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MOTHER'S DAY POSTER BOY
The saying is that "no good deed goes unpunished", but certainly that cannot apply to Representative Christopher Smith (R), NJ who almost single handedly saved Mother's Day from certain destruction by the evil influences of the arch villain CEDAW.
Sure
we know that there are absolutely no holidays in our country that celebrates
A FAMOUS WOMAN or WOMEN where the whole country gets the day off. And
we know that Mother's Day is really all we've got even though it has turned
into a wholesale guilt trip, media extravaganza and merchandising gala-rama.
But here's a guy that really spends a great deal of his time deciding what is good for women; a guy who believes entirely that the government of men should be in charge of women's wombs. That seems to be because he is a special agent for his god and his religion and he demands that the whole country follow his lead. Oh, he is fervent as you can see at the following URL:
http://www.peopleforlife.org/chrissmithmarchforlife99.html
So now here he is trying so hard to save the only holiday that is woman specific. Of course he would feel strongly about this day. It celebrates women who are obedient, women that become mothers over and over again (fun and games: here I come, ready or not). Motherhood is the one career path for women that Smith thinks is correct.
Furthermore, he is sure that women who think differently from him obviously need to be saved by his type of mind control. Free will in a woman is anathema. He says that they are in "an unhealthy state of denial" if they exercise the option of abortion. So he prays for them and for the President, the First Lady and others who support a woman's right to choose.
We are just so lucky he was there when witnesses urged lawmakers at the House International Relations Committee to pass the 20-year-old United Nation's Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
Smith thundered that if the treaty were ratified, international enforcers could threaten Mother's Day. He declared that ratification of a global treaty on women's rights could force changes in our laws by "a group of international bureaucrats! "Do our constituents really want (foreigners) telling them that the day set aside to honor our mothers must be abolished?" he asserted. "I think not!"
He got that right. He either wasn't thinking or couldn't read. Way back in December of 1979, the U.N. General Assembly adopted a treaty that requires that women have equal rights to work, pay, benefits and safe working conditions and prohibits discrimination against women in politi- cal activities. Dangerous stuff, wot?
165 NATIONS HAVE RATIFIED IT -- guess which rich, large and influential democratic country hasn't. Here's a clue -- Representative Smith's. Still think it's safe to go back to the bush leagues and put Smith & Company back in control?
Think about it. Rep Smith could have gone to bat for some other IMPORTANT DAY: it could have been Arbor Day or Groundhog Day or Bagel Day or Green-Up Day or even (saints pre- serve us) Father's Day! But he chose to uphold Mother's Day! Imagine this from a man who cares little if any woman becomes ill or dies because she is deprived of the right to choose a therapeutic abortion.
There were other voices at this HIR Committee meeting. Some challenged Smith and others laughed at him. One who did not laugh was anthropologist and women's rights activist from Afghanistan.
"I wanted to get up and slap him," Zieba Shorish-Shamley confessed, "but then I wouldn't be able to come here again." She testified that her 56 year-old sister died of cancer because ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE IS DENIED TO WOMEN IN AFGHANISTAN. Also, denied is education, jobs, or the right to leave their home without the permission and company of a man.
Other opponents of the bill claim that CEDAW promotes abortion and could override the U.S. Constitution. They fear that the roles of wives and husbands in their own families will be changed. Wake up, guys, those aren't your real reasons because gender roles are already undergoing change.
ADMIT THAT WHAT YOU'RE REALLY WORRIED ABOUT IS THAT RATIFYING THIS TREATY WOULD BRING ABOUT THE END OF THE $MULTI- MILLION SLAVE TRADE OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN THIS COUNTRY.
Thanks, Poster Boy, but we think most women will happily give up Mother's Day with the breakfast in bed, flowers, candy and good wishes IF BY SO DOING THEY COULD ASSURE THAT ALL WOMEN ON EARTH COULD ENJOY THE BLESSINGS OF REPRODUCTIVE CHOICE.
2000-019
Copyright 2000 Renee T. Louise and Ruth M. Sprague, Ph.D. These articles may be republished for noncommercial use only, provided that they are copied intact, and that this copyright notice is attached. Address all queries to: twanda@gendergappers.org.
G e n d e r G a p p e r s T M
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