Let's take a look at what Chamberlain was really talking about. The executive summary of Chamberlain's report states: The Christian Right increasingly seeks to restrict women's reproductive rights internationally through its growing number of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) with consultative status at the United Nations. Believing their power to be enhanced by the election of an anti-choice president in 2000, these anti-choice NGOs have increased their presence at the UN. They oppose UN programs and platforms promoting access to abortion and contraception, and they promote an abstinence-only family planning curriculum worldwide. Using the access to a few official delegations and activities offered by their consultative status, the NGOs pursue their goals by attempting to stonewall the deliberative process of committees, organizing and funding an international caucus composed of other conservative religious entities and governments to mobilize opposition more broadly within the UN. Well now. You won't hear much about that anywhere -- since most UN functions are no longer covered in the MSM or even the alternative news media. And of course, the religious right likes it that way, because they can get away with so much more when the press is not looking. When an informed reporter is on the case, everything changes. In 2005 for example, CynCooper reported at Talk to Action:
Beverly and Tim LaHaye... endorse birth control and describe The Pill as the best method of contraception in their book The Art of Marriage, first published in 1976 and subtitled The Beauty of Sexual Love.. The 1996 edition says that 2.5 million copies have been sold.
The LaHayes, who conducted Family Life Seminars across the country long before Tim became co-author of the popular Left Behind book series, are quite specific in their suggestions. They recommend birth control pills, condoms, diaphragms, vaginal foam. They write:Birth control is a very personal decision, one of the first a young couple should have settled before their wedding day. Some people, for religious reasons, do not believe in contraceptives. We respect that and feel each couple should be convinced in their own minds what is the best plan for them .... Crouse is presently attending a meeting of the U.N.'s Commission on the Status of Women in New York from which she will be writing a "nightly commentary." If you happen to bump into Crouse at a UN gathering, or on a radio talk show, you might ask her about the views of her boss -- you know -- the woman after whom the Beverly LaHaye Institute is named. Meanwhile, here is a little more from the report that Crouse would rather you not read, because it contains information she would rather you not know. Chamberlain observes that ...an extensive network of health and feminist organizations across the globe has successfully advocated for women's sexual and reproductive autonomy for decades, in both local and global arenas. The global women's health movement has made substantial gains in guaranteeing access to health services for women and girls, including reproductive services, and the UN has increased its commitment to women and children. These impressive gains have attracted organizations that oppose abortion and comprehensive sexuality education, igniting a small but vigorous backlash movement at the UN. And that as a result:
A small group of U.S. Christian Right organizations has inserted itself in the international arena in four major ways. They have created a vocal antiabortion, anti-reproductive health presence at the UN, both by gaining consultative status as NGOs and through Bush administration appointments to official US delegations, special UN meetings, and special sessions. They have succeeded in publicizing their frame that the right to life is a basic human right and that advocates for abortion access and reproductive health are calling for illegitimate, special rights. They have cultivated hostility to the UN among the U.S. "pro-life" community. And they have pressured Bush to overturn Congressional decisions by refusing to fund some international health programs. That's pretty important and straitforwardly reported stuff. But perhaps Crouse was just upset that PRA accurately quoted her in the report: Former speechwriter for George H.W. Bush, author and public speaker Crouse has been a vocal representative of CWA at the UN and an official U.S. delegate at UN conferences. Yet she has said,The U.N. is actively anti-American; both the Security Council and the General Assembly work to thwart American interests.... Literally billions of dollars have been squandered in misguided utopian efforts that failed to accomplish the stated goals or were misdirected into the hands of corrupt officials through the U.N.'s poor management, cronyism or support for harsh dictators and ruthless regimes. Chamberlain continues: Participating in UN activities as a hostile NGO is a "Trojan Horse" strategy, according to Jennifer Butler, former UN liaison for the NGO Presbyterian Church USA and author of Born Again: The Christian Right Globalized. About these conservative NGOs she notes, "By infiltrating the system of an organization they oppose, they hope to stall, influence, and even undermine its work from within." No wonder Janice Shaw Crouse is blowing smoke and changing the subject.
Religious Rightist Blows Smoke, Changes Subject | 2 comments (2 topical, 0 hidden)
is meeting in New York. Crouse & co are there. I wonder how, or if, the media will cover it?
by Frederick Clarkson on Wed Feb 28, 2007 at 03:43:23 PM EST
Religious Rightist Blows Smoke, Changes Subject | 2 comments (2 topical, 0 hidden)
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Left Behind: Eternal Forces: Installments of Jonathan Hutson's Talk To Action expose series
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