Don’t you wish you could click your ruby shoes together and just go home — back to a time when our government was on the right track? Unfortunately, I believe those powerful heels are property of the Smithsonian and don’t likely have enough juice left to fix the mess in which we find ourselves today.

This week topped off a trifecta of government abuse. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) targeted conservative groups seeking tax exempt status; the Department of Justice secretly led an investigation into phone records of Associated Press (AP) journalists; and the icing on the cake, which can’t be set on a back burner to cool, is the continued struggle for answers on Benghazi.

Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) sums it up perfectly, “Scandals represent Americans’ worst fears about big government: government is spying on you, targeting you, and lying to you.” Ouch!  You can say that again, Senator!  You know the saying, “The truth hurts.”  I hope the truths of these sandals are enough to activate the American people, because ultimately, they are the ones being abused by their government.  Let’s remember, targeting those who are criticizing our government is not just an issue of concern to conservatives, but one that should be of concern to anyone who might want to question the government.

These scandals show what happens when those in power overlook the purpose of government and, instead, see only a chance for political indoctrination.

For the head of our government to tell the American people he “found out” about the IRS overreach of power at the same time they did, when it was leaked, is simply inexcusable — especially since that same sentiment seems to have become a favorite last line of defense: “I don’t know.”  Eric Holder, who has been caught with his hands in the proverbial cookie jars of multiple scandals, recently told elected officials during Congressional hearings that he doesn’t know the specifics within his own department regarding the AP phone grab. Hillary Clinton said the same when she was asked questions about the State Department’s involvement in Benghazi, and President Obama can’t say whether the White House had any involvement in this trio of scandals.

This is not about partisan issues; the buck stops with the person in charge. The fact of the matter is, unfortunately, that this administration cannot run its offices with integrity. It’s time for those who have been entrusted with authority to take responsibility for the positions they’ve chosen to accept; and with that responsibility comes accountability.  An answer like, “I don’t know,” is simply unacceptable and cannot be tolerated. They’re not figureheads; it’s part of their job to know.

And if everyone is on the same page, uttering the same “I don’t know/it wasn’t me/mistakes were made” mantra, then it stands to reason that they’re not just protecting themselves; there must be someone else, higher up, pulling the strings … someone else, higher up, who will ultimately be damaged by these scandals … someone else, higher up, who doesn’t want to be seen … someone else, higher up, who doesn’t have the moral fiber or requisite integrity to take responsibility for his brazen and foolish actions.

So it’s “Deflect, deflect, deflect.”  Pay no attention to the little tyrant behind the curtain.

CWA’s Alison Howard speaks at the House Triangle before the coalition delivers hundreds of thousands of petitions to the Chinese Embassy.

What if I told you there were millions of girls who were never given a chance to “lean in”? … Left out of the conversation. … Not invited to the table.  What if I told you they were systematically being eliminated not only from the workforce but from life itself?

I didn’t believe it either, until a friend pointed me to a movie that sounds about as “girly” as one can get.  “It’s a Girl.”  Those are words usually met with joyous applause, right?  Wrong.  It’s a Girl is a film documenting how, in many parts of our world, those three words are a death sentence.

Concerned Women for America is made up of over 500,000 members, many of whom were shocked to hear — like you will be — that there are over 160 million missing girls in this world, missing just because they were born female.  It is a sad reality, but in India, China, and many other parts of the world, girls are killed, aborted, and abandoned simply because they are girls.  The United Nations estimates that as many as 200 million girls are missing in the world today because of “gendercide,” the deliberate extermination of girls in favor of boys.  This is the true “war on women” — a long war, rooted in centuries-old tradition and sustained by cultural and government policies that value little boys over little girls.

But thanks to the efforts of a coalition against gendercide, especially that of the newly released It’s a Girl movie and movement, we are no longer uninformed and unaware.

Did you know that India and China kill more females every year than the number of girls born in the U.S in a year?  China also has the highest female suicide rate in the world, with over 500 women ending their lives every day in China according to the World Health Organization.  We have a real human rights problem and are seeing the systematic elimination of women and girls. Concerned Women for America has and will call discrimination out when we see it.  And if we do not join hands on this devastating issue and condemn the sex-selective practices in this world, we will fail future generations of mothers, sisters, teachers, doctors, and leaders.

It is because of this gendercide that we see, in countries like China and India, an unnatural ratio of men to women.  There are 37 million more men than women in each of these countries today, leading to devastating societal consequences.

