President and Civil Rights Bill

In response to “ ‘Back Pay’ Doesn’t Begin to Be Enough,” by Reps. Barbara Boxer and Don Edwards, Commentary, June 2:

The Democrats’ 1991 Civil Rights bill provides victims of racial, religious or sex discrimination the right to sue for “money” (compensatory and punitive) damages. However, there is a cap of $150,000 for victims of sex discrimination. Sounds like a good deal anyway? Not when you factor in attorneys’ fees, court costs and inflation over the years it takes to get to court. Those items will reduce the figure by approximately two-thirds.

Imagine the cries of outrage if Congress had considered a bill which limited the amount of damages for blacks only or for Jews only! They are more than willing, however, to place such a limitation on women only. This clearly demonstrates that Congress believes that the violation of women’s rights is a lesser offense than that of groups which include men.

Women are being blackmailed into accepting this outrageous discrimination within a “civil rights” bill by being made to feel that if they object to this blatant sexism, they will endanger the rights of other oppressed groups. This tactic has been used against American women for more than 140 years and shouldn’t be allowed to continue.

Boxer and Edwards say that back pay is not enough. Neither is the 1991 civil rights bill, and neither are the Democrats in Congress who authored and supported this piece of disgraceful misogyny.

FRANCES LONGMIRE

Los Angeles