US wants UN to declare that abortion is not a right

[ckramer]

The Bush administration insisted on Monday that a U.N. document on women's equality make clear that abortion is not a fundamental right and accused activists of trying to distort the issue.

Even U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in his opening speech to a high-level review session of the 1995 Beijing Conference on Women, came in for criticism for using the term "sexual rights" which the U.S. delegates said was undefined.

"There is no fundamental right to abortion," said Ellen Sauerbrey, the U.S. delegate to the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women, which is running the review.

"And yet it keeps coming up largely driven by NGOs (nongovernmental groups) trying to hijack the term and trying to make it into a definition," she told a news conference. She would not name any of the activist groups.


reuters

[Jack Rabbit]

2. Jack Rabbit wants the UN to declare that possession of oil is not a right

No, the Bushies don't want any "new" rights "created." They want to pretend that common people don't have any.

[asjr]

3. Oh My God!

[pie]

4. Next, Bush will insist the UN ban gay marriage! The guy is nutfxck crazy

[intheflow]

5. God, I wish men could get pregnant.

Abortion clinics would be more common than Starbucks. :eyes:

[jonnyblitz]

7. that's what I always say.

if men could get pregnant there would be an abortion clinic on every street corner.

[MotorCityMan]

40. And a LOT less people in the world

Plus men would probably get time off for that time of the month

[smoogatz]

6. Abortion is not a right

Unless you're rich, white and Republican. Then it's called a D & C. Wonder how many the Bush twins have had, between them?

[Charlie Brown]

12. That's not funny

Making allegations about the personal lives of others and assuming they've had abortions is a cheap shot.

[smoogatz]

14. What makes you think I was joking?

Are you saying the Bush twins have led lives of temperance and chastity? Or are you saying they're off limits in some way?

[Charlie Brown]

16. I think speculating about women having abortions is in poor taste

If Republicans joked about Monica Lewinsky having an abortion, would you be amused?

[bemildred]

17. Everything Republicans do is amusing. nt

[smoogatz]

18. Of course it's in poor taste.

If it wasn't, it wouldn't be funny. And sure--I thought some of the cigar jokes actually were kind of funny. Didn't you?

[0007]

66. I think it's hilarious!

[jdj]

68. well damn, we gotta have SOME fun, don't we?

I love a good cheap shot every now and then.

[Maat]

8. Boy, they just can't resist trying the control every darn thing ...

the Religious Hard-righties and the Boooshies who bend over for them.

I just finished "With God On Their Side," by Kaplan.


Progressives (some) have a tendency to fail to realize how effective they are at changing policy, and they are sometimes rather subtle about it.

True, they haven't overturned "Roe."

But they have filled an incredible number of executive positions with Religious Hard-righties, who have basically arranged it so that every program funded by the U.S. is constrained so as not to be able to mention anything beyond total abstinence.

I'm very scared.

Pretty soon they will be attempting to control what I teach my child.

[LynnTheDem]

9. Who says there is "no fundamental right to abortion"?

When God tells me that, then maybe I'll believe it. Until then, FO.

YOU don't believe in abortion, then YOU don't get an abortion.

YOU don't believe in gays marrying? Then YOU don't marry a gay.

But DO NOT shove YOUR beliefs down MY throat.

[Sparkly]

23. Exactly, Lynn.

Whatever happened to the term "reproductive freedom?" How about basic rights to control our own wombs, make our own medical decisions, and form our own beliefs about religion and "when life begins?"

They are taking us so far backwards, so fast. It's incredible.

[LynnTheDem]

24. At least Osama bin Laden is open & honest about his agenda...wish rethugs

would be as much. Instead, the rethugs lie and whine and scream that we "libruls" are trying to push OUR agenda down THEIR throats!

EXCUSE ME, stupid MFers, but *I'm" not demanding you GET an abortion...*I'm* not demanding you MARRY a gay...*I'm* not demanding you DON'T invest some of YOUR money in the stock exchange....but YOU MFers ARE DEMANDING that EVERYONE do what YOU want.

Well it ain't gonna happen, rethugs. The world and 50% of this country are just going to continue on and leave you regressive freaks behind.

[Mabel Dodge]

62. Good Post

I couldn't have stated that better!

[still_one]

10. * is the best reason why abortion should be kept legal

[puddycat]

11. women still die from childbirth, especially minority women

I think its around 10%. (too lazy to google tonight, lol)

I wouldn't want an abortion for myself, but I will stand in the streets and march if necessary for this to remain a fundamental right.

Want to know who I think are some of the vilest people on Earth? those women who would force other women to have babies against their wishes, knowing that they could die from it, and taking all choice from their hands. The way women treat each other is still shocking to me. There is something so wrong with the thinking of these right-wing women who would make others suffer because they themselves aren't happy.

