Well, maybe in B.C.E. it was a good deed but not today:  There are two wonderful articles suggesting that you give the kids some extra candy but NOT ONE CENT for UNICEF this or any Halloween.  You will be supporting anti-Israel, anti-capitalism and pro globalism – here some highlights:

From Yid with Lid:

The kids walking around with the Orange boxes don’t know about UNICEF’s  anti-Israel policy and support of dictators and terrorists. They are just doing the bidding of the politically correct educators who blindly push anything  that has the UN’s name attached to it. So instead of making a lame excuse like you don’t have change, just nicely explain to the kids why you aren’t giving them money. Tell them that UNICEF money helps terrorist groups. Then give the kid an extra handful of Reese’s.

If your kid’s school is handing out those orange boxes why not call the school and explain to them what UNICEF is really about…I did.

While the children and the orange box are very cute, remember a penny for UNICEF is a penny for terrorism, tyranny, and extremism.

Well said!  From the article at PJ (The Rosett Report) that cites Yid with Lid:

Then there are such items as UNICEF’s solicitation of funds in 2009 via an Iranian bank, Bank Melli, which is blacklisted by the U.S. Treasury for its role in Iran’s proliferation rackets. UNICEF in that case was raising money for aid to Gaza, which is controlled by the Iranian-backed terrorists of Hamas. One might suppose there are better ways to help children than to funnel money to a terrorist-controlled enclave via a proliferation-prone Iranian bank. Apparently, UNICEF didn’t see it that way.

How about some terrorism in your orange box!  If you click on the Iranian (that’s right:  IRANIAN) site, you’ll see the UNICEF collecting for Hamas-controlled Gaza, BTW that bank is illegal to give money to as Rosett warns:

Have a look at the web site of their Iran office, which has been soliciting donations for use in terror-sponsoring Iran and for relief for terrorist-controlled Gaza through an Iranian state-owned bank, Bank Melli. (Caveat: If you live in America, Australia or a country in the European Union, it is illegal to donate to the account listed on the UNICEF site).

Finally my two cents:  UNICEF is a UN agency and thus suspect to start with.  If you are a believer in Christ, you should give in such a way as to glorify Christ in your giving.  There are great needs – here‘s what my denomination is doing about the Horn of Africa.  Finally, some original research:

Here’s propaganda about CEDAW for teens printed in UNICEF!  At least they are truthful about the effects on sovereignty (Read this for more on CEDAW):

Articles 17-22 of CEDAW
set up a committee of international
experts called
the CEDAW Committee
(or the Committee on the
Elimination of Discrimination
against Women). The CEDAW
Committee monitors whether
governments that ratified
CEDAW are doing enough to
end discrimination against girls
and women.

There’s more – UNICEF supports the UN Child Treaty, too  (Prior blog posts on that here):

The rights of all children are laid out in
more detail in the Convention on the Rights
of the Child (CRC). The CRC says these
rights apply equally to all girls and boys.
For example, all girls and boys have the
right to food and health care, the right to
go to school and the right to be protected
from violence and abuse. All girls and boys
also have the right to say what they think
should happen when adults are making
decisions that affect them, and to have
their opinions taken into account. You can
read the CRC at http://www.unicef.org/
rightsite/484_540.htm

Finally, my favorite issue:  ICLEI and Agenda 21.  Here’s a document (use it only when you need to sleep soundly but may cause globalist nightmares!) showing how UNICEF plans to implement Agenda 21.  (It’ll cost you!)  Here’s the abstract:

The UN Conference on Environment and Development, known as the Earth Summit, was the largest meeting of world leaders in history. It built upon the achievements of the World Summit for Children, supported the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, fully integrated UNICEF strategies and programming approaches into an environmental and developmental action plan for the future, and strengthened the human-centered, poverty-alleviating approach to sustainable development adopted by UNICEF and other agencies. This guide to UNICEF issues in the Earth Summit’s blueprint for development and environment into the 21st century is comprised of sections on the Earth Summit and children, children and the Rio Declaration, children and Agenda 21, children and youth in sustainable development, global action for women toward sustainable and equitable development, protecting and promoting human health, the protection of freshwater resources, combating poverty, demographic dynamics and sustainability, strengthening the role of nongovernmental organizations as partners for sustainable development, financial resources and mechanisms, and promoting education, public awareness and training.

Need more?  Take Yid with Lid’s advice:  Give the kids with the orange boxes extra candy and just say:  We don’t give to that.

Here are the results from NOLA.com.  (A great place for Saints news, too!)

