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Nancy Mace on Civil Rights |
Today she is a wife, mother and small business owner.
She authored In the Company of Men: A Woman at The Citadel in 2001, published by Simon and Schuster.
"Nancy is a role model for every female cadet who comes here," said Samuel Hines Jr., dean and provost of the college at The Citadel. "You're talking about someone who was enormously successful academically but also who thrived in the corps of cadets."
As Kim's roommate, I was the center of intense questioning by the FBI. They asked me if my chain of command officers had subjected me to the kind of hazing that Kim and Jeanie reported. I replied they had not, except for some nasty comments, my company had treated me just like all the other knobs.
Security was increased around [the 4th female classmate] Petra, and me. Guards were set, and we were told to lock our doors at night. Panic buttons that would immediately summon the guards were installed in our rooms.
Kim Messer and Jeanie Mentalavos left after one semester. While admitting no guilt, The Citadel settled out of court with a monetary payment to both plaintiffs.
H.J.Res.17: Removing the deadline for the ratification of the equal rights amendment: This joint resolution eliminates the deadline for the ratification of the ERA, which prohibits discrimination based on sex. The amendment was proposed to the states in House Joint Resolution 208 of the 92nd Congress, as agreed to in the Senate on March 22, 1972. The amendment shall be part of the Constitution whenever ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the states.
Opinion to vote YES (Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL-7): The ERA was first proposed in 1923, shortly after women gained the right to vote. [The original] 1979 deadline was later extended before it expired. By the end of 1982, 35 of the 38 required state legislatures had voted to ratify the ERA. Nevada ratified the ERA in 2017, Illinois in 2018 and, in January 2020, Virginia became the 38th and final state required to ratify it. If passed in the Senate, H.J. Res. 79 would remove the arbitrary 1982 deadline.
Opinion to vote NO (Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA-1): H. J. Res 17 would retroactively remove the deadline for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. Regardless of your thoughts on the ERA, the deadline for the states to ratify the amendment expired four decades ago. By passing this resolution, House Democrats are virtue signaling and trying to take a shortcut around what is required in our constitutional amendment process. Those who want to pass an ERA will need to start this process from the beginning. Today's vote mocks the intentionally high bar set by our Founders to make changes to our precious Constitution.
Legislative Outcome: Passed House 222-204-4 on 03/17/2021; received in the Senate and read on 3/23. [OnTheIssues notes on the duration for ratification that the 27th Amendment to the United States Constitution was passed by Congress in 1789 and was ratified by 3/4 of the States and became law in 1992, a ratification period of 202 years].