Here are just a few of the undesirable facts of what we would face in this nation if we adopt this treaty:
1) Under international law, this treaty overrides even our Constitution.
2) Congress would have the power to directly legislate on all subjects necessary to comply with the treaty. This would constitute the most massive shift of power from the states to the federal government in American history.
3) The CRC would automatically override almost all American laws on children and families because of the U.S. Constitution’s Supremacy Clause in Article VI.
4) Parents would no longer be able to administer reasonable spankings to their children.
5) According to existing interpretation, it would be illegal for a nation to spend more on national defense than it does on children’s welfare.
6) The best interest of the child principle would give the government the ability to override every decision made by every parent if a government worker disagreed with the parent’s decision.
7) Children would have the right to reproductive health information and services, including abortions, without parental knowledge or consent.
8) A child’s “right to be heard” would allow him or her to seek governmental review of every parental decision with which the child disagreed.
There is not enough space to put everything here that you should be concerned about on this issue. Please visit the website www.parentalrights.org if you are concerned about this effort to undermine the families of our nation and become involved. There are currently 121 Representatives and 5 Senators who are co-sponsoring amendments (Senate: SJ Res 16 and House: HJ Res 42) which state that no treaty may be adopted that infringe on the fundamental right of parents to direct the upbringing and education of their children. Everyone should contact their Senator and Representative and urge them to support this amendment. There are those who believe that we should become “global citizens” and surrender our parental authority to some oversight board in Geneva to make parental decisions. We need to send a strong message to those who think this way that we do not agree with them.
Stephen D. Cook
