It’s been a roller coaster of a week for women’s and civil rights.
Last Friday, in the ninth inning of his presidency, Joe Biden declared the Equal Rights Amendment law. “It’s the 28th Amendment to the Constitution – now,” he said, throwing the ERA, the amendment that would guarantee men and women equal rights under the law, once again into question since it was first passed by Congress in 1972.
It took until 2020 for enough state legislatures to ratify the amendment, missing a long passed deadline. Differences in interpretation of how binding the deadline was have ensued and will continue, especially with this Congress, and likely end up in the Supreme Court.
Then, on Monday, a convicted felon, sexual abuser and serial liar was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States, the same day we commemorated the life of Martin Luther King Jr., religious minister, activist and national civil rights leader.
And, we lost another bright light in Cecile Richards, women’s and civil rights activist, Planned Parenthood Federation of American and Planned Parenthood Action Fund president. In November, Biden bestowed Richards with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
It was quite a juxtaposition. Fortunately, Tuesday shown with light.
Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, the first woman to lead the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, who has skyrocketed to the nation’s attention since she delivered a sermon at the post-inauguration prayer service, pleaded with Trump. “I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now,” she said. “There are gay, lesbian and transgender children in Democratic, Republican and independent families, some who fear for their lives. The vast majority of immigrants are not criminals,” she said, referring to them as “good neighbors” and “faithful members” of religious communities.
On cue, missing her message entirely, Trump castigated Budde as a radical left hard-line Trump-hater. Budde, who has Colorado roots, was unfazed. Interviews suggest she believes she phrased her words in a way that was gentle and recognized his authority and power to have mercy over people he is targeting with a flurry of executive orders.
Then on Wednesday, Jan. 22, the 52nd anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision protecting the right to abortion, got a little media attention, but it was subdued since a 2022 Supreme Court decision overturned the 50-year precedent. In the words of dissenting Justices Breyer, Sotomayor and Kagan, “ … one result of today’s decision is certain: the curtailment of women’s rights, and of their status as free and equal citizens.”
Also on Wednesday, we learned that Ed Aber, La Plata County Jail commander and 19-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office, was under investigation for alleged acts of sexual harassment and misconduct (Herald, Jan. 22).
Fourteen women over the course of his career only began to speak up in July 2024. Allegations range from lewd sexual comments calling someone “sexy in a white trash way,” to Aber interacting with female inmates in and out of their cells without reporting it as required by jail policy. One witness reported seeing Aber with a female inmate he was fond of under his desk. According to Aber, she was “fixing cords.”
Rather than be forced to cooperate, he resigned on July 23 when the investigation began and he was placed on leave. Depending on the investigations’ outcomes, unlike Trump who in July the Supreme Court granted immunity from criminal liability, Aber can still be charged with wrongdoing.
All week we’ve been following the confirmation hearings of Pete Hegseth to serve as defense secretary. On Thursday, The Associated Press reported he paid $50,000 to a woman who accused him of sexual assault in 2017. Hegseth believes women do not belong in combat, has mismanaged two veterans organizations, has a history of excessive drinking and has made sexist and racist comments.
Hegseth was confirmed on Friday with vice president JD Vance casting the tiebreaking vote.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.”
In dark times, we’re choosing to focus on the brave women who have spoken out, Bishop Budde’s and MLK’s light.
