eye to eye

At least we agree on some things:

Iran and the US are two of only eight countries that have not joined the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (Cedaw).

Supporters call Cedaw an international "bill of rights" for women.

"This treaty deals with the most basic rights for women and girls, including access to basic medical care, legal redress against violence, and access to education," says Sarah Albert, co-chair of the Working Group for Ratification of Cedaw.

The article goes on to explain that Iran's Guardian Council rejected the treaty because they regard it as un-Islamic, whereas the US... just hasn't gotten around to it, I guess.... (Carter actually signed it in 1980, but the Senate never ratified it. The Bush administration "has been reviewing the treaty for a couple of years but it is not high on the treaty ratification priority list to be sent to the Senate.")

Of course, it's not just because we're just sitting around all the time too stoned to ratify treaties. There's also an issue of sovereignty. Janice Crouse explains in the article above how the UN is trying to make us act like a Western nation. Us and our allies: Iran, Nauru, Palau, Qatar, Somalia, Sudan, Tonga, Niue, and the Vatican.

If this bugs you, and your senator is on the Foreign Relations Committee, you might consider writing a letter.