You can easily see how a rising population of frustrated single men spells trouble.  We’ve seen an increase in the horrors of sex trafficking, forced marriages, and the kidnapping of women.  This is all very, very real for women across those countries.

This is not a Left or Right issue; this is common ground.  Even Hillary Clinton lamented the practice of sex selection in China and India.  All of the talk of reaching across  the aisle for positive change in this world can start right here on this issue.  On Tuesday, April 23, members of Congress, led by Reps. Chris Smith (R-New Jersey) and Jim McDermott (D-Washington) joined with the Coalition Against Gendercide to highlight this tragedy by screening It’s a Girl.

On April 24, I had the honor of speaking at the House Triangle before the coalition delivered hundreds of thousands of petitions addressed to China to the front door of the Chinese Embassy (petitions which the Chinese Embassy refused to receive, by the way).

So how can a girl “lean in” if she can’t even get out?  Protecting a girl in the womb and at birth is the first chance at giving her a fighting chance in this world.  Today, I challenge you to be a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves.  The film, It’s a Girl, is a great tool to help people understand why those are the three deadliest words to hear in many places today.

Encourage everyone you know to see it, and then take action to end this horrific practice.

Wife and warrior Naghmeh Abidini testified at a Congressional hearing last Friday to raise national awareness for her husband, Pastor Saeed Abedini, and to urge the State Department and President Obama’s Administration to take long-overdue action. Saeed is an Iranian-born U.S. citizen who was arrested in Iran last July and imprisoned in the notoriously brutal Evin prison.  The Islamic Regime of Iran claims that Pastor Saeed is a national security threat, and yet, even they have stated that the real reason for his imprisonment is his Christian faith.  Saeed converted from Islam to Christianity in 2000 and subsequently started an underground church movement.  He and his wife have been living in America as U.S. citizens and have traveled back to Iran many times.  This past July, Saeed made another trip to Iran in order to gain final approval for the orphanage he is building.  This project had the full approval of the Iranian government, and he has complied with all of their past demands with regards to his activities in the country.  However, he was arrested in July 2012 and, at the beginning of this year, he was sentenced to eight years in Evin prison.

The U.S. State Department and the Obama Administration have been glaringly absent in this case.  In fact, they have done more in the past for non-U.S. citizens imprisoned in Iran than they have been willing to do on behalf of Pastor Saeed.  They were notified about the hearing, but their response was that they had no one available to attend. Quoting Dietrich Bonhoeffer during the hearing, Naghmeh said, “Silence in the face of evil, in itself is evil. God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak; not to act is to act.”  The State Department’s shameful lack of acknowledgement of this issue, especially their refusal to send a representative to the hearing, is absolutely appalling.  Congress has acted on this issue, but it is the State Department and the Obama Administration’s responsibility to lead this case and demand Saeed’s release.  While White House Press Secretary Jay Carney has made mild comments in response to media questioning on this issue, President Obama has remained entirely silent. Likewise, the only comments that have been made by the State Department have been in response to questions from the media or from Members of Congress.

During the recent U.N. meetings, the E.U. spoke out specifically on behalf of Pastor Saeed, and yet, when it came time for the U.S. delegation to speak, they made no mention of his name.  “Imagine you’re a U.S. citizen detained for your faith abroad, and the E.U. is speaking out, but your own country is remaining silent,” said Jordan Sekulow, attorney with the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) and Nagmeh’s legal counsel.

However, thanks to the tireless efforts of Naghmeh, the relentless work of the ACLJ, the extensive and regular coverage by Fox News, the over 100 Congressmen who signed a letter to the State Department, especially the specific leadership of Congressman Trent Franks (R-Arizona) on the Hill with this issue, Congressman Frank Wolf’s (R-Virginia) leading of the Congressional hearing, and the 538,000 Americans who have signed the petition and called their representatives, a State Department representative did finally agree to meet with Naghmeh to discuss her husband’s imprisonment and torture.

Congress has done what it needs to do. Americans are doing their part, as the petition for Saeed’s release increases by about 15,000 signatures a day; it is now at nearly 600,000.   Many public figures, including several Christian recording artists and politicians, have spread the news about this issue to their audiences. Now is the time for the State Department and the Obama Administration to get their act in gear or face the growing outrage of the rapidly increasing number of Americans who are following this case.  Naghmeh and her ACLJ attorney, Jordan Sekulow, appeared on Fox News this morning setting this Friday as a deadline for the State Department to make a clear statement demanding Saeed Abedini’s release.

