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Feb 20 2019
Virginia and the ERA

Here in Virginia, we are at a crossroads. We have the potential to impact the entire nation—we will either protect innocent human life or we will turn the tide and destroy generations to come. It all comes down to a handful of votes.

Despite the fact that it failed in committee, there will be an attempt to bring the Equal Rights Amendment to the floor for a vote. This requires a rules change and Delegate Hala Ayala (D-Woodbridge) announced that an effort for that rules change will come tomorrow.

You may ask, “What’s wrong with the Equal Rights Amendment?” For the vast majority of women, it seems like a no-brainer but the danger is that passing ERA amendments in several states immediately led for abortion groups to demand that the states provide funding for abortion.

According to Virginia Society for Human Life, “The ERA, as currently written, would eliminate virtually every single regulation on abortion including over turning partial-birth abortion ban, mandate funding for abortion-on-demand, etc.”

Delegate Scott Garrett (R-Lynchburg) rose to challenge the upcoming attempts to pass the ERA, “The next few days will give us the opportunity to answer that question by saying out loud what this has been about all along: a proxy fight on unrestricted access to abortion. I think we’re all well aware of the shock and outrage that emerged not only across the Commonwealth but across the country, after the details of House bill 2491 became widely known. That legislation, Mr. Speaker, erased all meaningful restrictions on late term abortion, allowing abortion up to the moment of birth for the most tenuous of reasons.”

The bill Del. Garrett was referring to was introduced by Del. Kathy Tran (D-Springfield) would have allowed abortions up until the very moment of birth and would have stripped all protective laws that exist in Virginia—e.g. reflection periods, parent consent, ultrasound requirements, etc. The legislation failed but as Del. Garrett pointed out the attempts to pass the ERA are a proxy fight.

If the ERA passes in Virginia, Virginia would be the last state needed to “ratify” the amendment to the U.S. Constitution. I put ratify in quotes because, by law, the ratification process was closed years ago and the process should be restarted from the beginning. (In fact, 5 states reversed their votes for ratification.)

If Virginia passes the ERA, whether or not the state ratification votes from 40 year ago would count would be up to the courts to decide.

And we all know that court decisions can be all over the map.

Laura Echevarria 0 Comments
Feb 3 2019
Governor Northam, the Right to Life, and Northam’s Yearbook Photo

The focus in the news has been Governor Northam this week. Just a few days ago, the governor of our great commonwealth, interviewed on WTOP’s “Ask the Governor,” defended the Repeal Act which would reverse protective legislation in the state of Virginia. The protective laws in place, for example, include a parental notification/consent law and a law that requires an ultrasound before an abortion

In his comments, the governor also defended abortions up to birth and the idea of a third-trimester abortion where, if the infant is born alive, he or she could be left to die. As egregiously pro-abortion as this is, he was being defended by supporters.

The pro-life movement in Virginia mobilized and some voters were beginning to express their shock.

Move forward about 48 hours and it’s revealed that the governor’s profile page from his medical school yearbook includes a photo of two people: one in blackface and one in a KKK costume. The governor issued an apology for appearing in the photo but then backtracked and said he was not in the photo BUT that he did appear in blackface at a different event where he portrayed Michael Jackson.

I don’t know if Virginia has a provision for impeachment but quite a number of state and federal representatives on both sides of the aisle are calling for Governor Northam to resign. So far, he refuses.

As an aside, I think his crisis communications team is doing a poor job of dealing with this. It may be that they are having a hard time because he wants to do things his way but it’s the job of the communications team to vet responses and address the issue consistently. If you were at fault, apologize. Apologize first to those you have offended then apologize to everyone else. And then, don’t back track. Don’t apologize then defend. That’s not an apology.

But the KKK costume? It was bad in 1984 and it’s bad today. Some might argue that blackface in 1984 could be a “youthful indiscretion” but the KKK costume cannot be defended.

Can he survive? I’ll be shocked if he can.

Laura Echevarria 0 Comments
Oct 11 2018
Praying for All Who are Affected by the Hurricane

This hurricane is the most destructive to hit the panhandle of Florida since we have been recording storms. Six people have lost their lives.

Currently, those of us in Virginia are being hammered by the rain brought in by the hurricane. We are praying for all of those impacted by Hurricane Michael and for those who have lost loved ones.

Laura Echevarria 0 Comments