Let me be one of the first to congratulate Governor Jindal.  He has been instrumental in getting rid of the HueyLong era in Louisiana politics.  This second and final term will be a consolidation of good practices started in his first term (unless he is asked to be the GOP running mate!) and will give the state to whoever comes next!  Louisiana will be and is better off.

Go Ron Paul, Gary Johnson and other liberty candidates!  Always trust in Jesus as Savior and Lord!  Here‘s how to do it if you are interested!  (Here’s two reasons why – go to heaven and not to go to hell!)

In that light, I urge liberty activists to go the weekend of Feb 25 to see The Grace Card.  For grace is an essential part of the liberty of man under Christ.  This site talks about helps that churches and pastors can get based on this movie.  For the trailer and other information about The Grace Card, go here.  For those liberty activists who want to know more about true FREEDOM in Christ, go here!

The Sun (in the UK) reports dramatically:  Ban the bigots from school

The Education Secretary for a Conservative government (yes I know it’s a coalition!) will set up “special teams” to “monitor groups setting up free schools” to protect the children from “brainwashing” by extreme groups.  This is chilling:

Education Secretary Michael Gove unveiled the move amid fears of Muslim jihadists hijacking learning and Christian extremists teaching creationism.

I suppose Ken Ham will be banned from the UK!  The Sun apparently compares creationism with Islamic terrorism. Here is two excerpts from the BBC transcript:

Well to my mind, you cannot have a school which teaches creationism. And one thing that we will make absolutely clear is that you cannot have schools which are set up, which teach people things which are clearly at variance with what we know to be scientific fact. *  *  * If those [religiously fundamentalist] schools are properly regulated and inspected, then we can ensure that anyone who teaches in a way which undermines our democratic values can be brought to public light, challenged, and, if necessary, closed down.

This is a TORY government?  Another reason why I cheer for the UKIP.

You fellow followers of Christ don’t think the West will someday condone persecution?  Jesus Christ in the Olivet Dialogue (Matthew 24) says so!

“Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.” (KJV – my emphasis)

(If you want to know more about Jesus Christ and salvation, go here.  I wouldn’t wait; Jesus is coming again!)

The previous Labour regime accused the Tories of creeping creationism if schools are decentralized.  See the Times of London for November 21, 2009, where Labour Education Secretary Ed Balls said exactly that.

But liberty means the right to teach whatever you want.  I agree there should be standards in areas like science; evolution should be taught (along with its problems) as well as creationism.  The Bible says God created the world in six literal days.  If He wants to do that in billions of years as the scientists count time that is His prerogative.  But there are serious questions arising (thanks to Answers in Genesis):

What about animals eating other animals before the Fall of Man?

Was there death before sin?

If the answer to both questions are no, then the billions of years theory is not viable.  I can say I am not sure.  It is difficult but not impossible to reconcile science and the Bible.  But the issue here is liberty.

It is wrong for the British government to compare creationism with terrorism.  I know of not one violent act associated with creationism.  This is why we need liberty.  Remember, this is a Tory government in the UK.

Two recent YouGov polls have put UKIP on 5 per cent including one which, hilariously, put them above the Liberal Democrats in the 18-24-year-olds age group.

The young know that they have decades to live (Lord willing) and they know the policies of the past and present will be foisted on them – with debt and statism.  They also know that a strong, sovereign UK is critical to their well-being.  It was true that many young adults flocked to Cong. Paul’s campaign in 2007 and 2008 as well.

There was a scholarly article that suggests that the UKIP may push the BNP into oblivion.  That would be great if the party did nothing else.  Here’s the article and a highlight:

So what does all this mean [that the UKIP is more acceptable than the BNP] for the Conservatives? It suggests UKIP has now emerged as a potent competitor on two very different fronts. On the one hand, UKIP is tapping into widespread Conservative scepticism about Europe to win over large numbers of Tory voters at European Parliament elections. But in Westminster elections, UKIP is also attracting a very different following. The party is becoming an outlet for the frustrations of voters who are angry about rising immigration, anxious over the presence of ‘threatening’ Muslim communities, and cynical about mainstream politics, but repelled by the BNP’s reputation for racism and fascism.

These polls also show that the UKIP can be a viable party.  I believe that the eurosceptic MPs in the Tory Party need to ask the question:  Can I do more in or out of the Conservative Party?  I suggest OUT is the answer.  If 20 or 30 MPs defected in masse to the UKIP, they could do more to bring hope and liberty to the UK (and Europe) than all the bills and amendments introduced and defeated in the Commons.  The ConservativeHome article concludes:

The established parties ignore this challenge at the peril – in recent years populist right wing parties have pulled off dramatic victories across Europe, dramatically altering the political landscape in longstanding bastions of moderation such as the Netherlands and Sweden. One day soon, UKIP might pull off the same trick here.

