‘Reproductive rights’ to top of U.S. foreign policy agenda, Secretary Clinton says

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Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

Houston, Texas, Mar 30, 2009 / 10:24 am (CNA).- Speaking at Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s national conference in Houston this past Friday, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced that promoting “reproductive rights” –including abortion- will be at the top of the government’s international agenda.

After being honored by Planned Parenthood with the Margaret Sanger award for her “work on behalf of women’s health and reproductive rights,” the Secretary of State said “I have to tell you that it was a great privilege when I was told that I would receive this award. I admire Margaret Sanger enormously, her courage, her tenacity, her vision.”

Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, was openly sympathetic with to Nazi Germany’s eugenic practices and was strongly committed to preventing blacks, Hispanics and poor people from reproducing.

Praising the organization that endorsed her after during her unsuccessful bid for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, Clinton said that “the overarching mission of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the cause of reproductive freedom that you continue to advance today is as relevant in our world now as it was a hundred years ago.”

“Yet,” she continued, “we know that Margaret Sanger's work here in the United States and certainly across our globe is not done. Here at home, there are still too many women who are denied their rights because of income, because of opposition, because of attitudes that they harbor. But around the world, too many women are denied even the opportunity to know about how to plan and space their families. They're denied the power to do anything about the most intimate of decisions.”

“I want to assure you that reproductive rights and the umbrella issue of women's rights and empowerment will be a key to the foreign policy of this Administration,” she assured as the crowd applauded.

“I believe that women's rights and empowerment is an indispensible ingredient of smart power and therefore is integrated into our renewed emphasis on diplomacy and development… and I was very proud when President Obama repealed the Mexico City policy,” Clinton said, eliciting thunderous applause.

“As a result, nongovernmental organizations overseas can once again use U.S. funding to provide the full range of family planning services so that women and their families can get access to the healthcare that they need,” she said.

Clinton officially announced that the United States will once again fund family planning, including abortion as an option, through the United Nations. “We are going to fund a contribution of $50 million this fiscal year. That's a 130 percent increase over our last contribution, which was made in 2001.” “Congress has also approved the Administration's request for $545 million in bilateral assistance for family planning and reproductive health programs this year,” she informed the audience.

The Secretary of State also revealed that Obama’s policy towards dismantling and defeating al-Qaeda and their allies in Afghanistan and Pakistan will include “assisting women's development in those two countries” because “we know that access to family planning broadens the horizons and expands the vision of women everywhere.”

Clinton then connected national security and political instability around the world with the need to promote family planning and abortion.

“Simply put, infant mortality is connected to a lower quality of life. And a lower quality of life is the by-product of inadequate healthcare, including inadequate family planning options.”

Moreover, Clinton claimed that Indonesia “in ten short years has moved from tyranny to democracy” because of the coexistence of “Islam, modernization, and women's rights.”

“There is a connection between the commitment to family planning and the secular democracy that Indonesia has become,” she argued.

Clinton then said that NGOs like Planned Parenthood are “one of the great exports that America has,” and said that, “at the end of the next four years, I hope that we'll be able to look around the world and see that it is more peaceful, more prosperous, more progressive, and that, in particular, women's voices will be heard at every place where important decisions are made, and that organizations like Planned Parenthood will be our partners.”

Clinton ended her speech by thanking Planned Parenthood’s leadership for its advocacy for “women's reproductive health” in deliberations about the Obama Administration’s future healthcare system.

Comments: 30

Subscriber comments:

Published by: Rotbart
Andover, MA 04/02/2009 01:20 PM EST

1. to Tyler Mattson of Chicago. We hope God will forgive you for your insensitivity to human life.
2. to the Catholic Alliance and other shill phony "Catholic" groups that were set up to provide cover for pro-abortion (I'm against it personally) Democratic office holders, where are you hidng now?

Published by: Eric
Venezuela 04/02/2009 10:38 AM EST

The truth is that is incredible the despotic boldness of the Ms. Clinton, is a discourse that causes repugnance and aversion in all the christians and catholics of straight conscience and reason, above all the value and the tenacity of Margaret Sanger for to finish with the human life and its macabre vision of the culture of the death. It is the limit of the cynicism of Ms. Clinton to indicate that is a privilege for her to receive that award, time ago I did not read something so opprobrious, likewise when she indicates that Planned Parenthood- that group of Cains and criminals- is one of the better exportations than possesses U.S- the truth that Ms. Clinton is well damaged-. Now all is understood…the enormous and hard lesson that God has sent to U.S it is related to the ascension of the corrupt and contumacious Democrats to the government, we should remember that¨the Creator governs the universe¨ (Sal 33;96) and also maintains the control of all,¨God directs the events for our well¨(Rom 8,28); and “God punishes the sin of the men” (Ex 7-10), God from the eternity saw what was coming and all the misbehaviors of these people - you take conscience of that-. Also the president Obama should make use of his power of veto; where is the good morale of the new president front of so much malice and perversity? By chance doesn’t he have authority?. Obama don’t continue acting as a perfidious .Catholics and christian of integrity many firmness and conviction against so many barbarism

