Concerned Citizens for Equality

Who Are We?

Concerned Citizens for Equality is a diverse group of citizens coming together in support of only one thing—ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment. We happily agree to set aside our differences in focusing together on seeing the Amendment ratified. We understand this to be a foundational protection for all Americans—both women and men—and is harmful to none.  

   Concerned Citizens for Equality believes that citizens from a broad spectrum of racial, social, political, and religious backgrounds can come together in support of the one thing we agree that we all need, and that is an Equal Rights Amendment.

   We have resolved not to confuse the issues or to seek to incorporate multiple issues into our advocacy within the group.

   Our one and only platform is ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment.

   With ongoing controversy concerning birth control, abortion, and same sex marriage, many proponents of the ERA forget that passing the Equal Rights Amendment would regulate none of these things yet are attempting to capitalize on the controversy in order to further the movement to ratify ERA.

   Concerned Citizens for Equality believe this “blending of the issues” to be one of the primary reasons ERA has not yet been ratified. Many who would otherwise join together in insisting that our lawmakers ratify the Amendment have been polarized by strong opposing—often sacred—convictions, which polarization is deliberately promoted by those who fear and hate the idea of Constitutional equality and protection for all Americans regardless of sex.

   Because of conflicting ideologies, we have been encouraged to fear each other and separate ourselves from the very thing that would give us the political strength and popular support needed to ratify the amendment—and that is each other.

   We understand and are committed to helping others understand that not a single one of the issues which tend to keep supporters of equality separated would be regulated or violated by passage of the desperately needed Equal Rights Amendment!

   The side issues are just that, side issues. We do not claim that they are unimportant. We agree that they are very important. But we have resolved that we will no longer allow these side issues to separate us, nor will we make them the nexus of our arguments in favor of passing the Equal Rights Amendment.

   The Equal Rights Amendment will grant Constitutional equality and Constitutional protection to all Americans, both women and men. That is the beginning, the middle, and the end of it.

   We have resolved to stop blending and confusing the issues and have joined together in support of the one thing that we all agree is a good thing, and that is the EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT.

 The complete text of the Equal Rights Amendment

Section 1. Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.

Section 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.

Section 3. This amendment shall take effect two years after the date of ratification.

Our message is simple: Ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment is simply the RIGHT thing to do.

Below is a transcript of the very short speech made before the Hillsborough County Legislative Delegation in on Sept. 27, 2011 by founder, Jocelyn Andersen. The following succinctly sums up the mission and message Concerned Citizens for Equality:

   "Only three states are needed to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment.

   Women are guaranteed only one right under the United States Constitution, and that is the right to vote. This should be unacceptable to all Americans.

   The 14th Amendment is often cited as giving women equal rights. It does not. It does not mention women at all but does specify that only men can vote. It is rather antiquated and it has been suggested that it be repealed.

  American women enjoy many privileges today, but they are just that, privileges—not rights. Privileges are easily revoked while rights, on the other hand, are not.

   American Women are forced to accept revocable privileges in exchange for rights because we do not enjoy the same level of protection under the United States Constitution that American men do.

   Barry Goldstein stated in his Times article that 40 states have determined that gender bias against mothers exists in their family court systems. This is resulting in immeasurable harm to children who are being placed in the custody of abusers in alarming numbers. We need an Equal Rights Amendment, among other things, to stop this abuse of women and children in our family court systems.

    America is just three states away from ratifying an amendment that would guarantee Constitutional equality for all of its citizens, not just its male citizens."

Contact Info

Concerned Citizens for Equality

113 Cotton Ct

Auburndale, FL 33823

ATTN: Jocelyn Andersen

(863)206-8639

eramendment@gmail.com

http://eramendment.blogspot.com/

http://Twitter.com/jocelynandersen  

There is nothing about Equality that should frighten us. But inequality should terrify us!

http://jocelynandersen.blogspot.com/2012/02/warriors-for-era.html 

Open Letter to Judge Liliana S. DeAvila-Silebi

The Honorable Liliana S. DeAvila-Silebi
Judge of the Justice Court of Bergen County New Jersey
10 Main Street
Hackensack, New Jersey 07601Case# 09-06-1226-I, New Jersey vs. George Hartwig Sentencing scheduled for March 23, 2012

Dear Judge Liliana DeAvila-Silebi,

I am writing as a concerned citizen interested in fair and equal justice for women, about the case of George Hartwig and his violence against his wife, Denise Richardson, and his sister-in-law, Louisa Rodas.

This case, as you well know, is one of the most tragic accounts of domestic violence in recent memory. I have followed this case closely since these crimes were committed by George Hartwig in December of 2008. It is apparent to me, and to most women alive today, that the law does not adequately protect women from abusers known and unknown, and that the convention in law is to allow for lesser sentences when a man abuses a person, especially a woman or child, that he knows and has a relationship with.

This seems completely upside down to me. A man who perpetrates violence against a woman with whom he has a relationship–whatever that relationship–should receive a harsher, not a lesser sentence. Women should, without question, expect that the men in their lives will at the very least do them no physical harm.

George Hartwig has a long history of criminal activity, including domestic violence and drug/alcohol charges. If the law had done its job when it released him after he had bashed in the skull of his wife to secure her pain medications for himself, Louisa might still be the functioning, smiling woman she was before George Hartwig shot her.

The law will have to live with that black stain on it, but it can take action to correct this wrong.I am writing to ask you to sentence George Hartwig to the maximum sentences that are allowed for the 10 crimes he’s been charged with, and that you order these sentences to be served consecutively.

Doing this will send a powerful message to the women of today that justice will be served when they are victims of a crime at the hands of a loved one. It will also serve as a powerful message to the men in our communities that violence against the women they are supposed to love and cherish will not be tolerated by the society in which we live.

You have the power to deliver this message, to stop giving this man more chances to harm more women, including Betty Jean Kling, whose life will be in danger if he is ever released. I urge you to do the right thing and deliver this message in the form of your sentence upon George Hartwig. I thank you for taking the time to consider my appeal and the appeals of others who are interested in seeking fair and equal justice for  women who suffer domestic violence.

Sincerely...,

http://louisaslaw.wordpress.com/2011/11/07/help-get-justice-for-louisa/