UNCRC: Foreign Tyranny over American Families?

(Editor’s note: Welcome back, Ryan!)

“Best interests provides decision and policy makers with the authority to substitute their own decisions for either the child’s or the parents’, providing it is based on considerations of the best interests of the child.  Thus, the Convention challenges the concept that family life is always in the best interests of children and that parents are always capable of deciding what is best for children.” [underline added]

Unfortunately, this quote is not from a discredited radical talking about a theoretical idea.  It is Geraldine Van Bueren, an original drafter of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), talking about one aspect of the treaty.  According to the above-linked (Queen Mary University in London) site, “Professor Van Bueren’s writings have been cited in courts around the world, most recently by the Constitutional Court of South Africa and the European Court of Human Rights.”

The UNCRC was signed by the Clinton Administration, and its ratification has been pushed this year by Senator Barbara Boxer.  As a matter of fact, just two UN member countries haven’t ratified it: Somalia, and the United States.

I want to stay on that list, but as of October, President Obama wasn’t so sure (see question 12): “It’s embarrassing to find ourselves in the company of Somalia, a lawless land. I will review this and other treaties to ensure the United States resumes its global leadership in human rights.”

Under the Constitution, this treaty would take precedence over state laws, be equal with federal laws (practically higher) and become the right of every liberal judge, and arguably the duty of every congressman, to enforce.  This, along with the tenuous position (important read) of parental rights in our own Supreme Court, demands action.

ParentalRights.org has begun the fight to specifically enshrine parental rights in the Constitution (thus making them legally superior to any treaty).  Their Parental Rights amendment has 81 congressional cosponsors, but needs many more.  The goal is to build sponsors by collecting petitions.  10-2 Representatives will be the foot soldiers in this cause: people who collect 10 signatures and find 2 more to do the same.

I urge you to promote this cause within your circles, collect signatures, and encourage others to do the same.  Here is a good word for our times from Patrick Henry:  “The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave.”

P.S.  Nannies in Blue Berets, an article at ParentalRights.Org by Michael Farris, was my source/lead for most of the information about the treaty (including the quote above).  It is a great read for understanding the threat the UNCRC poses.