Biden Gaffe: Condones Policy of Atrocities Against Women

Biden Gaffe: Condones Policy of Atrocities Against Women

Lake County Group Urges Support of House Bill HR 2121 in Response

  Speaking before an audience in Chengdu, China on Sunday, August 21, Joe Biden said he “fully understands” China’s One-child Policy and would “not second guess” it.  Biden’s comments produced an immediate firestorm of criticism from other elected officials, women’s rights advocates, and pro-life groups, because the policy is widely considered one of the greatest human rights abuses in modern times.  Biden spoke about the policy’s drawbacks only in demographic terms, comparing it to the US problem of too few younger workers to provide a safety net for retirees.

Instituted by the Chinese government in 1979 to deal with population growth, the policy has been widely condemned.  Punishments include forced abortions and sterilizations, fines, and beatings.  Both violators and those who help them are sent to prison and forced labor camps.

Reggie Littlejohn of Women’s Rights Without Frontiers (WRWF) states that “Chinese women are literally dragged out of their homes, strapped to tables and forced to abort.”  She adds that the policy promotes gendercide—since the 400 million “prevented” births are mostly girls, “this gendercide gives rise to human trafficking and sexual slavery.”

Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) notes that “The uncontested facts are these:  Any Chinese, Tibetan, or Uyghur mother without a birth permit is put under coercive pressure to abort—if need be, she is physically forced to do so.  All unwed moms are compelled to abort.  In what can only be described as a search and destroy mission, disabled children are aborted as part of a nationwide eugenics program.”

On Wednesday a Biden spokeswoman backpedaled from the Vice President’s comments, saying that the Obama Administration strongly opposes China’s policy and believes it is “repugnant.”  However, this damage control is belied by previous administration actions.  In January, President Barack Obama did not raise the issue during a visit from Chinese President Hu Jintao. 

In 2001, funding was cut off to the United Nations Family Planning Fund (UNFPA) following an investigation headed by then Secretary of State Colin Powell.  Powell found that UNFPA was complicit in China’s forced implementation of the One Child Policy.  Despite the State Department reaffirming these findings in 2008, one of President Obama’s first actions in office was to restore the funding.  Since then, $105 million in taxpayer funds have been allocated for UNFPA, and the Obama Administration has requested another $47 million for 2012.  While a Senator, Vice President Biden consistently voted in favor of this funding.

Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) stated that “Since 1979, brothers and sisters have been illegal in China as part of the barbaric one child per couple policy.  And for 30 years, the UNFPA has vigorously supported, funded, defended, promoted, even celebrated these massive crimes against humanity. 

Reggie Littlejohn notes that “Actions speak louder than words.  If the Obama administration ‘strongly opposes’ forced abortion in China, then why did they restore funding to UNFPA?  This is not strong opposition.  It is support.” 

Rep. Renee Ellmers of North Carolina is set to introduce legislation to cut funding to UNFPA, saving $400 million over ten years.

Opponents of forced abortion under China’s one-child policy, including Lake County Right to Life, are also urging support for House Bill HR2121, introduced on June 3, 2011.  The China Democracy Promotion Act of 2011 would enable the President to deny entry into the US for Chinese government officials who have “committed human rights abuses,” including participation China’s coercive birth limitation policy. 

“Decades ago, Congress barred foreign persecutors from obtaining asylum in the United States, to keep out former Nazi war criminals,” said Littlejohn.   However, she expressed concern that even if the bill passed, President Obama might not enforce it.

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