"All Are Equal, But Some Are More Equal Than Others": The Proposed Minnesota Equal Rights Amendment of 2024

Large parts of the Western World are, of course, awash in overused Orwellian quotes, especially so when quotes and examples of other critics of totalitarian ideologies could be used to equal effect. But for some reason, the searing insights of Huxley, Arendt, Adorno, and a host of others do not come as readily to mind as Orwell in our current age. The proposed text of the Minnesota Equal Rights Amendment of 2024 illustrates why that may be. It's proposed language bears a striking similarity to Orwell's Animal Farm, where All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.

On Wednesday, May 8th, the Minnesota Catholic Conference joined with other pro-life organizations such as Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life in a rally at the capitol rotunda in Saint Paul to oppose the latest iteration of the deceptively named Equal Rights Amendment. For those who might be confused about why such legislation proposing a change to the Minnesota constitution might be a bad idea, the speakers at the rally, such as Rob Ketterling, explained it beautifully:



The full video of the rally gives an idea of the scope and breadth of what is at stake:



But, of course, you, dear reader should read the proposed language for yourself. If you wonder why the categories of race, color, national origin, ancestry [and] disability are now equaled (or perhaps outnumbered) by sections listing sexuality, gender identity, and abortion, the Minnesota Catholic Conference has an explanation and a synopsis of the damage this will do.

- G.W. Bynum, Chaplain, The Saint Timothy Society for Lutheran Seminary Scholarship