Published by: E.D.
Fort Wayne, IN, USA 04/01/2009 11:04 AM EST

Thankfully, it was truthfully noted that Planned Parenthood is tied to NAZI eugenics at its roots. As Margaret Sanger was a racist, it appears that Mrs. Clinton does not want to distance herself from her, ergo, Mrs. Clinton herself, is a racist. This explains her support of the PP agenda. Moreover, there are more low-birth weigtht children born of women who have had an abortion. Contraception causes weight gain in women to the point of obesity as proven with Deprovera shots. Contraception also leads to increased divorce & it undermines morals. As the reduced population demographics was the best predictor of our economic woes, at present, those who voted for Obama due to the eoonomy will find that our economy will tank even more with all of these depopulation programs promoted by Nancy Pelosi. We are losing our democracy in the U.S. as we go to Socialism. Therefore, Ms. Clinton's assertion that PP promostes democracy is a big lie.

Published by: Tyler Mattson
Chicago 03/31/2009 11:06 PM EST

I also forgot to mention that abortions have been going on for CENTURIES...and will continue to be performed even if it is successfully deemed illegal. Instead of people having it preformed safely by licensed physicians it will be preformed in alleys by quack doctors causing an even greater loss of life. What about the rights of the BORN?

Published by: Tyler Mattson
Chicago 03/31/2009 11:01 PM EST

You guys all love to throw around things like the rights of unborn babies, killing children. It seems to me that everyone is so concerned about the well being of that child up until it is born...then who cares what happens. Put it up for adoption, let it be homeless, send him off to war, let it starve and live a terrible existence.

The bottom line is that abortion is not the issue. There should be no unwanted babies in the first place. And lets be clear here, these are not babies, they are single fertilized cells. Bringing an unwanted baby into a harsh, cruel, overcrowded world is a much greater sin in my book.

Published by: Patrick
Mineola, NY, USA 03/31/2009 03:10 PM EST

Mrs. Clinton stated “Simply put, infant mortality is connected to a lower quality of life. And a lower quality of life is the by-product of inadequate healthcare, including inadequate family planning options.”

So abortion is a means of lower infant mortality. Is it me or is that reasoning a bit twisted?

Published by: WILLIAM P. MURPHY
UNITED STATES 03/31/2009 02:20 PM EST

What is reproductive about killing a baby in the womb?

Imagine the economic impact of the abortions of 50 million American Babies.

Babies are our future. We must secure and protect the sanctity of all life, born and unborn.

If we fail to protect life in the womb, all other issues are null and void of meaning or purpose.

Published by: James & Anne maher
Ireland 03/31/2009 10:27 AM EST

So sick and sad! It's time that all good living, Christian minded people stood up and be counted. Between Obama and her humanity has two ideologically linked people in very high places. No more shilly-shallying - stand up for your gut feelings, your traditional Christian values!

Published by: bjcass
mooresville,nc 03/31/2009 08:39 AM EST

I hope many Catholics who supported the Obama election will reconsider that vote as our new President and his team attack the Culture of Life articulated by John Paul II.I care about the poor ,social justice and the lives lost in war just like anyone else.Yet I can`t rationalize an abortion holocaust that has taken millions of lives and will takes millions more because I would like universal health care or some other government program.

Published by: Peter NGUYEN
Wichita, Kansas, USA 03/31/2009 08:36 AM EST

We,the American people are short of money for our life in a worst economy now. Why the U.S has to send money for other countries to spend in an objectionable purpose. We hate to see such foolish thing to promote in our government.

Published by: Joseph Wagner
Sarasota Florida 03/31/2009 02:28 AM EST

Hello
It is sad that our Secretary of Stte Hillery Clinton is supporting "killing of unborn children" through abortion. Selling this idea under guise of woman's rights. It is equally sad that so many Catholics supported Hillery when she ran for president

sincerely
Joseph J. Wagner

Published by: Samuel
USA 03/31/2009 01:31 AM EST

Many Catholics helped elect this disgusting government we now have and the Church has done little to educate Hispanics about the true nature of the Democrat party.

Published by: Mike
Cheyenne/WY/U.S. 03/30/2009 10:51 PM EST

Very interesting.

