|
15 Oct 04 - 01:50 PM (#1298023) Subject: BS: Bush refuses to sign UN Plan From: Ellenpoly (Just in case you missed this...xx..e) Eighty-five nations endorse U.N. population agenda _ but Bush administration refuses to sign EDITH M. LEDERER, Associated Press Writer Wednesday, October 13, 2004 (10-13) 18:44 PDT UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- The United States has refused to join 85 other heads of state and government in signing a statement that endorsed a 10-year-old U.N. plan to ensure every woman's right to education, health care, and choice about having children. President Bush's administration withheld its signature because the statement included a reference to "sexual rights." U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Kelly Ryan wrote to organizers of the statement that that the United States was committed to the plan of action adopted at a 1994 U.N. conference in Cairo and "to the empowerment of women and the need to promote women's fullest enjoyment of universal human rights." "The United States is unable, however, to endorse the world leaders' statement," Ryan said, because it "includes the concept of `sexual rights,' a term that has no agreed definition in the international community." Ryan did not elaborate on the Bush administration's objections to the phrase "sexual rights," but at past U.N. meetings U.S. representatives have spoken out against abortion, gay rights and what they see as the promotion of promiscuity by giving condoms to young people to prevent AIDS. The statement of new global support for the Cairo plan was given Wednesday to Deputy Secretary-General Louise Frechette by media mogul Ted Turner, who has lent significant financial support to the world body through his United Nations Foundation. The 1994 Cairo program, signed by 179 countries, including the United States, says women have the "right to make decisions concerning reproduction, free of discrimination, coercion and violence as expressed in human rights documents." The support statement notes that in 1994 "the world's governments and civil society committed to an action plan to ensure universal access to reproductive health information and services, uphold fundamental human rights including sexual and reproductive rights, alleviate poverty, secure gender equality, and protect the environment." While progress has been made, the statement says the world is facing an exponential increase in HIV/AIDS, a growing gap between rich and poor, persistently high death rates related to pregnancy and childbirth, and inadequate access to family planning services. The Cairo support statement was signed by more than 250 global leaders in all fields including leaders of 85 nations, 22 former world leaders, notably Presidents Carter and Clinton, and 24 Nobel prize winners. The government leaders included the entire European Union, China, Japan, Indonesia, Pakistan and more than a dozen African countries. The Bush administration responded only on Tuesday to organizers who had asked for the president's support. While the Bush administration refused to sign the followup statement, the United States under Clinton did endorse the platform adopted a year after Cairo at the U.N. conference in Beijing that specifically mentioned sexual rights. The United States took a leading role in drafting the Beijing document, which states: "The human rights of women include their right to have control over and decide freely and responsibly on matters related to their sexuality, including sexual and reproductive health, free of coercion, discrimination and violence." Bush has blocked $34 million in congressionally approved annual assistance to the United Nations Population Fund, alleging the U.N. agency helped China manage programs that involved forced abortions. China calls the charge baseless. (PS. Bush has used this last excuse in one form or another to hold millions of dollars in aid hostage, against poorer countries who advocate any forms of birth control...ep) |
|
15 Oct 04 - 02:20 PM (#1298046) Subject: RE: BS: Bush refuses to sign UN Plan From: Ellenpoly Listen, I KNOW this is yet another thead about Bush,(and I said I was going to hide away from political threads) but I really do hope some of you read it! ..xx..e |
|
15 Oct 04 - 02:26 PM (#1298055) Subject: RE: BS: Bush refuses to sign UN Plan From: GUEST Doesn't surprise me unfortunately. Seeing those scary stepford wives waving their flags at him, put me in mind of the anti abortion brigade. Guess he has his target audience. Shame there are SO many of them. |
|
15 Oct 04 - 02:26 PM (#1298056) Subject: RE: BS: Bush refuses to sign UN Plan From: frogprince At least I don't think we can fault the Shrub for inconsistancy in this area. |
