6914 Limestone Lane

Tampa, Florida 33619

January 25, 1980

Governor Robert Graham

Tallahassee, Florida

Dear Governor Graham:

After President Carters State of the Union address on Wednesday night he left one issue wide open for great dissention. That is the point of registering womenf or the draft. And that without the passage of the E.R.A.

How on earth can anyone justify such an action without formally giving women an equal status? I feel that if we are going to be made equal concerning military service, we should pass the E.R.A. and be formally, and truly equal by Constitutional law. And this, Governor Graham, is your responsibility.

You have an obligation to the women of this state (and country) to push for ratification of the E.R.A. Should we have to register for the draft, it would be the grossest insult of all time. To be made equal when a body of legislators sees fit for us to be euqal. This is just another form fo the patronization disguised as fairness. Why is it that only when we are really needed are we made equal? Again, Governor Graham, you have a responsibility to fulfill.

I would hope that you are able to see my point, and think about it. Remember, what the opposition to the E.R.A. seems to have feared most is about ot become a reality. So let's pass the E.R.A. and get on with living- which if you are a working woman (with no formal equality) is hard enough to do anyway- considering our lack of rights until someone decides to hand out a few tokens piecemeal.

Sincerely,

(Signature) Stefanie A. Argudo

(Print) Stefanie A. Argudo