ERA is Independence

By Susan Hines

I am angry and with legitimate reason. Any man or woman of this free society should show the same concern for a germane constitutional amendment that is being considered at this time. The Equal Rights Amendment is not just in favor of women, but in favor of all who wish to be free and treated justly.

There is not one single argument that can stand against this amendment. All anti-ERA arguments have been literally ripped apart by pure logical reasoning. The only thing that fights the ERA is a stagnant society yearning for the way things used to be, a culture that ties in the past and hinders the future.

Last month Atlanta hosted an ERA rally downtown in front of the capital. Politicians such as George Busby and Sidney Marcus spoke brilliantly in its favor. The rally was a big success. Equal Rights enthusiasts hope it will be one of the building blocks in making Georgia one of the remaining three states to vote the ERA in. It was an important success in the city, but what of the state?

Some say Atlanta is not Georgia. The city promotes the Equal Rights Amendment whereas the state is not enthusiastically in its favor. Maybe the northerners are right. We are nothing more than rowdie, redneck idiots who want no more than a big car, a steady job, and a wad of chewing tobacco.

Ladies! Gentlemen! Yield to the logic of the situation.

Some argue that equal rights was achieved years ago and at ERA is implicit in the Constitution. These people take a stand against it because they say the law is already written. Wrong. Those who believe the law is implicit in the Constitution should have no qualms, no reservations, in supporting and making womens rights explicit.

I cheer on those men intelligent enough to see Equal Rights as their freedom too; they are absolutely right. Anyone should clearly he able to see its importance.

And what are the ladies against? They must be the ones who wish to be understood as a joke. Women without dignity, without a sense of pride in their own sex, will go on to be the enslavers of mankind. They will be the ones whose job it is to take on the kids, get the groceries, cook the meals, and still hold down that extra job hubby said needed to be worked to keep the house unmortgaged.

Now is the time for social and sexual freedom! This country, is based upon the democratic oath, a way of life which dictates equality on all levels, regardless of race, creed, sex, or national origin. Why is it then an amendment so clear, so logical, sticks in the throat of the government?

Only three more states need to ratify the ERA; perhaps Georgia will be one of them.

There really is reasoning besides sexual bigotry that holds back the wheels of progress. In an ever changing culture, we need people that can adapt to the laws of logic.

By Alec Uitti

Have you ever been angry at a teacher who presents fuzzy directions then looks at you funnily when you inquire about them later? More than likely you have, because it happens to many of us unfortunate lay students.

Yes, some teachers practice very poor handwriting, but this is not too much to grieve about since it is widespread practice among teachers all over America.

On the other hand, some do not pronounce and/or spell various words correctly, and this is rather sad when you think about it. But, when an English grammar teacher is guilty of mispronouncing and mispelling, it makes one want to cry. These are not the tears of self-pity; quite the contrary, these are the tears of pity for the undifferentiated mass known as the lay student-- especially the student planning a career that calls for accuracy in grammar and pronunciation; i.e., scholars, professors, and accomplished writers.

Yet, the real irony of the situation can be summed up by asking: Where were these teachers taught in the first place and how did they become teachers in the second??

Be that as it may, not too many people know that another side to this story does exist, be it ever so vague. This is rather a theory that was, until now, known only to a chosen few. A theory that was known only to two laboratory rats and a rather mad student (names withheld). Has it ever occurred to anyone that perhaps these clever teachers have been, as the saying goes, putting, one over on us? For example, just imagine that, all this time, our teachers have been purposely blundering, so as to have a therapeutic effect on us students; the works of some accomplished writers are so serenely perfect that many students come away after reading them with an aggravated inferiority complex caused by the knowledge that no matter how hard they try they can never hope to achieve such beauty, whereas listening to their teacher comforts the students with the egobuilding and not unrealistic feeling that even if the student hasn't had any experience, lie could easily do as well with one's brain, as it were, tied behind his back. It makes one think.

Nevertheless, after all has come to pass, we lay students shall somehow graduate and consequently become proctologists, school principals. or whatever. . . and a new generation shall arise to wipe clear, (if one may be permitted a metaphor), the fuzziness from the window of uncertainty, and lay persons shall see clearly once again.