|
15 Oct 04 - 02:41 PM (#1298070) Subject: RE: BS: Bush refuses to sign UN Plan From: Peace The problem the US would have if they signed the plan is that they'd then have to admit that women are people. Even American women. |
|
15 Oct 04 - 11:06 PM (#1298353) Subject: RE: BS: Bush refuses to sign UN Plan From: Sorcha And, why does this not suprise me too? We just gotta get rid of this guy. Kerry may not be much better, but he has to be a little better, right? |
|
16 Oct 04 - 12:04 AM (#1298373) Subject: RE: BS: Bush refuses to sign UN Plan From: katlaughing Megalomaniacs like him and his puppetmasters always fall and fall hard...watch it all crumble...people are fed up...not just Americans but other countries' peoples, too...there will be an effect and it will be far-reaching. This idiot will not last. |
|
16 Oct 04 - 11:27 AM (#1298429) Subject: RE: BS: Bush refuses to sign UN Plan From: freda underhill This is a continuation of Bush's approach of not complying with the UN, challenging its various conventions and controls, deriding its decisions and refusing to participate in international co-operation. Fact is, Mr Bush does not want to be constrained in any way, and he is encouraging other nations (UK, Australia) in this pattern. Rather than working towards co-operative solutions, he is encouraging nations in the choice to become rogue states. |
|
16 Oct 04 - 02:54 PM (#1298559) Subject: RE: BS: Bush refuses to sign UN Plan From: mack/misophist If I am not mistaken, the bush administration has violated the 1994 agreement by refusing to fund any kind of birth control activities in third world countries. |
|
16 Oct 04 - 03:33 PM (#1298589) Subject: RE: BS: Bush refuses to sign UN Plan From: Don Firth Not only does he want to legislate morals in the United States, he wants to legislate morals for the entire world. Wasn't this basically the same sort of thing the Taliban was into in Afghanistan? Don Firth |
|
16 Oct 04 - 03:54 PM (#1298599) Subject: RE: BS: Bush refuses to sign UN Plan From: katlaughing The legisaltion of "morals" in other countries besides our own is a long-standing tradition of recent GOP presidents. I remember marching against with my daughters in Washington D.C. in the 80's. |
|
16 Oct 04 - 04:02 PM (#1298607) Subject: RE: BS: Bush refuses to sign UN Plan From: John MacKenzie Well Don Firth if he starts firing mortars at Mount Rushmore I guess you'll have your answer. Giok |
|
16 Oct 04 - 04:58 PM (#1298637) Subject: RE: BS: Bush refuses to sign UN Plan From: Ellenpoly Funny you should mention that Giok; does anyone in the States remember the Mad Magazine pic of Alfred E Newman's face on Mt Rushmore? Far too close a resemblance to the man in question... ..xx..e |
|
17 Oct 04 - 12:40 AM (#1298819) Subject: RE: BS: Bush refuses to sign UN Plan From: katlaughing I've got that one, Ellenpoly! And, yes, the resemblance is unfortunate...for Alfred! |
|
17 Oct 04 - 01:02 AM (#1298828) Subject: RE: BS: Bush refuses to sign UN Plan From: GUEST We all know Bush lies and China tells the truth. |
|
17 Oct 04 - 11:15 AM (#1299020) Subject: RE: BS: Bush refuses to sign UN Plan From: GUEST,What was ommited from the above "Facts" What was ommited from the above "Facts": "The United States told the UN General Assembly it strongly supports a UN plan adopted 10 years ago to promote every woman's right to education, health care, and to make choices about childbearing, on the understanding that it doesn't promote abortion... Sichan Siv, the US ambassador to the UN Economic and Social Council... told the General Assembly the United States is firmly committed "to advancing the well-being of women and their families." With the understanding that countries should not use the Cairo agenda to support abortion, "we are pleased to continue to offer our strong support for ICPD and its program of action," he said. Abortion was an issue at the 1994 Cairo conference, but the platform states that abortion should not be used as a method of family planning. It also states that unsafe abortion should be treated as a public health issue, and that women who have abortions should not be treated as criminals." http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1058595,00050003.htm |
|
17 Oct 04 - 11:25 AM (#1299022) Subject: RE: BS: Bush refuses to sign UN Plan From: GUEST,Sam 179 nations less 85 nations = 94 nations did not sign. Is Bush with the majority of nations? Sam |
|
20 Oct 04 - 11:18 AM (#1301807) Subject: RE: BS: Bush refuses to sign UN Plan From: Amos http://www.monkeydyne.com/bushresume/resume.html
Thread closed temporarily because it's been a target for a heavy barrage of Spam. If you have something to add to the discussion, contact me and I'll reopen it. |