GS: As long as women are possessions not people, or objects not subjects, and there’s this enormous motivation to control reproduction, which in turn produces the gender roles – then the result is that masculinity is defined by dominating women. It’s like a drug – men get hooked on the idea that they have to be violent towards women, or at least control women, in order to be real men. And if they are not doing that, then they feel like an addict without a fix. This is probably worse in countries that have been under colonial domination, so the model of ruling manhood was doubly cruel and dominating, and men’s minds are still colonized by it. So we have to humanize the gender roles, which are in any case, the biggest source of violence on Earth, as at least one chief of state has pointed out – Olaf Palme of Sweden – and then he, too, was murdered.

CEDAW, Unfinished Business, Along With ERA

Time for U.S. Senate to Act on U.N. Women's Treaty

By Linda Tarr-WhelanWeNews commentatorFriday, December 18, 2009

The United Nations' global treaty on women's rights--the Conventionon the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women--turns 30 today and the U.S. still hasn't ratified it. Linda Tarr-Whelan saysthe U.S. must get its house in order.

Editor's Note: The following is a commentary. The opinions expressed are those of the author and not necessarily the views of Women'seNews.

(WOMENSENEWS)--Today is an important 30th anniversary forwomen's rights.On Dec. 18, 1979, the United Nations adopted the Convention on theElimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, or CEDAW, making it a watershed day for women around the globe. This international agreement was Eleanor Roosevelt's dream and is one of the pillars of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The global community went on the record to challenge every government to protect the human rights of women and girls by working together. In those heady days, I was deputy assistant to President Jimmy Carterfor women's concerns. We expected speedy action after he sent thetreaty to the Senate. That wasn't what happened.

CEDAW--the only international instrument that comprehensively addresses women's rights within political, civil, cultural, economic and social life--is still unfinished business here in the UnitedStates, but not in the rest of the world.

As a former ambassador in the late 1990s, I was often challenged on the United States' failure to act. We rightly see ourselves as champions of human rights, but for a generation we've neglected to become full partners in the global movement for gender equality. Accountability is why the treaty makes a difference. It provides activists with a set of agreed-upon benchmarks to use when they press for change and monitor their governments.

Helping Activists WinIn Ukraine, Nepal, Thailand and the Philippines pressure on their governments to live up to the treaty provided the backbone for laws to curb sexual trafficking. India developed national guidelines on workplace sexual assault. Nicaragua, Jordan, Egypt and Guinea have seen increases in literacy rates. San Francisco, the only U.S. jurisdiction to adopt CEDAW as part ofits local legal code, now has more streetlights to decrease sexual assault and newly gender-balanced boards and commissions.

It's time to get our house in order, because CEDAW isn't just for far-away women. It also matters to women here. Adopting the women's treaty would provide a spotlight on progress, a self-assessment tool and the incentive to do better. Eighty-three countries have proportionally more women in Congress than we do. Thegender wage gap saps the family purse. Paid family leave, standard practice in the rest of the industrialized world, remains out of reach.

With CEDAW in place, U.S. women's rights champions could face our government with a new level of accountability.Virtually every other country has joined this global cooperative effort. Activists and governments on every continent use this universal women's treaty to advance and empower women. The United States, however, stands shoulder to shoulder with the only outliers who have not ratified CEDAW--Sudan, Iran, Somalia and a few small island nations.

Internationally, although we "talk the talk" and sometimes"walk the walk," our absence as partners on gender equality shortchanges women.Our forceful voices and strong support are needed by women whose rights are routinely trampled in far corners of the world. America's clout matters to women struggling for basics like owning property or going to school, or where girls are trafficked or face rank discrimination every day.

30 Percent Tipping PointRatifying CEDAW would take 67 votes in the U.S. Senate.Our path would be much easier if our Senate, like those of 23 other countries including Rwanda, Argentina, Angola, Costa Rica and much of Europe, had 30 percent women. The 30 percent figure is the tipping point, where women's ideas,values and priorities are heard and heeded. My book, "Women Lead the Way: Your Guide to Stepping Up toLeadership and Changing the World," details how 101 countrieshave embraced this model, why it works and how we can get there.We can't wait for balanced leadership in the U.S. Senate. CEDAW must be ratified without delay or political games. President Obama should lead the way to create the day he portrayedwhen he spoke of a 'new beginning' at Cairo University on June 4. Hesaid, "I am convinced that our daughters can contribute just as much to society as our sons. Our common prosperity will be advanced by allowing all humanity--men as well as women--to meet their full potential."Let's show we mean what we say.

