A US attempt to insert language restricting abortion rights into documents prepared by a conference marking the 10th anniversary of a meeting in Beijing has sparked a determined response from European delegates as well as representatives of non-governmental organizations.
More than 150 such groups taking part in the conference that is examining the status of women a decade after the Beijing conference issued a statement Tuesday condemning the proposed US amendment.
"The purpose of this Session of the Commission on the Status of Women - the UN body charged specifically with advancing the status of women - is to reaffirm the Beijing Platform for Action, not to move backward or undermine it," the statement said.
Its bad enough that in 2005, 'Pro Life' groups still lobby the US government, and politicians run on anti-abortion platforms, but to send a delegation of pro-lifers to the Beijing conference is unconscionable. This group representing the US wants to restrict women's reproductive rights. Their words are alittle absurd considering what the US is sanctioning in Iraq at the moment.
I have always disagreed with pro lifers, but have respected their differing opinions. But some have gone too far!
These people preach Pro Life, they espouse the language. Attempting to roll back womens reproductive rights, yet they say nothing about the loss of life in other places in the world.
It is documented that in armed conflict, civilian deaths way out number combatant loss of life.
Of those civilian deaths, most are women and even more are children. Pregnant women who are not able to get proper care often are among the first to die.
The respected British journal The Lancet did a body-count of civilians killed in Iraq. They concluded that there are more than 100,000 civilian deaths. Most of these, women and children. Infants and fetuses. Where are the cries from the Pro Lifers?
During October 2001, the American Congress gave George W Bush the right to declare war. They gave the president open-ended authority to use unrestricted power, which could mean nuclear weapons whenever he alone deemed it appropriate. How did the Pro Lifers et el respond to this? En Masse they voted him back into power Pro Life? I think not! The election was a chance to vote against that war, but, overwhelmingly the so called 'pro-life' vote was for war.
The so called Christian right votes for Mr Bush, hoping to reverse womens right to a safe and legal abortion in the US. They say they must stand up to end the slaughter of innocents.
Does this mean that the only innocents are those on US soil? They say they speak in the name of God, Liars all of them.
" Sister Joan Chittister writes of a front page, large four-color picture in The Irish Times of a small Iraqi girl. 'Her little body was a coil of steel. She sat knees up, cowering, screaming madly into the dark night. Her white clothes and spread hands and small tight face were blood-spattered. The blood was the blood of her father and mother, shot through the car window in Tal Afar by American soldiers while she sat beside her parents in the car, her four brothers and sisters in the back seat "
How in the name of God can someone who professes to speak in the name of God continue to to support this carnage? Pro Life? Who put these arrogant bigots in charge of deciding which lives were worth speaking out for?