Ann McGraw
Phyllis Schlafly, what a woman of courage! Of all the women I have known she deserves the award for the most influential person of the 20th Century.
Some say she should have been President of the United States but I am convinced she did exactly what she had to do; starting Eagle Forum, leading the Stop ERA movement and forming the Republican National Coalition for Life and a myriad of other accomplishments too numerous to mention. But what she did for me is priceless!
She saw in me so much more than I ever knew I had, by encouraging me to jump in where “angels fear to tread” and accomplish what needed to be done. She inspired and motivated so many “thirtyish” year olds in the 60’s and 70’s, by giving us responsibilities far beyond our own expectations knowing we would fulfill them with great grace and aplomb, and did we ever!
We established a nationwide network of women who knew one another and we fed on each other, talking on the phone, reassuring one another, and meeting once a year at Eagle Forum Conference in September, reviving our minds and hearts for the tasks to come.
Phyllis made us know we could go on television and debate the opposition, doing television editorial rebuttals at the drop of a hat, driving around to radio stations across the state to present our point of view because she had given us the tools and information to accomplish great things.
She encouraged us to rally “the troops” to the state Capitols where we lobbied the legislators year after year with unique gimmicks to Stop ERA and we did it willingly as if we were taking a 3rd grade class of 15 kids on a field trip.
We never thought of losing the battle to Stop ERA because we had a glorious leader who inspired us to greatness and expected nothing but the best from all of us.
Phyllis set the standard and we succeeded at a job that needed to done because she had educated us to understand our whole way of life was jeopardized if we lost the battle.
She continues to do this by sending out succinct information for us to use in whatever endeavors we are involved. We must continue to keep our nation free!
P.S. I love you, thank you!
Ann McGraw
Stop ERA Chairman-Missouri
