In 1972, Congress passed the Equal Rights Amendment and most states promptly approved it. But over the years, it fell three states short of the two-thirds necessary for ratification. Last March, Nevada ratified the ERA leaving only two states to go. Illinois has a chance to be one of those two states this spring when the state legislature returns. The operative language of the ERA is only 24 words: "Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any

I am my younger self’s worst nightmare. I am proof that not all dreams come true -- even dreams you want so badly you can taste them. I am proof that maybe they shouldn’t come true -- like that boy you wanted to marry so badly, but then you both grew up and you shudder at the thought of spending your life with him. Years ago, I was driven to be a successful writer. I hoped my novel would go to auction, that my hard work, my very self, would be vindicated by a six-figure offer. Maybe then I’d be

Rockfordians recently rejected Home Rule for two distinct, yet related, reasons. First, there was a lack of trust. A "yes" vote required a profession of faith that officials would not misuse or exceed the authority granted. That faith, evidently, did not exist. This should not have been surprising. Almost all regional referenda failed‎. Citizens voted instead to consolidate government offices and restrain taxes. This, in turn, should not have been surprising. By every measure available, it is

“I have lived a great deal among grown-ups. "I have seen them intimately, close at hand. "And that hasn’t much improved my opinion of them.” Those are not my words. But they do feel clever … and true. I didn’t pull these words from a newspaper or probing essay or a TED talk. They come from a book written for children, titled The Little Prince. Books for kids tell stories with morals, teach values, and say stuff we should all hear. Like: “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what

Can you believe this weather? On Easter it was cold, very cold, then it snowed. Soon it will be in the middle 60s. What’s up? It’s on everyone’s mind, the Midwest spring/winter roller coaster. Let me remind everyone: We have had chilly, very chilly, and wet weather as late as Memorial Day. I remember standing in the clammy climate cheering on my kids who were marching in a parade, shivering down to my damp toes. It’s the Midwest – the place where you will often hear people say, “If you don’t

Recently I walked into a supermarket on a Sunday morning after Mass. What struck me that day was the produce section: Every bin was filled completely with beautiful and colorful fruits and vegetables. Just about every supermarket is like that. Walk in, and the first thing you see is beautiful, ordered abundance. And I was stuck with the thought that, even with this abundance, there are people in our town that go hungry. We go to the local farmer’s market and, depending on the season, see

Oddly, it was the color gray I noticed most. Despite the fact that he was using a small, yellow duffel bag as a pillow, it was the color gray that caught my attention. Gray-grimed jeans, gray sweatshirt, gray cap, and gray blanket. I wondered if, perhaps, he had been working at a construction site and been covered in the grayness of concrete dust. We were waiting for an elevator in a Chicago parking garage, having just taken our two 8-year-old granddaughters to their first ballet, when he walked

Last Wednesday was April 4, the fiftieth anniversary of the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King. Dr. King, without doubt, one of our most beloved and respected historical figures. However, there’s much about his ideas, message, and activities that has been edited from our collective memory. Dr. King did not practice simple non-violence. He referred to his strategy as radical non-violence. Moreover, during his time he was grossly despised by most of white America, and not just for

We have just finished a primary election in Illinois, and yes, I voted, but only on a non-partisan referendum issue. For decades, I have questioned why primary voters are made to make a public declaration of party preference, when other states have found alternatives to this intrusive requirement. Twenty years ago, while a Wisconsin resident, I was able to vote within a single party ballot without revealing that choice. Opponents to an open primary often insist that too much "mischief" could

The Saint Louis Cardinals will soon begin the 2018 baseball season. I will be right there with them, listening to games, watching when I can, and always reading the recaps. Baseball, for me, in so many ways, represents life. The regular season lasts an impossible 162 games. As Whitey Herzog once wrote: you will win 54 and lose 54; it is what you do with that other 54 that counts. So baseball is about patience, perspective, and perseverance. The best fail seven out of ten times. But that, of