One of the intriguing things about the speeches at the Democratic convention this Summer was their moderation. Yes, moderation, in comparison to what will be the most radically left-wing administration in history should, God forbid, Kerry win.
Clearly the word went out in the strategy sessions to "tone it down." No Bush-bashing, and surprisingly very little actual mention of abortion. Kerry's daughter made a quick reference to people "controlling their own bodies" but that was about it; and I watched the entire thing. It was a bad week to misplace your medication.
How do I know how toned-down it was? Put this down under the one-more-thing- Catholics-need to-know-before they-vote department; and tell your friends.
Several years ago I was covering a UN Population Fund (UNFPA) conference as a journalist and I encountered a woman whom I knew clearly marked me as an enemy. Clinton was in office then, and the US delegations were fully stocked with Planned Parenthood people and other radical feminists. Even the US State Department personnel were largely radical feminist bureaucrats.
Those of us were pro-life were pretty much the minority and worked closely with the Holy See. Naturally, we all received the same smug hostility from these feminists who seemed to think they owned the place, and resented our being there. I asked who that one particular woman was who really seemed to resent us and one of my colleagues said, "Oh, that's Peggy!"
Only this year did I realize that Peggy was the sister of Senator John Kerry, and I recalled how hostile she was to those of us who were pro-lifers, either Catholic, Evangelical, Jew or Muslim. We were the enemy.
In 1999 Peggy Kerry was responsible for arranging for "Catholics For a Free Choice" to use the main press room of the UN to launch their "See Change" campaign to have the Vatican kicked out of the UN. Peggy is the NGO (non-governmental organization) liaison for the United States mission to the UN and as such is supposed to be non-partisan.
During the convention she even got in trouble with her bosses at the State Department for bashing President Bush, who is, ultimately, her boss. She did not do this on the convention floor or stage but at an event held July 26 at the Harvard Club by the National Organization for Women (NOW) and the Feminist Majority.
The Washington Times reported on July 27, "In introducing Ms. Kerry, Feminist Majority President Eleanor Smeal said she had heard of misgivings about the Kerry-Edwards ticket.
"Women are wondering whether they are 'really with us,' she said. There is no question that Mr. Kerry and Mr. Edwards 'have a huge track record with us,' Ms. Smeal said.
"'And he has a secret weapon,' she said, referring to Peggy Kerry and her many years of work with feminist causes."
Secret weapon indeed.
According to the Times, Kerry said, "There are three things my brother is going to do when he's elected president,'"
"Mr. Kerry will restore $34 billion to the United Nation's population fund for family planning, she pledged, and the Democrat will make sure that 'CEDAW,' an international treaty to eliminate discrimination against women, is ratified in the Senate.
"'He will also appoint pro-choice judges to the Supreme Court,' she said, as the crowd of more than 300 women cheered. At least three and perhaps as many as four justices could retire in the next few years, NOW leader Kim Gandy and other speakers said."
The evils of the CEDAW treaty are too many to mention in this space, but suffice it to say for now that a committee working on the CEDAW treaty seriously considered forcing the world's religions by international treaty to "alter" their sacred texts to conform to the radical agenda being forwarded by the CEDAW.
If you can imagine your Bible being censored by the state, imagine it being rewritten by radical feminists using international treaty instruments. Peggy is cut of this same feminist cloth, and seems to have the sympathy of her brother.
As for the UNFPA, the Population Research Institute (PRI) of Front Royal, VA has recently released evidence obtained from former political prisoner and human rights activist Harry Wu documenting the brutal abuse of Chinese women, including forced abortions and sterilizations, for the "crime" of being pregnant.
The UNFPA, of which Peggy Kerry is an ardent supporter, fanatically denies complicity in the Chinese policies, but the US State Department under President Bush determined differently. According to Steve Mosher, president of PRI described the horrors cited in Wu's documentation as occurring "Just a hop, skip and a jump" from the UNFPA offices in the region.
After being in China for decades, for the UNFPA to deny knowledge of these outrages against women and their families would be to admit either ignorance or incompetence.
Or both.
And if they knew, why did they not call world attention to the abuses to stop them?
I remember thinking when I attended at those UN conferences during the Clinton administration, seeing the feminist Clinton State Department opposing the Holy See with open disdain and ridicule, that I was never closer to being ashamed of being an American. I was spared by knowing these fanatics did not truly represent the American people. I tried to make a point of explaining this to Muslim delegates who were getting the impression that all American were this immoral.
Compared to John Kerry, Clinton is described as a "moderate." The thought of what will become of our State Department with Kerry in office—and what new appointment he may have for his sister is too terrible to contemplate.
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Mallon is Contributing Editor for Inside the Vatican magazine
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