Please join CWA and continue to pray for the immediate release of Pastor Saeed Abidini. If you were not able to watch the Congressional hearing and Naghmeh’s moving testimony, you can watch it here.

Chelsen Vicari, CWA’s Communications Strategist, contributed to this article.

As an NBA Hall-of-Famer and a one-time professional wrestler, Dennis Rodman has built a reputation as a great American athlete.  But after making some shockingly uninformed comments about dictator Kim Jong Un after his recent visit to North Korea, it doesn’t appear Rodman is on pace to rack up any points for his political astuteness.

“I love the guy. He’s awesome. He’s so honest,” raved Rodman of the North Korean dictator in an interview following a trip intended to spread goodwill through the two men’s shared interest in basketball.  Rodman was seemingly unfazed by the gross human rights violations perpetuated by the young leader, including intense religious persecution and the imprisonment of thousands of political dissidents.

In response to concerns over the leader’s continued commitment to produce a nuclear weapon capable of striking the United States, Rodman insisted that Kim Jong Un “didn’t want war,” and only continued the illicit program in honor of his father’s legacy. “He loves power; he loves control, because of his dad and stuff like that. He’s a great guy; he’s just a great guy if you sit down and talk to him,” proclaimed Rodman.

Troubling though these statements are, Rodman is only one in a long strain of public figures to poorly judge a dictator’s character. Popular authors and academics Sydney and Beatrice Webb, for example, became avid enthusiasts and friends of Josef Stalin, even penning a book on the “success” of the Soviet Union. “There is, in fact, a consensus of opinion, among those who have watched Stalin’s action in administration, that this is not at all characteristic of a dictator. … Stalin is now universally considered to have justified his leadership by success,” wrote the Webbs, denying the atrocities of a man responsible for killing millions of his own people.

Obviously, Rodman isn’t the first well-known person to view an evil dictator through rose-colored glasses.  Many have been taken in by charismatic leaders with a seemingly appealing persona but who are inwardly evil.  Rodman is only the freshest example of how anyone can be blinded by the aura of personality, ignoring the plain facts at hand.

Evil is deceptive and can be especially dangerous when those directly encountering it are not ready or do not want to resist the deception.  It may seem strange when those like Rodman appear to walk so readily into the lies, but Scripture predicts that more and more of us will be enthusiastically led astray by smooth talkers.  “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine.  Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear” (1 Tim. 4:3).

Those who would lead us astray are becoming harder to spot and easier to follow every day. As Christians, we must respond by praying for guidance, staying immersed in God’s Word and preparing to resist the frauds constantly luring our attention away from the truth.

Caution! Do not be fooled by rumors that China is softening its one-child policy. It’s not. According to People’s Daily, the Chinese communist party newspaper, China plans to soften its one-child policy slogans. Sadly, China has no plans to change its one-child policy. The communist party has merely instructed China’s National Population and Family Planning Commission to work to evoke “gentle reminders,” such as “Caring for the girl means caring for the future of the nation,” instead of what I call repulsive propaganda.

Thanks to BBC, we know that the despicable slogans currently circulating, especially in rural areas, include:

“Kill all your family if you don’t follow the rule.”

“We would rather scrape your womb than allow you to have a second child!”

“If you don’t receive the tubal ligation surgery by the deadline, your house will be demolished!”

“If you escape [sterilization], we’ll hunt you down; if you want to hang yourself, we’ll give you the rope.”

These slogans are beyond terrifying, which has been their point. Can you imagine the uproar in the United States if propaganda like this was scattered throughout our small towns? I imagine the depths of the underworld would have to freeze over first.

But sadly, for China’s younger generations these disgusting mantras are not upsetting. Right now, Concerned Women for America is hosting a beautiful and bright student intern from Shanghai. Though our intern holds all life to be precious, these slogans encouraging the one-child policy are unsurprising to her because she has witnessed firsthand the communist regime’s efforts to decrease its population. She took time to explain the perspective of her fellow countrymen. You won’t like what you read.

She explained that China’s government has taken drastic measures to fool its citizens. The communist government has intentionally made its cost of living, childcare costs, tuition fees, and even formula prices so expensive that families feel they cannot afford to have more children. China has worked hard to make its policy seem reasonable, even humane (much like the methods used by pro-abortion activists).  Sadly, so many Chinese citizens are being convinced that their country cannot sustain more people – that is, until they reach their golden years.