[Gloria]

13. How about "autonomy"?? The right to make a decision...

NO????? I'd like to kick Bush right in the nuts...

[Gyre]

15. They're just pissed

that their opponents are using the same linguistic-manipulation that they've perfected.

Gyre

[MrPrax]

19. If I remember my old feminista stuff...

I don't think they argue that 'abortion' is a fundamental right; it is the right of women to access any damn medical procedure they want ... something to do about that 'our bodies, ourselves' stuff.

It seems the Right likes to mischaracterize the position of women who support choice...which is:

If you don't like abortion, don't have one...and
...Shut the Fuck Up

[HockeyMom]

21. Aids in Africa

They don't even want to give out CONDOMS in Africa. We are dealing with a bunch of RELIGIOUS extremists who do NOT care about pain, suffering, or even death, only their "moral values."

[SuffragetteSal]

20. what next chastity belts for the women of the world?

The UN should politely remind the Bush administration they are not helping the situation at all and to stop lying about 'working at giving freedom to women of the world'...lies, lies....

They (the Bush admin) have a lot of nerve 'insisting' the UN for do anything. The Whitehouse needs a psychiatrist team on staff pronto!

[Undercover Owl]

22. maybe....

Republicans will start endorsing anal sex as a good way to avoid pregnancy.

[Dhalgren]

25. Oops, I think they already do...

[kskiska]

26. America urges UN to renounce abortion rights

The Bush administration was accused yesterday of trying to roll back efforts to improve the status of the world's women by demanding that the UN publicly renounce abortion rights.

America's demand overshadowed the opening yesterday of a conference intended to mark the 10th anniversary of the Beijing conference on the status of women, an event seen as a landmark in efforts to promote global cooperation on women's equality.

(snip)

Mr Siv also told diplomats that Washington opposed any move to seek funds from industrialised countries to implement the reforms called for under the Beijing declaration.

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 yesterday from diplomats and women's activists.

"This sort of statement is a clear signal to everybody present that the US does not support the Beijing agreement perspective on the human rights of women," said Adrienne German, president of the International Women's Health Coalition.

more…
http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1427583,00.html

[WildClarySage]

27. Demanding? wow.

Even though I should expect it by now, they still manage to shock me.

[The_Nick]

28. n/t

*slaps forehead*

[baby_bear]

29. They keep outdoing themselves

The arrogance and short-sightedness of this administration is mind-boggling. They should be barred from the conference.

Someone has got to spit in the eye of this abominable administration. It needs to be humbled, better yet humiliated.
Taken to the wood shed. But if not by the voters here, by whom?

b_b

[BrklynLiberal]

30. By the rest of the world.....?

Taken to the wood shed. But if not by the voters here, by whom?

[Erika]

31. Bush in NO way represent the American populace

We wish he'd just go away and fast. Let him be the little rich boy at prep school, or a cheerleader at Yale, or whatever, just have him go.

[tuvor]

32. I thought bush said the UN was irrelevant.

Huh. Must be me and my advancing age.

[xxqqqzme]

33. and the neo-cons war on women

goose-steps all over yet another world conference.

[NEOBuckeye]

34. Time to Relocate the UN to Paris

Nothing against NYC. It remains a very liberal haven, even in these dark times. But with the Bush Regime asking for Big Trouble, it might be a good idea for the UN to leave America for a far more welcoming haven.

Besides, didn't the French always aspire to host the seat of World Government? :)

[magellan]

35. There we go

Spreading freedom again!!

[Pachamama]

36. Who the hell does this US Delegation think they represent? Not me!

Demanding to roll back women's rights to reproductive rights and specifically a woman's right to terminate an unwanted pregnancy?

Are they going to then adopt and feed and care for each of these women and their babies? Just wondering....

[applegrove]

37. Oh I didn't notice this - BECAUSE I WAS TOO BUSY JUMPING

FOR JOY AT THE STATEMENT THE WH MADE ABOUT PROMOTING THE RIGHTS OF SAUDI WOMEN & keeping tabs on what Rice is wearing today.

Dam - I am just such a dumb bunny!!

It seems the freepers will be made happy with statements to the UN. No laws on abortion will change in the USA (despite the complete control the Republicans have on the judicial, legislative & executive levels of government). But a case will be made for invading the UN! er... that would be New York eh?

Cough, cough, smoke!!!

[EFerrari]

38. Motherf#ckers. Write to the UN, cc State Dept.

Let's do an endrun around the Cabal. Here are links to the UN's feedback form, and to State's feedback form.

