Obama signs Equal Pay Legislation

On Thursday January 29, 2009 President Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. This law was named for Ms. Ledbetter, an Alabama resident who at the end of a nineteen year career at a tire factory found out she had been paid less than her men colleagues. President Obama said we are upholding one of our countries principles that we are created equal and should have our own chance at achieving our happiness by signing this bill, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/30/us/politics/30ledbetter-web.html.

When Ms. Ledbetter was entering her retirement after nineteen years she found out her male colleagues were being paid more than her. A jury found her employer, Good Year Tire and Rubber Company, guilty of pay discrimination but the Supreme Court threw the case out saying she should have filed within 180 days of her last pay when she found out she was being paid less. Ms. Ledbetter will never be repaid what she is owed from Good Year but she has conquered victory for all the women in the U.S. today who are being under paid for the same labor put in as men.

This just shows how far our country has come in regards to women's rights. Compared to other countries the U.S. is a great democracy in that women have the right to stand before their bosses, a judge, even the president for that matter, and speak her voice and not stand for injustices. The guilty verdict for Good Year shows that there are companies out there that have a respected name but you don't know for sure what goes on inside the closed office doors. Everyone needs to keep their eyes and ears open and stand their ground when they think they are being treated unfairly in the workplace.

President Barack Obama's Inauguration Speech

http://www.alternet.org/

President Barack Obama spoke to America his promising words on Tuesday, January 20, 2009. He Spoke on the crisis America is facing in this day and time and the hardships we are all enduring in some fashion. Some of the struggles he focused on were, health care costs, failing schools, jobs and homes lossed. He explained that changes are in the making but for us to not expect them in a short period of time. He also said they would not be easily made but that they will be met. He let America know that although we are in a crisis era we are a strong nation, not only because of the strengths of our countries founders but because we are a hard working society and with the help of all our nation will prevail.

This article is of utmost importance, not only because it's an inauguration speech, but because it's our countries new president's words, words we all depend upon. Also, this speech will be a historical event that will never be forgotten being that President Obama is the United States first African-American president. President Obama's words are not to be taken lightly but to base the next four years, possibly eight, on. Our nation is in need of hope and change. We need to hear encouraging words from our new commander in chief.

Yes, we live in a healthy representative democracy. We, as all Americans, should relish in the fact that we all have a voice and can make that voice be heard. Although what we believe may be different from the next person, our opinions can be voiced. Our country just swore in the first African-American president without any hesitation. This was a history making event and one that will never be forgotten. We have the right to freedom of speech and freedom to vote, both men and women, which has to be two of the most important rights we have as Americans. All Americans should be estatic we live in this great nation!

Hi. My name is Meg C. Cole. I work as secretary for Special Education/Exceptional Children at McNabb Middle School. I am working on my bachelors in Social Work.