The clock is ticking. As Secretary of State Hillary Clinton famously said, "Human rights are women's rights and women's rights are human rights."The women of the world are watching and waiting. We must honor them and act now.
Linda Tarr-Whelan is the author of "Women Lead the Way: YourGuide to Stepping Up to Leadership and Changing the World" and a Demos Distinguished Senior Fellow. She served as ambassador to the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women in the Clinton administration and as deputy assistant for women's concerns to President JimmyCarter. Her Web site is www.lindatarr-whelan.com. For more information:CEDAWhttp://www.womenstreaty.orghttp://www.womensenews.org/story/commentary/091217/time-us-senate-act-un-womens-treaty

Equal Rights Alliance IS HONORED TO PRESENT OUR ERA SPEAKERS at the many Florida Legislative Delegation meetings, Sept. -- Feb., 2010 (our goal is all 67 counties!). They have many more credentials than can be listed here. They all gave of their time to attend the Fall meetings of their county's Florida State legislators and speak about why those legislators should co-sponsor and vote for the 2010 ERA bills, HCR 8003 or SCR 1192:

ALACHUA Margaret Joyner, member AAUW
BAY Alvin Peters, attorney
BREVARD Amy Tidd, county activist
BROWARD Andrea Schenk McKinnon
CALHOUN Betty Hudson, county activist
CHARLOTTE Rosemary Hagen, UU Church
CITRUS no spkr 09
CLAY no spkr 09
COLLIER Dr. NorineHemping, county activist
COLUMBIA Peggy Wolsfelt, county activist
DE SOTA Lynn Kalish, idea person, county activist
DUVAL no speaker 09
ESCAMBIA Susan Frishkorn, county activist with radio show
FLAGLER Mary Anne Clark, county activist
GADSDEN no spkr 09
GLADES Mary Giddens, county activist
GULF Zebe Schmidt, county activist
HAMILTON Barry Parsons, regional activist
HENDRY No speaker 09HERNANDO Miranda Griffin, county activist HIGHLANDS Tonya Marshall, county activist, NAACP
HILLSBOROUGH Rebekah Tucci, law student
INDIAN RIVER Pam Director, county activist
JEFFERSON Dick/Ann Mara, area activists
LAKE No speaker 09
LEE Betty Gissendanner, regional-county activist
LEON Katy Hayden, FSU graduate studentLEVY no spkr 09
LIBERTY no spkr 09
MADISON Barry Parsons, regional activist
MANATEE Dr. Sarah Meaker, businesswoman
MARION Dr Ann Barefield, UU Leader
MARTIN Patti Tobin, county activist
MIAMI-DADE Paula Xanthopolous CommStatus Women
MONROE No spkr 09.
NASSAU no spkr 09
OKALOOSA Judy Riley, county activist
ORANGE Nancy Jacobson, county activist
OSCEOLA Fmr. Congresswoman Patricia S Schroeder
PASCO Alice Delgardo, BPW and county activist
PALM BCH no spkr 09, county activist
PINELLAS Becca Hutchinson, pre-law student at Eckerd College
POLK Rebekah Tucci , law student
PUTNAM no spkr 09
ST JOHNS Annette Capella, county activist
ST LUCIE No speaker 09
SANTA ROSA Ann Del Rio, grassroots activist
SARASOTA Lynn Kalish
SEMINOLE no spkr 09
SUMTER Sue Michaelson
SUWANNEE Randy Hatch, Candidate for Agriculture Commissioner TAYLOR Diane Whitfield, community activist
VOLUSIA Pat Kershner , retired teacher, ERA Regional Director

Let's HEAR it for these speakers who are vital to getting ERA information out to legislators who otherwise refuse to hear it. EXTEMELY IMPORTANT ERA work! We arrange it and supply a powerful 3 minute sample speech. Most are energized to "become political" because they've now met their own legislators. The Alliance is delighted. YOU can do the same next Fall---> email RatifyERA@cs.com now.

