Eleanor Smeal
Eleanor Smeal
Eleanor Smealis one of the major leaders of the modern-day American feminist movement. Smeal is the president and a cofounder of the Feminist Majority Foundationand has served as president of the National Organization for Women for three terms, in addition to her work as an activist, grassroots organizer, lobbyist, and political analyst...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionActivist
Date of Birth30 July 1939
CountryUnited States of America
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She's leaving a legacy that's living beyond even her wildest dreams in the '60s. She wanted to change the world, and she did.
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Every inch of the way, the drug has shown its safety, and each of the groups here and certainly us have been satisfied with the safety.
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She was a giant in the 20th century for women, and most significantly was a catalyst for change in the American culture. She defined the problem, and then she had the courage to do something about it.
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She wanted people, especially women, to see these as years that could be creative and productive.
courage defined
She defined the problem, and then she had the courage to do something about it.
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She could make more phone calls in a day than any human being I ever worked with, ... She always could outwork any young person. She pushed like there was no tomorrow.
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She gave the most stirring speeches, ... and she was never afraid to ask for money. Once when I was speaking at a rally, she grabbed the mike and told me to be more forceful in my fund-raising pitch. The crowd loved it; I think we raised $90,000 that day.
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We cannot have a time when those of us who are protesting current policies are going to be compared to terrorists or their values. We have to stand up now before we have a period of silencing all meaningful discussion in our country.
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Democrats have been saying for years to their women's rights and civil rights base: 'Vote for us, and we'll save the Supreme Court.' Now, they have stepped back from using that power.
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The gag rule must be eliminated, and it's just the gag rule, we're not talking now even about funding abortion. We're talking about, you know, counseling and speaking, so that's one. That can be reversed by an executive order. [George W.]Bush put it in the first day he got in office. We hope that [Barack] Obama takes it out. He had cut off funding for the United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA, even though Congress had appropriated. It is injured women who are the poorest of the poor.
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We want this - and I - we hope that right when they come back, that the Congress passes the Lilly Ledbetter Act which would correct the Supreme Court decision that was just recent that essentially guts wage discrimination law. It's been in place for years. It was gutted by this Roberts Court. We want it to be reversed by legislation. We hope that Congress passes it and that is on the desk for [Barack] Obama to sign as one of his first acts once he's sworn in. So it - I could go on, we have quite a well-developed list.
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We think it's so important that we get [Carolyne] Maloney in that seat [in Congress]. It's one of the reasons; we also think that she is a unique person that deserves it and would help advance women's rights.
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Carolyn Maloney knows how to get something done, and as I said, it doesn't matter if she's in the majority or the minority. It doesn't matter if she's chair of a committee or not, she can figure out how to get a piece of legislation passed, and that's what is - is a unique quality.
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No one thinks she [Carolyn Maloney] can pass the Paid Family and Medical Leave Act; she passed it through the House. I mean, it's just - she's there. She knows the issues and she makes sure they get done.