The last few weeks have seen United Families staff extremely busy. The UN Third Committee Meetings in New York always generate lots of resolutions that need to be monitored and language inserted or modified in order to protect family and the sanctity of life. We appreciate the efforts of all the members of the pro-life, pro-family coalition during this hectic time.
Last week, United Families International was invited to submit written testimony to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee regarding the UN Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women or CEDAW. It was a great opportunity to get information out on this deceptive and dangerous treaty. We’re happy to report that the actual Senate Judiciary hearing on CEDAW was, as suspected, little more than an opportunity for liberals to posture in an attempt to appease their radical feminist constituents. We are very hopeful that CEDAW will not progress beyond this hearing. We’ll keep you updated if ratification of CEDAW begins to get traction. To learn more about the dangers of CEDAW and review UFI’s written testimony, click here.
The challenge to California’s Prop 8…the state’s amendment defining marriage as between a man and a woman… will go before the Ninth Circuit on Monday, December 6. The three judges who will be hearing the case are Stephen R. Reinhardt, Michael D. Hawkins, and Randy Smith. Judge Reinhardt is arguably the most liberal judge on the ultra-liberal Ninth Circuit Court. Reinhardt also holds the dubious distinction of being the most over-turned judge in the U.S. Judge Hawkins claims to be a “moderate” but his rulings show him to definitely lean left. Judge Smith is considered to be a “constitutionalist” and perhaps the only hope for Prop 8. It is widely believed, however, that in a 2-1 decision, Prop 8 will be overturned by this court on a technicality…the issue of “standing.” Either way, the case will most certainly be appealed and move towards the U.S. Supreme Court. You can view the two-hour Prop 8 hearing on C-SPAN next Monday, beginning at 1 p.m. EST.
In another development regarding the assault on man/woman marriage: With little fanfare and with surprising little notice by the pro-family world, the European Parliament (EP) just moved all of the 27 member states of the European Union (EU) closer to legalized same-sex marriage. Last week, the EP assembly adopted the “Report on civil laws, commercial law, family law and private international law aspects of the Action Plan Implementing the Stockholm Program.” That’s a long title for a report, but its purpose is to compel EU countries to both recognize and legally uphold the “effects of civil status documents” of another EU-state.
The intent of such a law is to create an efficient operation of government in regard to cross-border issues…if you have a civil contract in one EU country that contract is recognized in every other EU country. Sounds reasonable, but European Dignity Watch warns it will bring same-sex marriage in through the back door and severely compromise EU member states’ sovereignty and violates the principle of subsidiarity.
“Paragraph 40 [of the report] wants to give civil documents, including marriage, to be given de facto legal effect throughout the EU by requiring Member States to grant “all social benefits and other legal effects attached to it”. This could mean that Member States would be forced to indirectly recognize same-sex unions as equal to marriage even if such recognition does not exist in the respective country’s legal system,” stated European Dignity Watch in a plea to their members to contact their MEP’s to urge them to amend paragraph 40 to protect man/woman marriage.
Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Norway, the Netherlands, and Sweden have legalized same-sex marriage and civil unions are in place in about 10 other EU countries. The adoption of this report now allows the European Commission to propose ways to enable mutual recognition of all civil partnership and marriages throughout the EU. All countries will now be required to recognize existing marriages and civil partnerships when citizens travel or move in the EU or face discrimination charges grounded in the EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights (Article 21).
The result: homosexual couples will travel to an EU country where same-sex marriage is legal, be married and return to their home country. Their home country will then be forced to fully recognize the marriage…de facto establishment of same-sex marriage.
Conclusion
This has definitely been a few weeks of good news/not so good news.
Not so good news: The countries of the EU and all of Europe are paying the price for the centralization of government…in this case the European Union. Europe’s experience is also a case study on how gay advocacy is rolled out:
– mainstream homosexual behavior
– implement hate crimes laws and add “sexual orientation” as a protected class to every policy initiative (both private and public sector)
– put in place domestic partner benefits which eventually give impetus to a cry for same-sex civil unions
– the final step is not far behind””the legalization of same-sex marriage””which is then forced upon resistant states against their will
United Families International has been at the forefront of warning citizens and fighting gay advocacy in the U.S. and internationally. We won’t give up and you shouldn’t either!
Good news: On the UN front, UFI has been successful in helping to keep the pro-abortion advocates and anti-family folks from inflicting damage via UN resolutions. Last month we made you aware of our efforts to stop the outrageous Special Rapporteur’s Report on Education which claimed that there is a “Right to Comprehensive Sex Education.” There was discussion that this document could resurface in December. As of yet, nothing; but we’ll keep you up-dated. The UN treaty, CEDAW, hopefully has been put back in the ratification dust-bin where it has been for the last 30+ years.
We at United Families International are grateful for the opportunity to work for you representing traditional values and family issues. We take that responsibility very seriously and welcome any and all feedback as to how we can do our job better. As the year winds down and you are considering end-of-year donations, we ask that you keep United Families International in mind. Our people are dedicated, but it takes money to provide you with our regular policy and educational materials, to maintain a presence for our UN efforts, to impact policy and push forward grassroots’ successes. We are committed to you and to using our funds wisely””every dollar makes a difference.
Sincerely,
Mike Duff
President, United Families International