U.S. weighs in on Uruguay abortion vote

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-23-2003
U.S. weighs in on Uruguay abortion vote
19
Wed, 05-12-2004 - 12:52pm

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/apwashington_story.asp?category=1153&slug=Congress%20Uruguay


Tuesday, May 11, 2004 · Last updated 2:27 p.m. PT


U.S. weighs in on Uruguay abortion vote


By JIM ABRAMS
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER


WASHINGTON -- Rep. Chris Smith says he hopes that he played a small part in stopping Uruguay from becoming the first Latin American nation besides Cuba to legalize abortion. Critics say he was meddling in the affairs of another country.


Smith, R-N.J., and five other anti-abortion House Republicans on April 30 sent letters to Uruguay's senators urging them not to "make the same costly mistake" America made 31 years ago and "legalize the violent murder of unborn children."


On May 5, the Uruguayan Senate rejected, by 17-13, the bill that, in addition to making abortion legal for women in the first trimester of pregnancy, would have promoted sex education, contraceptive distribution and maternal health care services. The bill had already passed Uruguay's House of Representatives.


No one is suggesting that Smith's letter changed the outcome of the Uruguay Senate vote, and even had it passed Jorge Batlle, president of the heavily Roman Catholic country, said he would veto it.


But one sponsor of the bill, Sen. Monica Xavier, said she had filed a complaint with the foreign ministry, and another lawmaker, Sen. Reynaldo Gargano, called the "an act of gross meddling."


Imagine, he told The Associated Press, "if we had sent a similar letter concerning the war on Iraq. ... This was totally improper."


"The letter was a flagrant involvement in another country's constitutional issues," said Angeles Cabria, senior program officer for Latin America at the International Women's Health Coalition. She cited figures showing that 63 percent of Uruguayans supported the legislation, and said the American lawmakers were "basically telling these senators to go against the will of their country."


Smith, a senior member of the House International Relations Committee, dismissed the criticism Monday, saying he regularly talks to foreign ministers and lawmakers from other countries on such issues as drug trafficking and torture. "Lawmakers have a duty to talk to each other on human rights." (me:  "human rights"???)


He said it was also crucial to counter the efforts of pro-choice groups such as Planned Parenthood that approved of the legislation. "This was going to be their launching pad for abortion on demand in Latin America," he said.


But Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-N.Y., an abortion rights leader, said that in her 18 years in Congress she has never received a letter from a foreign lawmaker telling her how to vote on an issue. She said what also bothered her was the suggestion, because America wields so much power around the world, that "if you don't do this you'll be sorry."


Also signing the letter were Reps. Mike Pence, R-Ind., Todd Akin, R-Mo., Steve King, R-Iowa, Jo Ann Davis, R-Va., and Joseph Pitts, R-Pa. (me:  note these names)


---


On the Net:


Rep. Smith: http://www.house.gov/chrissmith/


International Women's Health Coalition: http://www.iwhc.org/

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iVillage Member
Registered: 04-16-2003
Wed, 05-12-2004 - 4:36pm
<< "Lawmakers have a duty to talk to each other on human rights.">>

Says who? Self-righteous lawmakers have a mission to impose their values, like good evangelists. Perhaps they had no impact, but just to think they would have to nerve to advise another country.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-18-2000
Wed, 05-12-2004 - 4:50pm

What self-righteous arrogance.

 


Photobucket&nbs

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-16-2003
Wed, 05-12-2004 - 4:58pm
<>

Hmmm Hadn't thought about this angle, but it is appropriate. So much for freedom of religion.

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-10-2004
Wed, 05-12-2004 - 5:41pm
Do you ever post anything in support on America? Just curious?
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-23-2003
Wed, 05-12-2004 - 5:52pm

It's called In The News.


iVillage Member
Registered: 05-10-2004
Wed, 05-12-2004 - 6:09pm
yes it is about America showing your dislike for yet another American "wrongdoing" in your opinion. I do have to ask in regards to the article...what is so imposing about a letter of advice from an American official? He didn't have a protest or do or say anything derogatory.
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-05-2003
Thu, 05-13-2004 - 8:17am

While I disagree with his stance I don't have a problem with him sending that letter.

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-16-2003
Thu, 05-13-2004 - 12:37pm
<>

This is your opinion. To me he used his power to influence another country. This is not his role, as I see it. You are free to disagree, and defend him, but just saying he is blameless doesn't go very far with me.

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-10-2004
Thu, 05-13-2004 - 12:54pm
<>

Huh?? Was this to me?

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-10-2004
Thu, 05-13-2004 - 12:57pm
Tell me something...what is your role? If I wanted to write a letter or get a bunch of Pro-Life protestors to do so also would that be in "my role" to do so? What does a "role" have anything to do with having an opinion abot an important matter and expressing it on PAPER? Paper or actions , it's like you can't win unless you do it YOUR way!

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