
Foothills
Ducey and the pandemic
Dear Gov. Doug Ducey,
You are choosing to advance your career by keeping your base. The people who only get their news from Fox News or One America News will continue to support you as you single-handedly are responsible for the illness and death of many Arizonans through your approach to the pandemic.
As a physician who has felt personal satisfaction in my career, it pains me to know that you are now causing more death and illness than I have prevented or treated in my 40 years of medical practice. Your political acumen may allow your career to advance but at what cost to Arizonans?
Robert Beren
Northwest side
Climate change is local, national crisis
The climate crisis is here; the evidence is overwhelming and indisputable. We need Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly and Reps. Tom O’Halleran, Ann Kirkpatrick and Raúl Grijalva to support carbon pricing. Sens. Sinema and Kelly must make certain that carbon pricing is in any budget package, including reconciliation. Grijalva, Kirkpatrick and O’Halleran must co-sponsor HR 2307. The time to act is now before it’s too late, and it may already be too late.
Fran Berman
SaddleBrooke
Are we doomed for growth disaster?
Re: the Aug. 23 article “Limiting endless growth is crucial to our future.”
This is the argument that we had over 50 years ago regarding the 1969 freeway plan. The notion that we can continue to grow without limit is dooming us to disaster. We have already outgrown our resources, and as the Colorado River continues to dry up, we are reaching a tipping point.
I see no way we can stop this trend because it is politically impossible to stop. There is lots of money to be made by growth in the short term, and that money controls the political system. King Midas reigns, and our people will suffer the fate of all civilizations that ignore common-sense limits on resource use in the quest for wealth.
Winton Woods
Foothills
Attacks on those who are not vaccinated
For months now I’ve read the attacks against conservatives and the unvaccinated in the opinion section of this paper. Many have said they deserve to have medical care withheld should they get sick from COVID-19 simply because they chose not to get the vaccine.
Where is the same outrage for the obese person who chooses to eat fried and fast foods? Or for the smoker with respiratory issues?
I suggest the attacks are merely because the unvaccinated are believed to be conservative Trumpers who deserve a tragic fate.
I am vaccinated and I have many friends both conservative and liberal who for personal reasons chose not to get vaccinated.
Stop with the attacks and respect those who believe in my body, my choice.
Tom Peña
Oro Valley
Why you need to get vaccinated
Re: the Aug. 23 article “Losing compassion for unvaccinated.”
To all the remaining vaccine skeptics, please read this guest opinion article. This was written by an infectious disease physician working endless hours to save patients infected by COVID-19. She systematically addresses the reasons some resist vaccination and puts each in perspective. Please read this compelling essay. I reinforce her final statement — get vaccinated!
Dale Keyes
Downtown
Afghanistan, it’s my fault
After my tour in Vietnam, I came back to the States and threw my medals on the White House lawn. I joined Vietnam Veterans Against the War, protested in Washington, wrote to my legislators, wrote to the president and voted against the war.
Regarding Afghanistan, I did nothing. I knew the war was a lost cause from the start, another attempt at nation building and perpetual resentful occupation, and a wrong-headed effort that cost many lives and ruined many more. Yet I and tens of thousands of other Americans did nothing, we sat on our butts and watched as the hubris and folly of the military led us in another unnecessary war. We let it go on for 20 years.
I am ashamed that I did nothing to stop another senseless war. Afghanistan is my fault.
Carl Foster
Green Valley
