August 10, 2016
 
 
Delegate Ken Plum's 
Virginia E-News

I've been pleased to serve as auctioneer to raise funds for Equality Virginia supporting their efforts in fighting for human rights.
(Photo credit: metroweekly.com) 


Commentary

Slow but Steady Course of Human Rights
Delegate Kenneth R. "Ken" Plum
Ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was already being hotly debated in the Virginia General Assembly when I became a member of the House of Delegates in 1978. A hearing on ratification ended with twelve of twenty members of the committee voting against ratification; they were dubbed "the dirty dozen" by the primarily women supporters of the amendment. The vote caused such a rowdy protest by advocates that the police actually carried some of the women from the room.

As a new member of the House of Delegates who ran on a platform supporting ratification of the ERA, I decided to take a new approach. I wanted to show that the ERA was in keeping with Virginia's history. If I could show that Thomas Jefferson would support it if he were alive today, the Assembly would likely ratify it or so I reasoned. I wrote to Professor Dumas Malone, author of the 6-volume definitive biography of Thomas Jefferson, and asked him if Jefferson were alive in today's modern society is it not the case that he would support the ERA. Professor Malone did not take the bait; he refused as a historian to speculate on the future. My plan failed, and Virginia has still not ratified the ERA despite our repeated attempts to have it do so.

While Virginia is home to the greatest spokespersons for human rights with George Mason's Declaration of Rights, Thomas Jefferson's Statute for Religious Freedom and James Madison's Bill of Rights, the Commonwealth has been among the slowest of the states in embracing any expansion of the scope of human rights beyond their limited 18th century definition. Although women secured the right to vote with the passage of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution in 1920, Virginia did not ratify the amendment until 1952. When many states were moving toward accepting marriage of gay and lesbian couples, Virginia adopted an amendment to its constitution in 2006 prohibiting same-sex marriage. The amendment has been over-ridden by federal court decisions. Social practices and acceptance move much faster than the Virginia legislature as has been the case with LGBTQ rights.

For generations Virginians have proclaimed the rights of states. They used that argument to hang onto their slaves leading ultimately to the Civil War. States' rights was used as an argument to discriminate against Black residents and to support Massive Resistance leading to closing schools rather than desegregating them. Again federal court decisions and the Civil Rights Act forced Virginia and the other southern states to recognize equal protection of the law regardless of race. Virginia voting laws are now under review by a federal court because of a concern that they discriminate against certain classes of voters with the voter identification requirements that have been struck down in four other states.

Virginia and the required number of states may not approve ratification of the ERA, but we have already seen the first woman ever to be nominated for the presidency by a major political party and may in my lifetime have seen not only the first Catholic president and the first Black president but also soon to be the first woman president!
   

Virginia Report on Comcast Channel 28
  
Tune in to Ken's weekly television program, Virginia Report, on Reston Comcast Channel 28 for public service programming (Verizon Channel 1981). Ken interviews state and local leaders who are making news by making a difference. 

TONIGHT- Wednesday, August 10 at 10:30 p.m., Delegate Plum talks with Pete Earley about Mental Health Reform
  
Tuesday, August 16 at 7:30 p.m. and Wednesday, August 17 at 10:30 p.m., Delegate Plum talks with Davorka Suvak of SPIRIT Open Equestrian Program

Virginia Report is also available for viewing online at
www.youtube.com/watch. Previous shows can be viewed at https://vimeo.com/album/1650266. 

 
Bulletin Board

Now Available 
 
The Fall 2016 catalogue of classes and activities through Fairfax County Public Schools Adult and Community Education Program offers many opportunities to gain new knowledge, explore new topics, and acquire job or personal skills. Download your copy here.

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Virginia Hunger Solutions is an initiative to fight hunger and improve the nutrition, health, and well-being of children and families throughout the Commonwealth who struggle with poverty. The program works to protect and strengthen the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, which currently serves over 800,000 Virginians, and increase participation in the National School Breakfast Program. Virginia Hunger Solutions has issued its First Annual School Breakfast Report. Read the report here.

