Newspaper Page Text
Spelman Spotlight February 25. 1980
Pape 6
By Samuel Matchett
and Sharon Snead
Just for fun a sample survey
was taken of students attending
Spelman and Morehouse colleges
for their opinions concerning the
following hypothetical situation:
The year is 1983 and the Equal
Rights Amendment, (equality of
rights under the law shall not be
denied or abridged by the United
States or by any state on account
of sex (March 22, 1972,
proposed), has been a ratified
portion of the constitution for the
past four years. On the first day
of April, the United States
becomes officially involved in
military conflict with Russia in
some unfortunate “scapegoat”
country. Both major factions
have quasi-equal military might
and either power will un
doubtedly resort to nuclear war
fare should the tide of battle shift
too conclusively in favor of their
opposition; however, before the
nuclear alternative is considered
and implemented, one should
realistically figure upon the use
of ten of thousands of infantry
soldiers courageously en
deavoring to “make the world
safe for democracy, human rights
•and the American way”. Now, the
real question. In lieu of the
possible privileges and respon
sibilities accessed to women with
the ratification of E.R.A. and in
view of America’s need for man
power in a time of crisis, should
women be expected to serve in
the armed forces on the same
basis as men?
The results of this survey can
not be singularly described, but
most opinions fell into a few
major categories. First, there
were those interviewees who felt
that if a woman has the ability
and desire to defend this country
in time of war then she should by
all means fight, however, the
question of whether or not to
fight goes beyond the con
sideration of mental and physical
capabilities, rather it is a
situation imbued with eons of a
religiously-oriented psychology
which says that there are par
ticular activities in which women
should not participate. Ap
parently this opinion attempts to
convey the message that the
question of whether or not
women should be expected to
serve in the armed forces on the
same basis as men is not one
which may be answered in strict
black and white terms; con
sideration of such things as
biological differences, attitudinal
variances and differences based
upon social conditioning must be
taken into account.
Another opinion reflects the
feeling of a high percentage of
pollees. This opinion states that
women obviously are not the
physical equal of men, therefore,
they should not be expected to
contribute to the war effort in
quite the same capacities or on
the exact same basis as men; in
fantry, for example. At the same
time women, in lieu of their in
tellectual abilities and their ap
titude for leadership, could be ex
pected to serve the country in
areas of comparable importance
that are less strenuous and
require less personal risk.
A third opinion firmly declares
that “E.R.A. is not for me”, that
women in this country are not
Should Women Fight?
emotionally conditioned to ac
tually “fight” in a war, and that
female intuitiveness, sensitivity
and common sense would
prevent the average (black)
woman from participating in any
physical war effort. A surprise to
this reporter was the
acknowledgement that the
majority of the women surveyed
were non-supporters of E.R.A.
and the majority of men surveyed
were pro-E.R.A. It is uncertain as
to whether or not those persons
polled accurately represent the
majority of Spelman or
Morehouse students and it is also
fair to not that those persons
polled accurately represent the
majority of Spelman or
Morehouse students and it is also
only fair to note that those per
sons polled may not have had a
clear understanding of what
E.R.A. is all about. Regardless of
these points, it was ascertained
by this survey that the students
polled could not seriously
imagine themselves “fighting in
any war of the side of a country
that openly discriminates against
them.”
Finally there were those among
us who felt that if ratification of
E.R.A. was a reality when it is
only right and just that the
responsibilities (bad) as well as
the priviledges (good) of E.R.A.
be respected. Understandable,
one must expect that along with
equal pay, equal jobs, equal op
portunity; and equal con
sideration under the law not all
aspects of the amendments are
quite as beneficial and pleasant
as these preceeding, thus,
something as hideous and
disgusting as equal participation
in a war is plausible and if indeed
war be the case—women should
not and cannot be excluded.
In brief, the broad results of
this survey light-heartedly
suggest that should this country
become involved in a military
conflict, it would be advisable for
this nation’s government not to
expect a great deal of support
from Black Americans, female or
male!
