http://www.dailytarheel.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/03/10/423040d1eaa4d

University
Leader lambasts feminism in talk
Conservative takes on women's rights
BY KATIE HOFFMANN
STAFF WRITER
March 10, 2005

The classic women's rights movement has made great strides, but that change
isn't necessarily for the better, a conservative leader said in a speech at
the University on Wednesday evening.

"Feminism is destructive," said Phyllis Schlafly. "It's destructive of
marriage. It's destructive of happiness. It's destructive of your whole
life."

Schlafly catapulted into the national spotlight in 1964 when her
conservative book, "A Choice Not an Echo," sold 3 million copies.

She since has served as a leader of the pro-family movement and testified
before more than 50 congressional and state legislative committees on
constitutional, national defense and family issues.

Schlafly said feminists blame government for their problems and convince
women they are victims of society.

"(Feminists) claim liberation from men but then look to the government as a
replacement," she said.

Schlafly also said feminists believe tax dollars should provide programs
such as subsidized day care and maternity leave.

"The American people don't want to pay for baby-sitters for other people's
children," she said. "Feminism has changed attitudes of women and
some men -
but not babies. They don't want to see other people's faces at a day care
every day."

Schlafly said that she supports women who go into the work force but that
they should not expect help from the government. She said that when her
father could not find a job during the Great Depression, her mother had to
go to work.

"People have to face life's challenges," Schlafly said. "But
we didn't look
to the government. We didn't get any handouts from them."

She said feminists also have turned to government for increased wages.
Feminists have said that a woman makes 76 cents to a man's dollar, but
Schlafly said this statistic is misleading because it does not compare
similar jobs.

"We do not want wage controls in this country," she said.
"We had it here
once, and the American people did not like it.

"Feminism is not compatible with the notion of equality. What they really
want is the jobs they would not get on merit."

Schlafly went on to criticize feminists' efforts to increasingly integrate
women into the military. She said she believes it would lower physical
standards in the military because women are weaker than men.

"When you have coed training, a man cannot be all that he can
be," she said.
"He can only be all that a woman can be."

UNC's Conservative Women's Voice, an organization started earlier this year,
sponsored the speech.

"In the face of turmoil and opposition, it's nice to hear and see things
come together," said sophomore Kat Rodgers, president and founder of the
group. "It invigorates me. It keeps me trucking and focusing on my core
beliefs."

--
Men are everywhere that matters!




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