Older generations in China grow to regret not having more children. Once they grow old, parents realize they would have had more than one child to love, support, and care for them. Unfortunately, by this time, it is too late.

We must pray that this vicious cycle in China ends soon.

Carlson Wagonlit Travel: One of the white hats of the business world.

With the Penn State child rape scandal (and now Syracuse) still in the news, child sexual exploitation is a growing concern across the nation.  In addition to pedophiles abusing children for their own sick sexual kicks, there is a whole industry of pimps and criminal networks that provide children for those whose sexual obsessions drive them to rent the bodies of younger and younger victims.  Every year, thousands of children are trapped in sex trafficking, prostitution, pornography, and sex tourism – all victims coerced into a vicious cycle of abuse that robs them of their innocence.

According to the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section on Trafficking and Sex Tourism, “Each year an estimated 800,000 to 900,000 human beings are bought, sold, or forced across the world’s borders [2003 U.S. State Department estimate].  Among them are hundreds of thousands of teenage girls, and others as young as 5, who fall victim to the sex trade.”

When faced with such daunting figures – which represent not just sheer numbers, but young lives ravaged by a very real, and often undetected, kind of slavery – it is easy to get discouraged, particularly when there are so many who choose to remain ignorant to the facts or who throw up their hands in defeat. Thus, it is encouraging to see shining examples of those who are willing to take a bold stand, especially in the private sector.

One recent example is Carlson Winglit Travel (CWT), a $27.8 billion travel agency that caters to business and leisure travelers; CWT has joined the fight to help protect children against trafficking and child sex tourism.  On Nov. 16, CWT began inserting advisories on their electronic itineraries (issued in the U.S.) for passengers traveling to countries where child sex tourism is widespread, providing them with a hotline by which they can report suspicious behavior.

The advisory states the following:

UNICEF REPORTS THAT TRAFFICKING IN CHILDREN FOR PURPOSES OF SEXUAL EXPLOITATION IS A GLOBAL PROBLEM.  THE U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT ADVISES ITS CITIZENS THAT ENGAGING IN SEXUAL CONDUCT WITH MINORS IS A CRIME AND IF COMMITTED OUTSIDE THE U.S. IS PUNISHABLE UPON RETURN TO THE UNITED STATES. TRAVELERS CAN HELP BY REPORTING SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY TO THE NATIONAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING HOTLINE:  1-888-373-7888.  WHEN CALLING FROM OUTSIDE THE U.S.: +1-202-507-7966. CARLSON WAGONLIT TRAVEL SUPPORTS THE PROTECTION OF THE WORLD’S CHILDREN.

The effort of this travel agency is commendable.  CWT’s ability to influence travelers is substantial, as it provides services to some of the biggest and most profitable corporations worldwide, issuing hundreds of thousands of itineraries on a daily basis.

“As I read it, it just made me very happy to be a part of my company,” said Tammy Conderman, service center manager at CWT.  “Just knowing that our company is taking a stand and putting effort forward against these horrible crimes brought tears to my eyes.”

“This is most definitely a praise [report] and the timing could not be better,” said Debra Kohl, field coordinator for Concerned Women for America of Missouri and a personal friend of Conderman.  “Bringing awareness to a problem is the first step to solving the problem.”

Perhaps such examples of privatized corporations taking action to make a difference are exactly what our nation needs right now to serve as wake-up calls to those who sit around or occupy parks, waiting for government to solve all our problems.

Our guest blogger today is Lauren Levy, an intern with Concerned Women for America’s (CWA) Ronald Reagan Memorial Internship Program.  Click here for more information on internships with CWA.

The Roman philosopher and orator, Cicero, once said, “The first bond of society is marriage.”  He believed that an intact family structure — a married mom and dad — was essential to the well-being of a strong society.  Indeed, the institution of marriage has been the bedrock of civilization for thousands of years; yet today, marriage and family as we have known them are under attack.  While the social science research clearly and unequivocally shows that marriage is central to the welfare of individuals and the entire social order, unwarranted changes in family structure are profoundly reshaping our post-modern society and even our global economies.

The PIIGS, an ugly acronym coined to represent Europe’s most financially troubled countries, including Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece, and Spain, are experiencing grave breakdowns in their economies paralleled with declines in marriage.  Over 70 percent of Portuguese and Italians, and 68 percent of Spaniards, say marriage is irrelevant today — and of those who make it to the church altar, only one in three Portuguese and Spaniards believe that marriage is for life!  In Italy, where the Catholic church still maintains a strong cultural presence and where divorce rates are the lowest in Europe, only half (48 percent) believe that marriage today will last a lifetime.  In Greece, a startling 74 percent of consumers say marriage is not a lifetime goal for them.

