Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.news From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Religious right derails ERA in Iowa Date: Sun, 15 Nov 92 16:56:27 EST Message-ID: \SE A;NATION \SS (WS) \HD Religious right derails ERA in Iowa \BY ASSOCIATED PRESS \DT DES MOINES, Iowa DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - A state Equal Rights Amendment was leading in the polls until conservatives such as Phyllis Schlafly and Pat Robertson entered the fray. The result: Iowa voters rejected the amendment by a margin of 52 percent to 48 percent in the Nov. 3 election. ERA opponents say their victory provided important tactical lessons at a time when some had hoped to revive the effort to write the amendment into the U.S. Constitution. "The pro-family movement has developed a very powerful infrastructure at the grass-roots level," said Ralph Reed, executive director of the Virginia-based Christian Coalition, founded by Mr. Robertson. "We attribute it to the dedication of our workers and the intervention of God," said Donna Leporte, head of the Iowa chapter of Mrs. Schlafly's Eagle Forum. Cynthia Terrell, leader of the Iowa Women's Equality Campaign, had another explanation: "People voted out of fear," she said. "The lies have worked again." The Illinois-based Eagle Forum helped bankroll the ERA opposition, which Mr. Reed estimated called 43,000 Iowa voters. The day-to-day campaign was managed by longtime Robertson associate Marlene Elwell. Arguing that the ERA would broaden access to abortion and bolster gay rights, the campaign included advertisements portraying openly affectionate homosexuals. In addition, Catholic bishops issued a statement of alarm over the ERA. Mr. Robertson sent a fund-raising letter accusing "radical feminists" of pushing a hidden agenda that "encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians." The evangelist and former presidential candidate later denied writing the letter, saying an aide was the author, but he affirmed its sentiments. Sixteen states have equal-rights provisions in their constitutions, including Wyoming, which enacted one in 1890. Massachusetts was the last state to add an ERA, in 1976. The Iowa amendment was modeled on the national Equal Rights Amendment, which narrowly failed to get support to become part of the U.S. Constitution. The time limit on national ERA ratification ran out June 30, 1982. Iowa's proposed state amendment would have added "and women" to Section 1 of the state constitution, which says, "All men are, by nature, free and equal, and have certain inalienable rights." The proposed amendment also would have added a sentence that said, "Neither the state nor any of its political subdivisions shall, on the basis of gender, deny or restrict the equality of rights under the law." After the defeat, Iowa supporters immediately began talking of trying again. Opponents said not to bother. "If I were running their campaign, I wouldn't waste my resources on a dead-end battle," Mrs. Schlafly said. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM