What is the significance of the ERA (Equal Rights Amendment)? How could it be enforced? Aren't the rights

Question

covered by the amendment already in existence? Is the amendment just more "feel good" fluff legislation with more potential to be manipulated then produce a tangible result?

Answer 1

Yeah, like hate crimes. Aren't all crimes 'hate' crimes? If someone kills me and steals my money, is that better than killing me for some other reason? Do they now tell the families of slain robbery victims "You will be pleased to know that this was not a hate crime!"

Answer 2

At this point, the thing has got to be decades out of date (I remember it being in the news when I was a little kid), and I think it dates back to the 1920s in some form, and while I'm sure the motives behind it are still relevant, I wonder if the language of the amendment itself isn't hopelessly out of date.

Answer 3

Obviously not or it would already be and you could focus on something else besides feminism.  It will be enforced the same way that all civil rights laws are enforced, either it will be adhered to or it will go through the courts, which will have to uphold it because it is a constitutional amendment.

Surely you know the process for enforcement of law in the United States.  Imagine this, your words and actions towards women could be considered hate crimes...scary isn't it.

Edit:  Sentences are longer for hate crimes - FYI

Tracey - the amendment is just three parts and is very simple.

THE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT

Section 1. Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of s*x.

Section 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.

Section 3. This amendment shall take effect two years after the date of ratification.

Answer 4

Ad-hoc legislation doesn't work, in my opinion.  If we still had specifically different laws for black and white people, it would be considered an outrage.  I'm not saying we need the ERA, as I don't personally know the full facts of the legislation, but I do feel that the US needs to make that statement of full equality, in one specific law, which overrules all other laws.  I think the real question is, why shouldn't there be that law?  Do you really think full legal equality is a bad thing, with possible risks?  :-)

Answer 5

No significance at all.  Sort of like passing a law which says Congress loves puppies.

Answer 6

it tells you how many runs a pitcher lets of per 9 innings on average

Answer 7

The ERA would make s*x discrimination unconstitutional, which it is currently not.

Answer 8

The ERA:

Section 1. Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of s*x.

Section 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.

Section 3. This amendment shall take effect two years after the date of ratification

This constitutional amendment would be no "fluffier" or difficult to enforce than any other amendment such as the 1st, freedom of speech, the 2nd, right to bear arms, or the 26th which prohibits the federal government from forbidding any citizen of age 18 or greater to vote on account of age.  As MRA groups whine, there are sexist laws and customs in place that need the ERA umbrella clarification.  Until men support the ERA, it is vital that women do not support men in their struggles against sexist discrimination's in our laws and customs.  Men as a voting block and as members of nearly all-male state and federal legislative bodies have repeatedly refused to support this amendment when this most certainly enforceable clarification could have benefitted women.