Liberty is on the march because it comes from God.  The Bible says “…proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.”  Lev. 25:10 (KJV).  The Declaration of Independence proclaims that “…all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.”  Jesus brings liberty to those who trust in Him.  (See this website for more details on how to know God personally.)

There is a recent case [Crosby v. National Foreign Trade Counsel, 530 U.S. 363 (2000)] where the Court discusses a Massachusetts law that forbad state agencies from dealing with the government of Myanmar (Burma).  The Court held that this law was unconstitutional for several reasons, one of which was a conflict with an Act of Congress but another reason was that “…the state Act is at odds with the President’s intended authority to speak for the United States among the world’s nations…”

The Court held further that various acts of Congress indicated clearly the national government would speak as one on the issue of relations with Myanmar.  The state law hindered the President’s actions and threatened the US with adverse rulings by the EU and WTO (Of course I dissent from any hint that I recognize the WTO or the EU has ANY power to govern OUR actions.) and thus was also invalid.

I agree the Crosby case did not directly say that states could not hold foreign policy positions however, a prior case did:  Zschernig v. Miller, 389 U.S. 429 (1968).

Zschernig arose from an otherwise admirable statute that prohibited a heir from taking an intestate’s (one who died without a valid will) share if that heir was a resident of an Eastern European satellite nation of the former (Praise God!) Soviet Union.  The Supreme Court does not ordinarily take state probate cases but the Zschernigs, residents of former (Thank God!) East Germany, made a pure constitutional claim that the Oregon law involved the state in foreign policy determinations.  Here’s what the Court concluded:

“The present Oregon law is not as gross an intrusion in the federal domain as those others might be. Yet, as we have said, it has a direct impact upon foreign relations, and may well adversely affect the power of the central government to deal with those problems.”

“The Oregon law does, indeed, illustrate the dangers which are involved if each State, speaking through its probate courts, is permitted to establish its own foreign policy.”

389 U.S. 429, 441 (1968)

If the state probate code or the probate courts cannot establish its own foreign policy, local governments cannot join a organization that has foreign policy goals.  The fact that our present administration agrees with ICLEI today does not mean a future one might disagree tomorrow.  Such an enlightened administration does not need local governments attempting to undermine it to the cheers of globalists in other nations.  We speak with one voice abroad (or we should!) and the Attorney General needs to rule that no Virginia municipality can legally assist ICLEI in its foreign policy goals.  Hence they must withdraw.  I call on liberty activists throughout the Commonwealth to urge those cities in the thrall of ICLEI to follow the lead of Carroll County MD and simply get out of ICLEI and to urge their attorney general to make such a ruling if your state allows it.  All it takes is one request.  One liberty activist.  One brave legislator.  The globalists have taken a huge hit over a community of 150,000 residents in a blue state withdrawing from ICLEI.

On Jan. 12, the new, five-member board unanimously voted to terminate its membership with the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives, an organization that provides technical consulting, training and information services to support local government in the implementation of sustainable development at the local level.

The Commissioners got the message.  One of them, Doug Howard, was quoted as saying that ICLEI was calling for anti-free market methods to sustain the environment (you don’t say?  An UN-blessed organization being anti- free market?  Imagine that!)  Commissioner Richard Rothschild agreed and said that ICLEI’s ideas were a marriage of “environmentalism and socialism”.  I think you got it, Commissioners Howard and Rothschild!

Rothschild continues:

“I care about our environment,” Rothschild said. “But I believe the last great hope to save our environment rests in capitalism and not big government.

“Capitalism breeds the kind of creativity and ingenuity which leads to cost-effective solutions,” he said.

Can we borrow Commissioner Rothschild for a year of two?  He’s right.

The county saved between $1600 and $1800 yearly by leaving ICLEI.  They also abolished a Sustainability Coordinator and a local Sustainability Committee.  DOUBLE RAH!  The report did not state that cost to taxpayers.  My only regret is that the commissioners did not agree with my thesis that ICLEI is an illegal, unconstitutional foreign policy by local governments.  My question is:  Who is the unsung hero here?  Some Tea Party or patriot activist may have privately suggested it to his or her commissioner and it went from there.

You can be the unsung hero in your community!  Here’s the website for the commissioners if anyone wants to thank them for their patriotic and money-saving act.  May it spread throughout the Commonwealth and nation!

