Word: defeats
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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Realistically, now, it will have to stand as a birthright deferred. Feminists of both genders attached a strong symbolic importance to the passing of the ERA and find in its final and formal defeat last week intimations of national malaise (see following story). "It is an appalling obscenity not to pass the ERA, when everyone knows women have to work and society wants them to work," says Novelist-Critic Elizabeth Hardwick. "There is an illiberal and I think tyrannical minority imposing its will on obvious needs for social change," remarks Novelist John Irving, who wrestled questions of feminism and family...
...supporters vowed vengeance for the amendment's defeat. The National Women's Political Caucus issued a "dirty dozen" list of state legislators, all male, who "roadblocked the Equal Rights Amendment." More constructively, they pledged to elect women to office in far greater numbers. Said Goucher College Student Anna Maria Halkousis: "In America, over half the population is female, but we are not the better half and not even the other half. In government, we are still the missing half...
Amendment supporters place heavy blame for the defeat on men. Women are, after all, still relatively unrepresented in national and local legislatures. Even powerful male politicians who endorsed the amendment seldom gave it a high priority. Says Liz Carpenter of ERAmerica: "They spent their credit on other issues." Smeal focuses on the "invisible lobby of business" that profits from sexual discrimination. She notes that no trade association, no businessman's alliance, no Chamber of Commerce and no National Association of Manufacturers was on the roll of ERA supporters. But her strongest condemnation is of the insurance industry. NOW claims...
Though pro-ERA forces scored impressive successes-mobilizing thousands of people for rallies, maneuvering for the deadline extension, getting organizations to relocate conventions to ratified states-they also clearly must share in the blame for the amendment's defeat. Feminists relied too much on moral fervor and impassioned rhetoric, and displayed little of the political savvy needed to wage an effective state-by-state ratification drive. Symbolically perhaps, Smeal showed great tenacity and faith but revealed little taste or talent for politicians or politics. In the early days activists did not seem to know how to find a precinct...
...there was developing a widespread feeling that the P.L.O. power structure must leave - and soon. Said a West Beirut shopkeeper: "If the Palestinians do not go, they will take us all down with them." Expressing some of the same feelings, a Palestinian business man declared: "The P.L.O. must accept defeat. We have all suffered too much madness and destruction." Everyone could agree on that. At week's end, as the Israelis moved to seal off all entry to West Beirut, the question was whether the negotiations could succeed in time to head off the Israeli onslaught. - By William...