Karen Buhl

MY HEROINE PHYLLIS SCHLAFLY

On January 22 and 23, 1973,I got a double shock that made me wake up to the fact that my wonderful-free-country, the United States of America (the Greatest Christian Nation in the World ) was being destroyed from within by powerful enemies. First, even of nine judges on the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Roe vs. Wade Decision that legalized Abortion ON Demand throughout the whole-nine -month -period of human gestation in the womb, became the Law of the Land, the next day the South Dakota Legislature joined other states in supporting the proposed Amendment to the Constitution, "The Equal Rights Amendment"(ERA). It stated that "Equality shall not be abridged on the basis of SEX". I saw the proposal was to simple and to vague, and that ramifications that I was envisioning could occur as a result. After 30 states passed the ERA Amendment proposal, Phyllis Schlafly, whom I respected as a leader in Republican National Political News, organized STOP ERA. I joined the Movement and her organization of Eagle Forum.

Phyllis Schlafly came to South Dakota to encourage Eagle Forum members, including me, in South Dakota as we lobbied for passage of a bill to rescind our state's ratification of the ERA. With Phyllis's education and encouragement our efforts to win the support of a majority of both houses of the Legislature and the Governor, ERA was rescinded in South Dakota. As a result of Phyllis Schlafly’s leadership of the STOP ERA Movement, the ERA Amendment never became a part of the Constitution. That is a very magnificent fact that stirred many members, including me, to go on to fight in other ways against the enemies of freedom in the United States.

In 1983 I called Phyllis Schlafly and requested that she allow my friend, Jenelee Hodgson, citizen of Nicaragua, speak at the 1983 Eagle Forum Conference about her involvement in the Anti -Sandinista­ Contra -Movement that had been established/ and was fighting to over-throw the Russian-backed-Government that had taken control of Nicaragua. She trusted me and she was very aware of the threat to the whole Western Hemisphere, and agreed to let Jenelee speak. The war was not going well for the Contra's. Jenelee convinced the members of the danger of communism spreading in Central America and reaching the southern states of the United States. Phyllis and members invited Jenelee to travel to many states and speak at meetings the Eagle Forum members arranged in the states to counter the support of the Sandinista’s that previous President Carter and the liberal Media and the Democrat party were defending. As a result of Phyllis Schlafly’ s friendship with President Reagan and his National Security Administration member, Oliver North, Jenelee was able to oversee the distribution of medical supplies to Nicaraguan refugees that had fled to Costa Rica during the Sandinista War. When the national election was held the Communist President Daniel Ortega was defeated by Violeta Chamaro and she restored property and peace to Nicaraguan citizens, and the Russian soldiers went back to Russia.

Presently Daniel Ortega is back in power as President of Nicaragua due to corrupting the voting process in Nicaragua. Communists and drug cartels have a strong foothold in Nicaragua and much of Central America. The situation has caused many good and bad people from Central America to flee north and to come as illegal immigrants to the unsecured borders of the United States. Phyllis Schlafly is speaking out against the enemies of freedom and educates through her Newsletter and when and wherever she is allowed to speak on TV, Radio and in public appearances.

Phyllis Schlafly is the Greatest Promoter of Freedom in the United States that I, personally, know!

Essay of Karen Buhl (South Dakota)