PLEASE DISTRIBUTE WIDELY


UN:http://www.un.org/forms/feedback/english.asp

Cantbelieva Rice:
http://contact-us.state.gov/ask_form_cat/ask_form_secretary.html

[Bridget Burke]

39. What about forced abortion?

I believe China still does this. But they're our trade partner, so we shouldn't mention it. By inventing the phrase "Abortion as a right"--& saying "we're agin it" the anti-abortion & pro-forced-abortion groups are both satisfied.

What about "freedom of choice"?

[papau]

41. U.S. Wants Avowal Against Abortion (from UN conf on women's rights)

The 10 year review of the 1995 Beijing conference has 80 government ministers and thousands of other delegates from nearly 100 countries trying to focus on issues such as preventing HIV/AIDS, improving girls' education and halting sexual trafficking. The US has a higher priority - confirm that all agree that women do not have a right to choose abortion and reverse the 1995 conference agreement that abortion is a public health issue and should be where it is legal and that women should not be punished for having one.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-wom ...

THE WORLD
U.S. Wants Avowal Against Abortion
The issue may dominate a U.N. conference on women's equality, to organizers' dismay.
By Maggie Farley
Times Staff Writer

March 1, 2005

UNITED NATIONS — Ten years after a landmark U.N. women's conference in Beijing, thousands of delegates convened here Monday to review the world's progress toward equality for women. But the meeting was plunged into controversy when the U.S. insisted that delegates declare that women have no right to abortion.<snip>

But negotiators from Washington say it is equally important for delegates to put in writing that the session does not create any new human rights, such as the right to abortion.

"We'd like to join with other nations in reaffirming women's rights and empowerment," said Mark Lagon, deputy assistant secretary of State for international organization affairs. "The United States is looking for concrete recognition that those documents from 10 years ago do not create new human rights with the weight of a treaty or a right to an abortion. The U.S. believes that there is international consensus on that."

But Monday evening, only Egypt and Qatar supported the U.S. position. Most other delegations agreed that the Beijing plan of action did not imply a right to abortion and that they were wary of opening the document to reinterpretation. The U.S. representatives stood firm, signaling that a debate over the issue could dominate the week's discussions. <snip>

[phantom power]

42. Is there *any* attempt at international law...

that the Bush Administration hasn't shat on in the last five years?

[patrice]

43. Well then the World can expect the U.S. to avow War, that's real Pro-Life

not to be mistaken for Pro-Lie, which is what we have right now with Bush's CHOICE of death and destruction for innocents.

I hope the World demands this quid pro quo (for "parental notification" and some better definition of "the health of the mother"), that is *IF* anyone really wants to solve either problem (abortion or war), which they really don't want solutions. They get what they want out of the status quo: hot and cold running, single issue, voters and military bases on a significant number of the oil pipelines on Earth, and war profiteering rooted in the middle-class jobs base. Fascism.

[Megahurtz]

44. Fuck this Administration

:grr:and good luck to them on that one trying to make it stick. (sarcasm)

[maddezmom]

45. kick to combine threads

[truthpusher]

46. Abortion is Not a Right, US Tells UN

http://www.townhall.com/news/politics/200503/CUL20050301c.shtml

Abortion is Not a Right, US Tells UN
-----------------------------------
By Patrick Goodenough
CNSNews.com International Editor
March 01, 2005
-----------------------------------
(CNSNews.com) - There is no fundamental "right" to abortion, but non-governmental groups (NGOs) are trying to "hijack" language in key United Nations documents, to define terms like "sexual rights" in such a way as to include abortion, a senior U.S. official said Monday.

Ambassador Ellen Sauerbrey, the U.S. delegate to the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), was speaking at a press conference in New York.

She is representing the U.S. government at a high-level CSW session reviewing the progress made in promoting equality for women in the 10 years since a major U.N. conference on women was held in Beijing.

Organizers want the Feb. 28 - March 11 gathering to issue a short and unanimous declaration, affirming documents that came out of the Beijing meeting.

The Bush administration is pressing for the statement to say categorically that the documents do not create any new international human rights and "do not include the right to abortion." Discussions on the draft will continue on the sidelines of the conference.

complete story: http://www.townhall.com/news/politics/200503/CUL20050301c.shtml

[GreenPoet64]

The US Constitution on a Woman's Life & Liberty

AMENDMENT XIV

“Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law, which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”

Fetuses are not born and have no rights as citizens. The converse of the above might read: All persons not born nor naturalized in the United States are not subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are not citizens of the United States, nor of the State wherein the woman carrying the fetus resides.

Women are born persons and therefore are citizens. “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law, which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”


Life

Forced reproduction as a state-mandated requirement for an unintended pregnancy deprives a large percentage of women life, as pregnancy, labor, and delivery are always life-threatening events.