The PIIGS’ economies aren’t the only things shrinking; unfortunately, their populations are also on the decline.  The future looks bleak for these countries that are undoubtedly facing demographic time bombs, with dismal fertility rates and an increase in the so-called old-age dependency ratio (OADR), which means, “fewer working-age people to pay for the health and pension benefits of a growing older population.”  Of the PIIGS, Ireland has the brightest fertility outlook, with total fertility measured at 2.1 (children per woman) and Greece, following at 1.5.  Italy, Portugal, and Spain all have fertility rates of 1.4 children per woman, which is a growing concern in terms of exasperating the old-age dependency ratio.

Throughout the years, what we have learned, to our sorrow, is that the consequences of the decline in marriage and breakdown of the family have not only negatively affected generations of individuals on a personal level, the decline of marriage has undermined social institutions and shaken the stability and economic viability of nations.

Editor’s Note: We bring you this blog post as part of our Memorial Day rememberance of all those who faithfully served our country.  It was written by guest blogger Janne Myrdal, who serves as state director for Concerned Women for America of North Dakota, and it was originally posted April 19, 2011.

Abby Sondeland, a 15-year-old high school freshman, bravely honored her grandfather, Lawrence Sondeland, by playing Taps at his funeral.

This morning I attended the small town funeral of a World War II veteran.  He served in the Air Force B-24 Bomber Squadron, 8th Air Force, England.  Watching the presentation of the flag to his widow, a British war bride (they were married 66 years), I was deeply touched once again by what these brave Americans did way back then.  Hearing Taps being bravely played by his 15-year-old granddaughter, a local high school freshman, put it over the top for me.  It was honor of a higher level as she nailed it and then collapsed in tears as the last tone from her trumpet hung in the air.  I happened to be standing near her and took her into my arms and held her sobbing frame while telling her that were it not for men like her grandfather, I might have grown up speaking German.  She looked at me and smiled through her tears.  I hope she understood what I was trying to tell her.  Indeed a moment to preserve.

Often, when I have the blessed opportunity to speak at gatherings here in this great country, I ask if there are veterans, but especially WWII veterans present.  Why?  Because I want them to know that I remember.  I grew up in Norway raised by parents who lived through five years of horror during the Nazi occupation.  And though I was born what seems to be an eternity away from that horrible era, it was only 17 short years that seemed like a blink of an eye to those who lived through it all.  The small town I was born in was the home of the factory that produced Heavy Water, a vital component sought after in the race for the atom bomb.  So, needless to say, the presence of the Gestapo as well as the Norwegian Resistance movement was large and intense.  (If you are interested, Heroes of Telemark, the 1963 movie featuring Kirk Douglas, is based on the true story.)  My grandfather was in the Resistance and hid in the mountains for months on end, while the Gestapo took his sons hostage and put them in labor camps in order to flush him out from hiding.  He could not come out as he knew the price for surrender was too high, even higher than that of his children’s well-being and even their lives.  At the recent funeral of my mother, one of my uncles stood up and talked about it all for the first time that I can remember, and I was stunned at some of the information that came to light, the price they all paid, yet the determination to fight for freedom at all costs.  It was something my parents drilled into our heads, almost daily, while growing up.  Stories of my dad smuggling horse meat home to cook, cut and stolen from a Nazi commander’s portion, and tales of my mom’s encounters with the Allied bombs that rained over the friendly little town – bombs aimed at saving the world, not to kill; however, kill they did.  Now, so many years later, I am ever grateful for the upbringing and heritage of a family devoted to liberty and freedom, to honor and sacrifice, and I often wonder about the providence of being born into such a family and where it takes one along the path of life.

Lawrence G. Sondeland and his wife, Pamela. Lawrence served in the U.S. Airforce, B-54 Bomber Squad, 8th Air Force in England during World War II.

So, today, at the funeral, I was overwhelmed by the honor shown this precious man and his family.  After all, how can you not be when standing in the bitter cold North Dakota wind, the soldiers with great precision folding  Old Glory and passing  on not only his memory but to remind the grandchildren and great- grandchildren of the exceptionalism of the American soldier and what is required of him/her in the quest for liberty.  Granted, this man came home, farmed and raised a large family, but many returned in a casket, and even more bodies never did return to the soil of their birth.  We must never ever take their service for granted, nor stop passing on the stories of history to our children, no matter how far removed it may seem.  Humanity has a way of repeating history, for good and for bad.  It is up to us to make sure it is for the better for the coming generations. 

