Concerned Women of America (CWA) held a meeting earlier in the month to express concern about a weapon that threatens the American way of life. Is it terrorism… missiles… drugs?? No. Prepare yourself. Are you sitting down? Ok, here goes – it's the U.N. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Terrifying, I know. The treaty (ratified by 184 countries, but not the U.S.) would involve the U.N. in "our homes, our families, our marriages," according to the conservative group. They even use the ‘F' word – yes, that's right: feminists. They say that the socialist feminists (*double shudder*) want to impose a radical liberal agenda around the world.

Never mind that one of the major focuses of the recent International AIDS Conference was that women and girls are a vulnerable population and have an increasing risk for HIV/AIDS… that this is often due to gender inequality, gender-based violence, economic disparity, being forced to obey their husband, and lack of education (to name just a few minor reasons)… Why would such a large women's group not want to acknowledge that a treaty is needed to protect women and stop gender discrimination around the world? Why would they ignore prominent figures, such as the Gateses, speaking out for women? Oh, I'm sorry – I forgot. They don't acknowledge any of that because they were not talking about AIDS. They must also be ignoring domestic violence, inadequate healthcare, unemployment, harassment, and poverty that women around the globe experience because of discrimination – discrimination that is perfectly legal in some countries.

CWA thinks that CEDAW is a liberal plot to push abortion and legalize prostitution, despite a U.N. spokesperson confirming that "governments running across the political and religious spectrum" endorse the treaty. In fact, Former President Jimmy Carter signed CEDAW, but Reagan and Bush Senior did not and despite his best efforts even Clinton couldn't revive it during his term. I'm sure I don't even have to tell you where the current president stands on this issue. (Bush Junior cares so much about women that he dismantled the White House Office for Women's Initiatives and Outreach on his first day as Commander-in-Chief.)

Well, if CWA are ignoring all of that… I guess I can understand why they would not want the U.S. to ratify CEDAW and support women around the world. Women's rights aren't really that important anyway. After all, we're just here to mind our husbands, pop out lots of children, cook, clean, and generally care for the family (remember – that's one man, one woman, and at least 2.5 kids – other configurations don't count). Agreeing that women everywhere deserve the same rights and equality as men would be just awful. Don't you think?