The Latin phrase Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes literally means “who will guard the guards themselves.” One contemporary rift on this maxim asks “who will watch the watchers.”

The wording was simple but the meaning was not. It read: “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.” For Phyllis Schlafly, the ERA was a call to battle. For women like myself, the ERA seemed the last and most important step to full equality.

Let’s face it, a lot of us show up for work when we should stay home. Of course, when you have only about six weeks left to win a presidential election, spending a day in your pajamas binge watching West Wing and asking your husband to make you some chicken soup - my usual flu season gambit - is probably not an option.

Every September we mark Constitution Day at Vermont Law School with a panel discussion on pending constitutional cases currently in front of the U.S. Supreme Court. And, while most of us probably don’t break out the BBQ and celebrate, there are many reasons why maybe we should. On issues of social justice, the environment, human rights and equality, Vermont often leads the nation. We should be proud of this fact and continue to strive for a better world every day. However, we sometimes forget

Several recent car-bike collisions underscore just how far we have to go to create a place where the roads are safe for all users – not just automobiles.

Two hundred years ago tomorrow, the British poet John Keats wrote one of the greatest short poems in the English language. It’s about autumn, something that Vermonters treasure, as do the countless tree-peepers who visit the state every fall. The poem is exquisitely beautiful, in language and image, and that’s the principal reason it’s such a beloved and frequently anthologized poem.

Here are some people who never would’ve become president had the public known of their medical problems or the extent to which they’d gone to conceal them.

The mayor of Rutland wants to welcome Syrian refugees into the fabric of the community. He and his supporters claim the economically long-depressed area will gain a much-needed injection of people and energy. But there’s been a strong backlash. Rutland Firsters protest that they were kept out of the decision making process and that new immigrants will bring further economic hardship to the city. And flare-ups of ugly racism complicate matters further.

On September 7th, NBC aired what it called a “Commander-in Chief Forum”. It wasn’t a debate. Rather, it was two back-to-back live interviews with Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump on the USS Intrepid in New York.

Life is full of uncertainty, but I refuse to limit my activities just because there’s the possibility of danger. After all, I could get hit by a car driven by a texting teen while I’m walking to the post office. Or I could simply fall down a set of stairs and end up like Humpty Dumpty. So I’m not about to deny myself the joys and learning experiences of travel – especially to France – one of my favorite places to visit.