We need leadership from the local to the state to national level that understands the blessing that is America, the fundamental beauty of the charters set forth by the Founding Fathers in the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights and the Constitution, and the duty that comes with it. 

I believe leadership that understands America and her charters and blessings cannot but exude patriotism as they share their passion in the public square.  I cannot say what the future holds for any of us and much less who will reside in the White House come January 2013, and out of honor for this family on this day, I will not be as political as I would generally be in regards to the 2012 presidential race.  However, suffice to say that we need, and I sincerely hunger for, patriotic, proud leadership in this great nation.  Several years back, I swore an oath to America becoming a citizen of this great country.  And while doing so, having pride in the fact that my roots and upbringing come from a nation who has stood with America through over a century of partnership for freedom and liberty.  Sure, there are differences, but the core belief in liberty is deep in both nations and the willingness to sacrifice similar throughout history.  The words of my late father urge us to always “stand up for what you believe in, never be silent, and fight for those who cannot fight for themselves”, and my late and non-political mom’s advice after September 11 was, “never trust any bad guy, do not let anyone give you a Chamberlain message of peace in our time as long as bad guys are out there; tell your American President to always get the bad guy before he gets you.” Their advice rings loud and true in my soul.  Being an American comes with great responsibility, and that oath I took meant something to me.  Combine that with the heritage with which God has blessed me, and I will not stay silent, nor will I apologize for what I believe, that God did shed His grace on thee, America.  Hope comes from Providence.  That is nothing for which to apologize!  And we will not apologize for it, not now and not in the future.   This belief in America is nothing for which to apologize! 

Although I fear for America and the world today, (we have leadership on many levels that cannot see clearly that America is truly exceptional) we are a nation that has always lent itself to fight for the cause of liberty across the world regardless of cost.  I have great hope that we can see America renewed, revived, and restored to the values that made her great.  We must find and elect leaders who will insure that a future of freedom and prosperity will be provided this precious 15-year-old granddaughter who, by sounding the trumpet today, gave the honor so well deserved for her grandfather’s service.  I, for one, was reminded once again today that were it not for America and its staunch allies, my path of life would indeed have been different and may not have included freedom.

Janne Myrdal serves as state director for Concerned Women for America of North Dakota.

Here’s an easy savings for Congress: Do not approve new funding for a newly created United Nations (U.N.) agency.

Last year, the U.N. created a new agency to promote women’s issues called simply “U.N. Women.”  The U.N. spun off its four existing departments that dealt with women’s issues into this one agency and gave it a bump in status.  The director will come right under the Secretary General, similar to a cabinet level position in the U.S.

The previous departments were funded through the regular U.N. budget — of which the U.S. supplies about 22 percent.

But U.N. Women will get 1.4 percent of its $500 million budget from the U.N. budget.  The remaining 98.6 percent will come from voluntary funding.  For its first year, 2011, that comes to $494 million in voluntary funding.

The U.S. already funds programs that help women internationally, and Americans generously fund charities overseas.

With the creation of U.N. Women, feminists have unintentionally provided an easy savings for the U.S.  Our overall dues to the U.N. should rightfully drop by the percentage that had been subsidizing the previous four women’s departments.  And there is no good reason, especially during the economic crisis, for the U.S. to initiate new spending for a boondoggle U.N. agency that will promote controversial ideologies.

Iran may execute Sakineh Ashtiani by hanging, a human rights group warns. Sakineh’s original sentence of stoning to death for what appears to be a trumped up charge of adultery drew international outcries.

The International Committee Against Stoning reports that her sentence was to be carried out on November 3. Officials in Iran have not confirmed the report.

Concerned Women for America joined the chorus condemning the barbaric sentence. Iranian officials suspended her sentence when international leaders took up Sakineh’s case, calling Iran’s action “medieval” and “brutal”. Even Brazil, an ally of Iran, offered asylum to her.

Iran’s president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad claimed Western media concocted Sakineh’s case. Two German men were arrested in Iran last month for attempting to interview Sakineh’s son.

Please pray for Sakineh and other unknown victims of Iran’s harsh imposition of Sharia law. 

For background information on Sakineh and her story, click here to see my article in Human Events.