LAUNCHING REVOLUTION -- Equal Rights Amendment work !

Colleagues For Passage of the Equal Rights Amendment:

You have the fullest opportunity RIGHT NOW to join with us, climb aboard the ERA Revolution being launched RIGHT NOW. We have been saying it, now let's DO IT. Link arms with us--a Revolution takes ALL of us marching. As we do, We WIN for ALL of us human beings.

Here's why:


Democracy is in crisis.
Crisis presents opportunity.
Opportunity opens the door to co-creativity.
It is time for breakthroughs.

I present just a "taste" of Tom Atlee's article below as a teaser. Read MORE, if you've the time at the url below. You'll see there are rising rebellions all over America in response to the crisis. It's TIME for US to reclaim our Constitution and our rights via the Equal Rights Amendment.

http://tom-atlee.posterous.com/democracy-in-crisis-breakdown-and-
breakthrough
or http://bit.ly/DemocBreak

Democracy is in crisis.
Crisis presents opportunity.
Opportunity opens the door to co-creativity.
It is time for breakthroughs.


DEMOCRACY IN CRISIS: BREAKDOWN AND BREAKTHROUGH

by Tom Atlee


I'll talk about democracy in a minute. But first a note about crises
and evolution.

Evolutionary science tells us that crises and catastrophes are
cauldrons of co-creativity, generating new forms.

Perhaps the most dramatic example is how the 70 heavier-than-iron
elements get created in supernovae explosions of dying stars, some of
which burst so violently they are as bright as a whole galaxy. You
can't get much more catastrophically creative than that.

See examples of the organizing that's happening in America:

http://tom-atlee.posterous.com/democracy-in-crisis-breakdown-and-
breakthrough
or http://bit.ly/DemocBreak

sandyo, ERA Inc

ERA Stance of Rep. Evan Jenne, House Bill Sponsor 2010

“In light of the economic and social conditions we all currently face, I can’t think of a better time to guarantee in the United States Constitution the equal rights of men and women alike. As sponsor of HCR 8003 in the 2010 Regular Legislative Session, I am proud to be a part of this historical, yet timely effort in Florida to ratify the proposed Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.”
--State Representative Evan Jenne, House District 100

New Streamlined 2010 Florida Equal Rights Amendment bill, Senate / House

This is a Concurrent Resolution, meaning that the Senate and House wording is identical. Honorable Senator Arthenia Joyner (D-Manatee, Hillsborough, Pinellas Counties) has already filed it before Florida's Senate and Representative Evan Jenne has done so before the Florida House of Representatives. Wording of the 2010 SCR 1192 / HCR 8003 follows. Please see that your own Florida senator and representative (YOU are their VIP, their Constituent) know of your unending desire to see that the Florida legislature does ratify (vote for, and pass) this bill. Scroll down for current, comprehensive and correct bullet-pointed ERA Talking Points. Consult Facts for Legislators at http://www.ratifyERAflorida.net/ for explanations. Check whether your own two legislators have co-sponsored this critically important bill by clicking on Co-sponsoring Legislators at that web site. Request that they do, and thank them if they have!


TEXT OF THE 2010 EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT BILL (has been filed continuously since the 2003 Session)

Florida Senate - 2010 SCR 1192 By Senator Joyner 18-00004A-10 20101192__
1 Senate Concurrent Resolution
2 A concurrent resolution ratifying the proposed
3 amendment to the Constitution of the United States
4 relating to equal rights for men and women.
5
6 WHEREAS, during the Second Session of the Ninety-second
7 Congress of the United States of America, by a constitutional
8 majority of two-thirds, both houses approved the Equal Rights
9 Amendment, and
10 WHEREAS, on March 22, 1972, this proposed amendment to the
11 Constitution of the United States was sent to the states for
12 ratification, and
13 WHEREAS, Article V of the United States Constitution
14 authorizes the Legislature of Florida to ratify proposed
15 amendments to the Constitution of the United States, and
16 WHEREAS, 35 of the necessary 38 states have already
17 ratified the Equal Rights Amendment, and
18 WHEREAS, constitutional equality for men and women
19 continues to be timely in the United States and worldwide, and
20 many other nations have achieved constitutional equality for
21 their men and women, NOW, THEREFORE,
22
23 Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida, the House
24 of Representatives Concurring:
25
26 That the proposed amendment to the Constitution of the
27 United States set forth below is ratified by the Legislature of
28 the State of Florida.
29 “Article ____”
30 “SECTION 1. Equality of rights under the law shall not be
31 denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on
32 account of sex.”

