Why They Hate Us - Part 186

Freedom - the way WE decide. The United States is refusing to sign a declaration affirming the equal rights of women unless the UN removes a clause allowing legalized abortion.

The Bush administration was accused Monday of trying to roll back efforts to improve the status of the world's women by demanding that the United Nations publicly renounce abortion rights. America's demand overshadowed the opening Monday of a conference intended to mark the 10th anniversary of the Beijing Commission on the Status of Women, an event seen as a landmark in efforts to promote global cooperation on women's equality.

The U.S. stand was also widely seen as further evidence of the sweeping policy change in Washington under the Bush presidency. The last four years have seen a steady erosion of government support for international population projects as a result of the administration's opposition to abortion.
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The stand left America almost entirely isolated at the pre-conference sessions. According to officials who were at the meetings, only the Vatican observer supported Washington's hard line. There was harsh criticism of the Bush administration Monday from diplomats and women's activists.

"This sort of statement is a clear signal to everybody present that the U.S. does not support the Beijing agreement perspective on the human rights of women," said Adrienne German, president of the International Women's Health Coalition. "It clearly demonstrates that this government has taken a 180-degree reversal from the U.S. government in 1995 and 2000."

Private talks were underway Monday to persuade Washington to reverse its stand. Although there are expectations that the United States will eventually relent, several officials accused the U.S. of igniting the controversy -- and sabotaging the conference -- to try to score points with Bush supporters on the Christian right.

In case you have forgotten, abortion is legal here. But you see, this is the nefarious plan they have. They know they can't eliminate abortion here (yet), so in order to suck the dicks of the extreme Christian right, they refuse to sign symbolic agreements affirming the rights of women such as the right to marry whom they choose, and ending violence against women, in order to take a stand against abortions in other countries. I understand that they have a principle at stake, but in this case, they're throwing the baby out with the bathwater. The document is effectively meaningless other than to show our cooperation with other countries, and to demonstrate our commitment to freedom. But apparently, Bush's loyalties lie with the super-rich Christian freaks who support his campaigns over the equality and freedom of women worldwide.