Anita Bryant
Quotations
“No, women should not just be
drafted or expected to serve on
the same basis as men. Each in
dividual woman should have the
option...women should not be ex
pected to waste their time and
possibly their lives in a war
dealing with power-hungry men”.
lanessa Grady-Soph.
Robbin Hart
“No, women should not be ex
pected to serve in the armed for
ces on the same basis as men. I
believe in equal rights for women
because women are just as apable
and intellectual as men but to
fight in a war is another story...”
Ruth Cauthen-Jr.
“NO! I am not for the E.R.A. I
don’t feel that most women have
the emotional strength to be in
volved in the war.
Melva Gipson-Sr.
“Initially I wouldn’t advocate
this simply because of the way I
was brought up but if this nation’s
continued existence came down
to how many people we were able
to send out to defend it, if we
wanted the nation to survive, I
would have to say yes.”
David Watkins-Ir.
Anna-Marie Stumme
“... as a black woman I would
not categorize myself by sex but
by blood and as a black person I
would not go to war in support of
the United States of America.”
Anna-Marie Stumme-Fr.
“Personally, NO! Women
should not fight in the armed for
ces. However, if E.R.A. has been
passed and everyone is supposed
to be treated equally according to
the law then women cannot be
excluded from participating in
the armed forces.”
John Wilson-Sr.
No, women are not physically
built the same way men are
therefore they are not capable of
doing the same things.”
Janet Anderson-Soph.
“No, we cannot withstand the
same rigorous activity that men
can because we are not
biologically or physically built for
it.”
Cynthia Todd-Soph.
“Yes, women should fight
because equality includes respon
sibility as well as priviledge,
however, there are limitations...”
Stacia Fisher-Fr.
“No, I believe that women are
strong individuals to a certain ex
tent, but I do not believe all
women could survive under those
conditions.”
Gina Hopson-Fr.
“Yes, if women say they accept
the E.R.A., then they have to ac
cept the good with the bad and
going to war is all part of it.”
Anita Bryant-Fr.
“No, personally I could not kill
someone. Women are tougher
than they used to be, but their are
still too many who are too fragile
to fight.”
Dawn White-Fr.
Stacia Fisher
“Yes, if women want to be
equal with men then that includes
all areas NOT excluding war.”
Ar’Lisa Coleman-Fr.
“No, frankly it’s unrealistic.
Personally I’m not that physical
as to be crawling through the
mud and jungles, etc...”
Emily Black
“No, first of all I’m not for
E.R.A. I like the way it is now. I
like the position I have as a
female and besides I don’t like
weapons!”
Alison Willis-Soph.
“No, I don’t think the majority
of women are mentally prepared
to go to war.”
Dana Reed-Soph.
“Yes, they should be expected
to fight in war on the same basis
as men. If women want total
equality then they should get
total equality in ALL areas.”
Vicki Hardaway-Soph.
Gina Hopson
Anthony Hawkins
“No.I wouldn’t want to go to
war and if they reinforced the
draft, then I’d be eligible to go,
and personally, I’m not physically
capable to fight in a war.”
Marilyn Washington-Jr.
“No, In this day in time I think
women can take the pain of war
but not the conditions of war.
Men have been more conditioned
for war whereas women haven’t.”
Tollese Harris-Jr.
“Yes, under the present con
ditions of the All-Volunteer-
Army, women would go through
the same training as men,
therefore would be equally
prepared for was as men.”
Valerie Rembert-Jr.
Vicki Hardaway
“Yes, they should be expected
to serve in the armed forces. I do
not believe in the E.R.A. I feel
that women are protected in our
society today. We are able to
receive better and higher paying
jobs. If the E.R.A. was ratified,
we would also have to pay
alimony and child support.
Leslie Douglas-Jr.
"No. I. myself can not see me
being drafted into the army. I am
sure their would be some kind of
birth control practiced but
someone will probably come up
pregnant. As a result of pregnan
cy the decision has to be made
about an abortion or if they will
have the child and have it
brought up in an environment of
war."
Lillian Mason-Fr.