33“SECTION 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce,
34 by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.”
35 “SECTION 3. This amendment shall take effect two years
36 after the date of ratification.”
37 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of the
38 foregoing preamble and resolution be immediately forwarded by
39 the Secretary of State of the State of Florida, under the great
40 seal, to the President of the United States, the Secretary of
41 State of the United States, the President of the Senate of the
42 United States, the Speaker of the House of Representatives of
43 the United States, and the Administrator of General Services of
44 the United States.
##

In response to the New York Times article, 1-18-2010, “In Germany, A Tradition Falls and Women Rise”, Sandy Oestreich, ERA Inc. says yaaaaaaaaaaay!

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/18/world/europe/18iht-women.html?pagewanted=all


What is desperately required here in America, as I cannot speak for other countries, is to put an end to the fruitless and harmful traditions, policies and mores that stifle women, men and their families.

If I hear one more time about the IMPOSSIBLE "work-life balance" that women (but not men) are exhorted to achieve here in America (but not in Norway or Sweden, etc.), I will truly vomit!

No, what's REALLY needed here is a codified GUARANTEE OF EQUALITY so that this work-'em-until-they-drop and include a strong dose of unearned guilt is put to death.

Women, men, families, middle-class and poorer-class people, RISE AND DEMAND that the states stop dithering over the re-ignited Equal Rights Amendment.

FINALLY, PASS THE ERA AND GET ON WITH THE VIGOR THAT PROGRESS PERMITS AND ENABLES BUSINESS AND PERSONAL GROWTH just like all those nations since WWII that already have an ERA!

What's WRONG with America that it so worships keeping more than half its population in irons, yet demands 80 hour weeks out of us? Men, where is your vaunted courage and strength--STAND with your women for equality for all regardless of gender, THE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT.

It's time to put away childish tales of fragile women that are made to work as second-class citizens. It's time to honor both men and women's rights as are race, religion and national origin.

For if we don't, America in status quo will smother all of us!

All are warmly welcomed to www.RatifyERAflorida.net where we work for the final 3 states' ratifications so that FINALLY the US Constitution will testify that sexual equality is naturally, fundamentally, morally, and traditionally a GOOD thing for all!

PASS THE ERA, America, and let's get On With Life!

RatifyERA@cs.com; www.RatifyERAflorida.net, the kudo-earning roadmap to equality. Take a drive through and see what's possible.

New Bulletted TALKING POINTS

ERA is BAAAACK !!!


The EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT bill has been successfully before Florida Legislature the past 8 years but never heard by the Florida House of Representatives.

ERA. Clearly, Florida voters want it,
ERA. 49 Florida legislators have cosponsored the ERA bill*.
ERA. 35 other states have already vetted and voted for it. As have all nations since WWII !
ERA is a BIPARTISAN bill.
ERA cannot be amended.
ERA. Is NOT about same-sex or abortion. Doesn’t regulate them.
ERA is NOT dead, no matter what Special Interests tell you.
ERA benefits Men and the Economy as well as Women.
ERA. Divorcing men want it, and Working Families need it badly.

ERA is one bill that requires NO FUNDING !!!
ERA is Win-Win: Who could be against equality for all Americans ?

*PLEASE CO-SPONSOR the ERA bill*

HCR 8003 -- SCR 1192
* URGE HEARINGS *
* VOTE FOR ERA *

Thank you !

Equal Rights Alliance, Inc.
mailto:RatifyERA@cs.com
RatifyERAflorida.net


(click “Facts for Legislators” button at www.RatifyERAflorida.net for documentation of the above statements .) Spring 2010
© 2010 Equal Rights Alliance Inc. All rights reserved. Permission to copy required.