The ERA Yes Buttons At The State Of The Union Are A Throwback To Cheer For

Did you watch the 2019 State of the Union? If you did, I'm sure you're probably wondering what was up with President Trump's random jab at the Russia investigation, and what are the ERA Yes buttons at the 2019 State of the Union? I can't tell you anything about the former, but there's a really powerful message behind the buttons.

On Feb. 5, Democratic women made their way to the House Chamber for Trump's speech, dressed in all white outfits in a nod to the women's suffrage movement, which was a 20th Century fight to win the right to vote for women in the United States.

“Wearing suffragette white is a respectful message of solidarity with women across the country, and a declaration that we will not go back on our hard-earned right,” Rep. Lois Frankel (D-Florida) said in a statement to CNN.

Attached to their jackets were tiny ERA Yes pins. The pins are in support of the Equal Rights Amendment, which was first proposed by the National Woman's political party in 1923 and meant to "provide for the legal equality of the sexes and prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex," per History.com. By the early '70s, the amendment had been introduced to Congress and later won a two-thirds vote in the House and approval by the Senate. However, it ultimately failed to achieve ratification by three-fourths of the states after receiving a wave of conservative backlash in the mid-1970s. Now, these women are bringing new life into the issue, using the buttons as a call to pass the ERA. Just need to know where I can buy one.

This is just a fraction of all that went on during the SOTU. Perhaps most notable is that Trump made a call of unity and bipartisanship, but he also went back and shared divisive comments.

For example, he issued a fiery warning to Democrats, who regained control of the House in the midterm elections, per The New York Times. “An economic miracle is taking place in the United States — and the only thing that can stop it are foolish wars, politics or ridiculous partisan investigations,” he said, seemingly referencing the probe into potential collusion between Russia and members of his 2016 Trump campaign, which Democrats have vowed to investigate further. “If there is going to be peace and legislation, there cannot be war and investigation. It just doesn’t work that way!”

He also cracked down on immigration, claiming that criminals and "coyotes" are pouring in through the United States southern border, although many immigrants are fleeing violence and poverty in their native countries, in addition to the fact that border crossings are at record lows.

"Now is the time for Congress to show the world that America is committed to ending illegal immigration and putting the ruthless coyotes, cartels, drug dealers, and human traffickers out of business," Trump said, per CBS News.

Oh, and aside from that, how can we forget the many, many memes about the 2019 SOTU?

The 2019 SOTU has been one for the books, is what I'm saying. See you next year!