Liberty

Forced reproduction as a state-mandated requirement for an unintended pregnancy deprives both men and women liberty.


From Blacks Law Dictionary:
liberty
Freedom; exemption from extraneous control. Freedom from all restraints except such as are justly imposed by law. ... The word includes and comprehends all personal rights and their enjoyment.

personal liberty
The right or power of locomotion; of changing situation, or moving one's person to whatsoever place one's own inclination may direct, without imprisonment or restraint, unless by due process of law.

[Endangered Specie]

UN: We'll start listening when you manage to figure out something called..

UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE

[Stop_the_War]

47. "Greed and imperialism are wrong," the world tells the U.S. n/t

[MichiganVote]

48. But it is legal in the US!

[rodeodance]

50. it is like a bunch of roaches eating away at the foundations!!

[MichiganVote]

54. panty eaters.

[Anakin Skywalker]

49. HUBRIS!

Why should the world listen or care what Amurka thinks, when the latter arrogantly ignored what the former thought about invading iraq as well as other world issues?

[merwin]

51. It's not a right? What happened to Life, Liberty, and the pursuit

of happiness. I don't see any laws on the books that say you are not allowed to terminate a fetus before it is legally considered a person.

[demobabe]

55. You gotta be careful with that one...

That can be easily turned around to say, "doesn't the unborn child have a right to life, liberty, and happiness?"

Need to emphasise the woman should have a right to choose - that should be a fundamental right. Nobody else should decide what happens with another person's body.

[merwin]

65. The unborn fetus is not a person under our laws, and therefore

does not enjoy the rights granted to people in the Constitution.

However, if it is found that they do have rights, then I am going to petition to change my legal birthday to the time of conception, since that is when i was 'born' as a person.

[demobabe]

67. rights and birthdays

Changing my birthday to conception time wouldn't get me anywhere since I'm already old enough to drink...

But hey! It gets me one step closer to that AARP discount I've always wanted!

:)

[katty]

60. NOT a right? Who said so? rover and his little bitch bush

cannot wait for the day when these a-holes get the crap kicked out of them-front row seat to that.

[Zhade]

52. They've just solidified their anti-women stance.

They are saying, loudly, that this country no longer respects a woman's right to self-soverignty over her own body.

I tremble for my sisters, here and everywhere. This is frightening.

[katty]

NOT a right? Who said so? rover and his little bitch bush

[Anakin Skywalker]

53. It's Not Bad Enough

that the dumb f**ktards are controlling the US gov't, now they want to tell the rest of the world what is "right"? This insolence is simply astounding! Hello, fundies! Know that most people in this world are not fundies and they want sanity in their lives.

[LynnTheDem]

56. Dear America;

Contrary to your beliefs, you are NOT God and your opinions are NOT the be all and end all for the rest of the world.

Right now, you're the scum of this planet and your opinion on anything means a lot less than a pile of shit. So please just STFU.

Thanks.

[sandnsea]

57. health care isn't a right in America

That is true. And the rest of the world says, how pathetic.

[Bozvotros]

58. How about these rules?

All women of child bearing age must report menstrual cycles that are more than two weeks late and submit to mandatory pregnancy testing. Failure to do so will result in a charge of child endangerment. Exemptions will be granted to wealthy contributors to the GOP and their families.

Women determined to be pregnant must submit to strict dietary and pharmaceutical regimens designed for optimum fetal safety. Refusal to follow these rules will result in a charge of assault and battery or attempted murder.

The mothers of children born addicted to any illegal substance or negatively affected by an illegal substance used by the mother will be charged with possession of an illegal substance, trafficking and contributing to the delinquency of a minor

Use of all uterine contraceptive devices will be illegal and user to be charged with conspiracy to commit murder

Pregnant women who leave the country will submit to mandatory testing or examination upon return to determine fetal presence and viability. Negative results which indicate an abortion or use of an abortificant will result in the women being charged with first degree murder

Any thing I missed?

[meow2u3]

1. Aren't those rules kinda extreme?

How about punishing the men who got those women pregnant? What about men reporting to the government every time they ejaculated, and if they refused, to be charged with crimes against humanity?

Sounds extreme, but adding these rules would kill a bill like that you mentioned.

[tubbacheez]

59. Welcome to the American Christian Taliban. n/t

[Rex]

61. Women don't have domain over their bodies.

Yet us men bomb the shit outta people and kill for pleasure. Talk about unequal! WOW!

[Disturbed]

63. The Fundies were ignored &/or rediculed for many years ...

and now they are exacting their agenda with a vengence. Christo Fascists are of the same ilk as the Taliban. How can they be stopped before Amerika turns into a Psuedo Christian Police State?

[Jack Rabbit]

64. Abortion is a right, Frat Boy

Deal with it.