Bella Abzug, October 23, 1977
“America is the greatest democracy in the world, but we began as a flawed democracy. The Constitution provides for the inalienable rights of men. The cure for the injustices women have suffered under this flawed system is the women’s movement.
“Women never had any rights. Our forefathers didn’t give a hoot about our foremothers. American history is a charter for the America women’s commitment to human rights. Anita Bryant has no respect for any rights at all and Phyllis Schafly is a housewife who is never in the house.
“Being a homemaker isn’t bad, so long as there’s a choice. I like the work ‘homemaker’ because ‘housewife’ implies there’s a wife somewhere else.
“Our children’s children will be amazed to learn that women were once denied control of themselves and their bodies. By 1985, the last year of the United Nations’ proclaimed decade for women, everything will be done under the law [for equality] that can be done.”
