What is going on in NC with the ERA?

Valentines Day 2017 the Equal Rights Amendment was introduced to North Carolina State Legislature by Senator Floyd McKissick, Jr., and Representative Carla Cunningham. We beckoned folks to celebrate Equality by supporting the ERA to show love for their partners. Over 100 citizens made their way to Raleigh the State Capitol to meet with their representatives to speak on behalf of this movement towards equality on Women’s Advocacy Day. We have called, we have emailed, hand written letters and postcards, we have had a very vocal meeting in the Legislative building, filling the available seats in the House, yet the Chairman of the House Rules Committee David Lewis has yet to acknowledge H102, same goes for the Senate side Senator Phil Berger President Pro Tempore have yet to call S85 to hearing.

The ERA would have had to wait till 2019 to be introduced again if it weren’t for Senate Resolution 676 rule 41, which states that any Constitutional or NC State Constitutional Amendment is exempt from cross over deadline from the House to the Senate (which was April 27, 2017)  This is wonderful news, yet we are not sure if our Legislators in the House Rules Committee would have simply let the ERA “die” with out knowledge of the allowance made by the Senate to let the bill continue to have the ability to be called to hearing. 

So it is still alive, our main enemies remain to be ignorance and apathy. So we must educate each other! Ratify ERA-NC is working closely with the ERA Alliance to build a “tool kit” on making local city and county resolutions(ten have already passed resolutions in 2016 &2017)  in support of the ERA which can then use the city’s lobbyist in Raleigh to make statements on our behalf and teaching constituents how to communicate with their reps as well. A valuable tool in the kit is the film Equal Means Equal, a documentary by Kamala Lopez highlighting the history of the ERA it’s importance and relevance is becoming more clear now than ever before.

Why is the ERA more important today than ever before? Because the funding for many programs that support woman and their families are being compromised by our current head of state. We are seeing cuts to family planning groups and funding that may be potentially pulled from the Violence Against Women Act , which was already defunded from $460 million in fiscal 2016 to $155 million in fiscal 2017.  We can no longer stand by while our families and our neighbors families are devalued, we are all human we all need basic things to remain healthy and continue to evolve as a cohesive society striving for peace. This is what we all want for our families and this common goal can not be thwarted, not by terrorists at home or overseas this is a universal goal for all working class people. We are being made to work harder with the cost of living increasing, from food, housing, education and transportation yet we still pay over 50% of the population less than folks with the same qualifications for the same work. Our current laws do not protect youth held in dangerous circumstances from being charged with prostitution contradicting other laws which state those same children are not of age to consent to sexual acts with adults. The injustice goes on yet we no longer stand by unaware. Don’t be distracted by the false seperation being drawn between working class people by those who control the media, do not give in to fearing the ‘evil other’ LOVE is all that will unite us and make room for us to respect our lives and each other’s.

LINK ARMS STAND FOR THE ERA, IT IS THE FOUNDATION OF LAW THAT WILL END WOMEN’S STATUS AS SECOND CLASS CITIZENS IN THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION.

Make a testimonial video recording or send a note telling folks why we need the ERA to be passed! Tag #ERANOW #NC4ERA #RatifyERANC #EqualMeansEqual

Engage your communities and reach out to us for support! We are all affected by the state of things and we all have a choice to stand by apathy or to stand up for truth and justice! 

If you wish to get involved please email: amanda.eramarch@gmail.com

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