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¡Viva Chávez!
César Chávez Celebration XV / Celebración de César Chávez XV
Wednesday 29 March 2017 / Miércoles 29 de Marzo 2017
2017 info and highlights from the record-breaking 2016 event at Circus Circus Reno

Equal Rights Betrayal
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 2-28-2017 Sparks Tribune / Expansions in blue/ Updated 3-1, 3-3, 3-6 and 3-8-2017 GMT

I witnessed the assassination of equal rights in Nevada.

On that 1977 night, the legislative hallway was empty, the senate chamber was packed. Only juice lobbyists Jim Joyce and Charlie Bell stood outside, peeking through senate doorway windows, giggling to each other like teenage boys viewing the girl's locker room. With no one else around, they turned toward me to boastfully predict the Equal Rights Amendment would fail 10-8.

They didn't count on Sen. Joe Neal, D-North Las Vegas, the master of parliamentary procedure. Neal rose to address the presiding officer, Lt. Gov. Bob Rose (pun intended). Neal moved to invoke Senate Rule 30, an arcane provision from 1864. Las Vegas Democrats Wilbur Faiss and Bill Hernstadt immediately seconded Neal's motion, putting the rule into effect.

Former Democratic Washoe DA Rose had publicly stated he would break a 10-10 tie and pass the ERA.

The final tally showed 10 aye, 8 nay, 2 not voting. Rose then shocked the world. Rule 30 commanded recording any non-vote as opposition.

"He announced that the two abstentions would be placed in the 'no' column, declared the house evenly divided, and boom! he pushed that button, and the eleventh vote came up onscreen," Neal remembered in his 2008 University of Nevada-Reno oral history.

"I'll never forget it," Neal added.

The good ole boys club had let equal rights for women escape. We couldn't allow that in our whorehouse state. Something had to be done, but what?

The late Mr. Joyce, who brought corruption of government to levels we still suffer, saw a business opportunity. He offered a deal to ultraconservative Mormon Senate Majority Leader Jim Gibson, D-Henderson. If Joyce could get the Nevada Assembly to kill the ERA, would Gibson reverse his position on pet legislation for Joyce's gamblers and other clients? Gibson had a reputation for honesty and hard work but sold out.

Joyce and Bell immediately turned the Assembly Democratic leadership against the ERA. This included Joe Dini (D-Yerington), then in his first term as speaker; Democratic Majority Leader Dan DeMers and Speaker Pro-Tem Harley Harmon, Jr., both D-Gomorrah South. Eight lawmakers long committed to women's rights reversed themselves after Joyce and Bell cashed in their campaign contributions.

"Remember the eight who lied" became a rallying cry for women statewide.

The state senate will try again March 1 with Senate Joint Resolution 2. Let March roar in like a lion. Nevadans must remember.

IRONY ALERT: Several 1977 ERA opponents later did serious prison time for unrelated crimes. Of course, they exercised their rights to due process of law.

HAIL CESAR. ERA supporter Janette Dean addressed last year's César Chávez Celebration. Equal justice for all will again be on the menu at César XV the evening of March 29 at Circus Circus Reno. Info and reservations may be accessed via CesarChavezNevada.com/

LYING IN WAIT. Remember that white-sheeted southern congressman who screamed "you lie!" at President Obama during his first State of the Union address? I recommend a more polite approach.

Tsar Donaldov Vladimirovitch will address Congress Feb. 28. I suggest soccer rules. Every time the tsar commits what Winston Churchill called a "terminological inexactitude," (the word "liar" is banned in Parliament), attendees should politely hold up a red card.

No offense could be taken. It's the favorite color of presidents from here to Moscow.

Dio benedica l'America.

Be well. Raise hell. / Esté bien. Haga infierno.
______________
Andrew Barbano is a 48-year Nevadan and editor of NevadaLabor.com. E-mail <barbano@frontpage.reno.nv.us> Barbwire by Barbano has originated in the Sparks Tribune since 1988. Portions of this column appeared in the 27 July 1997 edition.

ONLINE EXTRAS —>

END OF TIMES SURVIVAL KIT. Defend yourself with humorous or humorless but always-peerless predictions for 2017 by subscribing to the Barbwire Confidential News Service.

Last year's dark foreshadowings unfortunately became reality. I thus suggest inoculation by signing onto the HushHush! list at BallotBoxing.US/

Subscribe today to get the exclusive End of Times Retrogression, a Procession for Progression, an Obsession to relieve Depression, Proselytizing Prayer for Divine Intercession at the Legislative Session. Don't wait— procrastination is the devil's dislocation. Hie thee hence to BallotBoxing.US/

THE GOOD DON. Nominations are afoot for the Nevada Press Association Hall of Fame. Time to ramp up for world-famous Tribune photographer Don Dondero. Here's the compelling case for his induction.

SMOKING GUNS —> Reidless and Rudderless?
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 2-21-2017 Sparks Tribune

Kate Smith & Lady Gaga
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 2-14-2017 Sparks Tribune / Updated 2-16, 2-17 and 2-21-2017
"By the 1920s, pseudo-scientists and polemicists in the 1920s popularized the notion that Italians were a separate race from Anglo-Americans. 'There’s no doubt those ideas were still around in 1942.' ”