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The Reston Chorale is holding singer auditions for its 50th Anniversary Season. All voice parts are welcome. An optional Audition Briefing is also being offered on Monday, August 22, to help singers prepare and learn more about the audition process. For more information about singing with The Reston Chorale and the upcoming season, visit www.restonchorale.org. To schedule an audition, email: RCAuditions@restonchorale.org.

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Thank you to the 17,062 that said yes to organ, eye and tissue donation in July. You are amazing! Join these amazing life-savers at DonateLifeVirginia.org. #SayYes 
 

Calendar of Events

Thursday, August 11, 5:30 to 7:00 p.m., Evenings on the Ellipse, free concert at the Fairfax County Government Center at 12000 Government Center Parkway in Fairfax. This week enjoy music from The Sixth Generation (60s Rock). Concerts are canceled in the case of inclement weather. Call 703-324-SHOW (7469) one hour prior to the start of the show for updates. Visit Evenings on the Ellipse for a full schedule of concerts.

Friday, August 12, at sundown, The Lake Anne Summer Film Festival featured movie is Breakfast at Tiffany's. Grab a blanket, or chair and a picnic and enjoy a free lakeside flick. 

Saturday, August 13, 7:30 to 10:00 p.m., Reston Town Center Pavilion, Reston Concerts on the Town. The weekly summer concert season presents IN FULL Dance thru the Decades,Classic rock & hits from the 50s till today. Bring lawn chairs or picnic blankets and enjoy live outdoor music at the Pavilion. Free. Rain or shine. Alcohol permitted at restaurants only. See the season's full schedule at Reston Concerts.

Thursday, August 18 through Sunday, August 21, Reston Friends Children's Book Sale, 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., at Reston Regional Library, 11925 Bowman Towne Drive, Reston. Your favorite children's book authors, plus teaching materials for sale. Details are at Children's Book Sale.

Sunday, August 21, Works Sunday. Works Sunday is an annual service event in Northern Virginia that takes place on or about the third Sunday in August, focusing on activities in the Reston, Herndon and Sterling communities. Learn more about this year's projects at workssunday.org.

Wednesday, August 31, 8:00 to 10:00 a.m., Northern Virginia Regional Elected Leaders Summit, a round-table conversation featuring the Chairs of Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William Counties as well as the Vice Chair of Arlington County. Business leaders will learn about the economic climate, new and ongoing initiatives aimed at fostering economic growth, and ways to work together for the betterment of our regional economy. At the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce, 7900 Westpark Drive, Suite A550, Tysons. Details and registration are at Northern Virginia Regional Elected Leaders Summit. 

Monday, September 19, Lunch N' Life for Seniors, at noon at Our Lady of Good Counsel, DeSales Hall, 8601 Wolftrap Road, Vienna. A healthy lunch with dessert and entertainment provided by the Capital Swing Quartet, a female a cappella group, singing swing and barbershop tunes. Register and prepay the $10 per person cost for lunch before September 14. Call the Shepherd's Center of Oakton Vienna (SCOV) office at 703-281-0538 and send your check, contact info and number of reserved seats you need to SCOV, 541 Marshall Road SW, Vienna, VA 22180. (sorry, no refunds). Call ahead if you need a ride.

Thursday, September 22 through Sunday, September 25, Reston Friends Semi-Annual Book Sale, 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., at Reston Regional Library, 11925 Bowman Towne Drive, Reston.  
Thousands upon thousands of great books in great condition--from the latest popular titles and classic favorites to the rare and unexpected fiction and non-fiction, restocked for as long as supplies last. More information is at Reston Friends Book Sale.  
 

36th District 

Reston, Virginia
 

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In This Issue
Commentary..."Slow but Steady Course of Human Rights"
"Virginia Report"
Bulletin Board
Check Your Calendar

Delegate Kenneth R. "Ken" Plum
Delegate Ken Plum's Virginia E-News


Delegate Ken Plum's Virginia E-News is authorized by Kenneth R. Plum
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