I have blogged elsewhere that Romney will be out of the race due to his Obamacare type health plan in his home state and thus this is good news for Paul.  But Paul needs to decide and come out swinging, so to speak, as it appears former Speaker Newt Gingrich is running (Gingrich is actually right now a legal resident of our own Commonwealth of Virginia but will run from Georgia, his former home state.  He is a native of Pennsylvania.) and Michele Bachmann got a mostly warm welcome in Iowa as the alternative to Sarah Palin.  People may be starting to make decisions and this will hurt Paul in key states.  I strongly suggest that the RP meetup groups immediately re-form in Iowa, NH and SC for immediate action!

I am glad it was defeated.  It is the spending of taxpayers money to intervene in the affairs of other nations.  Here’s my take on this bill:

The power is delegated to the President to take action with non-governmental agencies to stop child marriage:

IN GENERAL- The President is authorized to provide assistance, including through multilateral, nongovernmental, and faith-based organizations, to prevent the incidence of child marriage in developing countries through the promotion of educational, health, economic, social, and legal empowerment of girls and women.

Many Republicans felt that abortion funding could be authorized by this.  I agree; certainly this President is not one who is trustworthy on the abortion issue.  Nor are some non-governmental agencies.  ABC quotes:

“The bill provides little structure or oversight on how the money may be spent,” the memo read. “The President is authorized under this bill to provide assistance through nongovernmental organizations that are charged with the promotion of ‘health’ of girls and women.  It is possible that some of these NGOs may view abortion as health care and promote abortion services as a part of that health care.”

Illinois Senator Dick Durbin condemned the vote:

On Thursday, Durbin’s office put out a statement sharply criticizing the House’s failure to pass the bill: “The action on the House floor stopping the Child Marriage bill tonight will endanger the lives of millions of women and girls around the world. These young girls, enslaved in marriage, will be brutalized and many will die when their young bodies are torn apart while giving birth. Those who voted to continue this barbaric practice brought shame to Capitol Hill.

A general rule of thumb for me is:  If Senator Durbin is for it, I’m against it.  However, leaving aside the legitimate potential for the misuse of the funds for abortion-related antics, the delegation of power to the executive to spend money for a cause is a blank check for meddling and intervention in the laws and customs of other nations.

This bill certainly allows nation-building (emphasis mine):

Activities Supported- Assistance authorized under subsection (a) may be made available for activities in the areas of education, health, income generation, agriculture development, legal rights, democracy building, and human rights, including–

*  *  *

(1) support for community-based activities that encourage community members to address beliefs or practices that promote child marriage and to educate parents, community leaders, religious leaders, and adolescents of the health risks associated with child marriage and the benefits for adolescents, especially girls, of access to education, health care, livelihood skills, microfinance, and savings programs;

(2) support for activities to educate girls in primary and secondary school at the appropriate age and keeping them in age-appropriate grade levels through adolescence;

(3) support for activities to reduce education fees and enhance safe and supportive conditions in primary and secondary schools to meet the needs of girls, including–

(A) access to water and suitable hygiene facilities, including separate lavatories and latrines for girls;

(B) assignment of female teachers;

(C) safe routes to and from school; and

(D) eliminating sexual harassment and other forms of violence and coercion;…

The Congress must stop meddling and intervening in other nation’s affairs.  This may not be war but it is intervention.  The preamble proves it:

(3) According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), an estimated 60,000,000 girls in developing countries now ages 20 through 24 were married under the age of 18, and if present trends continue more than 100,000,000 more girls in developing countries will be married as children over the next decade, according to the Population Council.

(11) Investments in girls’ schooling, creating safe community spaces for girls, and programs for skills building for out-of-school girls are all effective and demonstrated strategies for preventing child marriage and creating a pathway to empower girls by addressing conditions of poverty, low status, and norms that contribute to child marriage.

Is the American taxpayer going to pay for “investments” in other nations?  Our own schools need support.  Teenage girls need help in OUR nation.  There is too much sexual harassment here in the USA.  Besides, the USA is 13 trillion dollars in debt.  We’re broke.  We borrow from Red China enormous sums to pay our bills.

After all, we had “child marriage” in this country until the Second World War.  Young girls, 14 or 16 years old, married; many were our grandmothers and greatgrandmothers.  Some guys and girls ran off to another state to get married.  Would it have been right for some other nation to condemn us for allow girls to marry young?  Thankfully those laws are no longer.  Now I am not condoning this sort of thing.  As a follower of Christ, it may be appropriate to speak out against it.  But the government needs to stay out of it.

The US could pass a law saying that a child marriage is not recognized as legal until the parties are 18 and reaffirm their marriage legally.  However, we must stop acting superior to the other nations and heal thyself first.