Our country proudly sings, brags, and pontificates on being the Land of the Free, and our foundation upon Liberty. However, our stance on Equality is revoltingly absent from anything we cherish. The concept of citizen equality is all but missing from the documents which founded the country. It is not mentioned in the Bill of Rights, the Pledge of Allegiance, or the National Anthem. It is only once mentioned in the Constitution and in the Declaration of Independence. The Fourteenth Amendment guarantees Equal Protection and the Declaration of Independence erroneously postulates ‘all men are created equal’; which we inherently know is not true. Perhaps, just perhaps, if the concept of citizen Equality were so important it would be more prominently mentioned. Perhaps, just perhaps, the Equal Rights Amendment would have been ratified soon after Congressional authorization in 1972.
This country used to pride itself on being the Great Experiment, The Great Melting Pot. The Statue of Liberty used to proudly symbolize a young county’s eagerness to embrace peoples from all countries, ethnicities, and religions. To some, The Great Melting Pot only works if only the thick rich white cream is allowed to rise to the surface and keep the other ingredients stifled underneath. The cauldron has been stirred only a few times. The Civil War churned it well, and then forced settling by Jim Crow laws regained the majorities chosen equilibrium. Women’s suffrage and the Voting Rights Act (1964) thinned and diluted the integrity of the thick white cream. The Equal Rights Amendment of 1972 tried to stir the pot, but to really no avail. And today, to the horror of the thinning white cream plurality, the cauldron is again being stirred by those, across the country, supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. This will be an uphill struggle. Denial of inequality is a clear form of bias and racism and racism is deeply rooted in our culture making equality an after, after, thought in our conscious. There is some hope, in 2018 the Southern Baptist Convention formally renounced its 1845 foundations of supporting slavery: only 153 years after the end of the Civil War.
The concept of Equality has two aspects: Treatment and Opportunity. Until those who feel there is no inequality begin to think, maybe, just maybe those who live with inequality might have a voice which should be heard; simple equal treatment will not happen. Without equal treatment, equal opportunity will never happen. Without equal treatment and opportunity, the country will never achieve its greatest potential gained through a homogenous blend of the skills, talents, and wisdom of all our citizens. We instinctively know people are not equal; but they should be treated equally and have an equal opportunity to achieve their aspirations.
Perhaps, just perhaps, Article 1 of the Equal Rights Amendment should read “All Citizens of the United States Women shall have equal rights in the United States and every place subject to it’s jurisdiction. Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex without exception or clarification.” I sadly ponder how long, if ever, such a change would be passed by Congress and ratified by the States. If after thirty-eight years we cannot ratify an amendment requiring sexual equality what are the odds of one requiring equal treatment for all of us? We must stand tall, grab your biggest spoon, and vigorously stir the pot. #NeverFearTheDream
simplebender 