Published by: Mary
Shawnee/KS/USA 03/30/2009 09:08 PM EST

Yes, the queen of abortion goes abroad, no pun intended

Published by: Doug
Lake Arthur, LA 03/30/2009 09:06 PM EST

In short, what is called a "right" is little more than the encouragement of people breeding like animals and not being made to accept responsibility for the consquence of human dignity and elevation. Don't look here ... I voted for a war hero and do believe that there is an agenda of pure evil afoot in our world. We've scoffed at those who would preserve our powerful and proven pre-Vatican II traditions; however, we claim not to understand how Satan entered our culture so quickly and so effectively. We must pray with vigor and resolve but we must also take substantive action.

Published by: Mary Lou Jeffries
Orange, CA, USA 03/30/2009 08:44 PM EST

Ask those who believe in "Pro-Choice" a follow up question . . WHAT does this stand for. . the right to kill. . murder . . Lord have mercy for they know not what they do.

Published by: Margie
Houston, TX 03/30/2009 07:55 PM EST

I have heard people including Catholics say that they voted for Obama because he was going to help the poor. Isn't it ironic that the founder of Planned Parenthood was committed to preventing blacks, hispanics and poor people from reproducing. Do the Democrats realize that they are shooting themselves in the foot by killing off their future voters? This is why you can't debate liberals. Their arguments make no sense.

Published by: Leo Petit, M.S.C.
Center Valley,PA, USA 03/30/2009 05:50 PM EST

Anyone who promotes the killing of a human being in a woman's womb
has become Satan's disciple. I pray that Hillary, Barack, Nancy Pelosi, Joe Biden, Ted Kennedy, and others of the same thinking will see the serious error of their ways, repent and seek our merciful God's forgiveness!

Published by: F. Arundell
Niantic/CT/USA 03/30/2009 05:32 PM EST

It certainly is not that those Catholics who voted for the Obama presidency didn't know that they were electing the champions of the "Culture of Death", both to life and freedom.

Published by: JG77
Cary/IL/US 03/30/2009 04:53 PM EST

Sure ... way to go Clinton. Let's award her for her help in promoting women’s health and her support for abortion, which coincidently is an act that has taken the lives of millions of unborn girls! If that isn’t paradoxical, I don’t know what is.

Published by: Bea Stroupe
Indian Land, SC 03/30/2009 04:34 PM EST

God help this country of ours. It is frightening to think of the direction we are taking.

Published by: Raymond Peringer
Toronto, Canada 03/30/2009 04:28 PM EST

Hillary Clinton's use of language is just a little too cute.

Her speech was liberally sprinkled with codewords and expressions for the killing of the unborn: reproductive rights and freedoms, empowerment, equating abortion with health care and national security.

Unfortunately she is in a position to export the North American culture of death, forcing it on the Third World under the guise of foreign aid.

Published by: Mary
New Braunfels, TX 03/30/2009 12:48 PM EST

Women have the right to choose what they want to do with their bodies and then the government wants to "relieve" them of the consequences of the their decisions, so as Obama said, "not to punish them if they make a mistake". What Ever... people just need to RESPECT their own personal temple of God.

Published by: Jairo Castillo
Puerto Rico 03/30/2009 12:20 PM EST

How about unborn child right to live??? This administration will put America in a road of darkness. I will continue to pray that evil does not continue to destroy the unborn, consecuently destroying the nation. Jesus, I Trust in You!!!!

Published by: Jairo Castillo
Puerto Rico 03/30/2009 12:19 PM EST

Published by: PiciCatholic
Richmond, TX 03/30/2009 12:17 PM EST

There were over 900 people outside of the George R. Brown convention Center in a prayer vigil in protest of the event.

Published by: Radomysl Twardowski
Bismarck, ND, USA 03/30/2009 12:15 PM EST

Very depressing and obviously totally against the teaching of the Catholic Church. Even more depressing is that 54 % of self-professed Catholics are voting for these politicians and their policies, ostensibly for the reasons of "bad economy".

Published by: JD
South Lyon/MI/US 03/30/2009 11:07 AM EST

Of course Obama and Clinton are going to pay off PP, NARAL, et al for their campaign support.

Re Islam, this is why Muslims consider the West, and particularly the US, so evil - we export our obviously immoral practices to them despite their vocal opposition to it. If they (Clinton/Obama) were serious about improving negotiations with Islamic nations, they would stop doing such offensive things to them.

Published by: Eric
Boston 03/30/2009 11:03 AM EST

And all the pro-life, pro-Obama Catholics should be ready to hit the confessionals right about now.

It isn't enough that we slaughter our own citizens, but now we need to send it overseas? What have we done?

Published by: Jack
NY 03/30/2009 10:41 AM EST

She's always talking about "rights." What about the rights of the unborn?

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