FGM in the Media

In American media, FGM is one of the many international human rights issues that is not addressed regularly. On cnn.com this was the last mention of it which was on September 22 of this year, and the most emphasis was placed on the U.S. Attorney General's strong, but uncharacteristic stance against the woman's deportation, due to its status as a small case dealing with deportation. And prior to that In reality, the media coverage of FGM in the U.S. has been limited to say the least. It seems FGM was not a salient issue with the American public until documentaries and stories were released by outlets such as the Discovery Channel, which are more likely to focus on the human rights issues associated with certain cultural practices. The American "hard" news organizations such as CNN, tend to focus on the legal ramifications and any international decisions, but do not make the issue a priority in their coverage of international human rights issues.
In contrast, BBC News has more coverage of FGM with a wider breadth of informaton available surrounding the issue. FGM is practiced in many cultures internationally, and the BBC News coverage shows that. While it is not given it's own section of the website, FGM is discussed in relation to where the news stories occur and on the larger scale, examining the efforts large organizations are making on behalf of the cause. This story in particular looks at how the UN has become a champion of women's rights, and is working to eliminate all abuses against women during the observance of the UN's International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

Obama and McCain's Views

Differences between McCain and Obama:

JOHN MCCAIN VIEWS ON TAXES
$300 milion in tax cuts
Cuts corporate tax rate from 35%-25%
Allows immediate expensing of business-investment
Makes all of income tax cuts permanent
Reduced death tax
Replaces unlimited exemption from employer-sponsored health insurance
Earns more than $250,000 and raises payroll taxes on taxpayers after 2018



BARACK OBAMA VIEWS VIEWS ON TAXES
tax increases after two years
Makes most of income tax cuts permanent
Reduced death tax
Obama's tax proposals exemplify his view that redistributing income among citizens is more important than increasing their earnings and creating jobs citizens is
more important than increasing earnings and creating jobs
Raises payroll taxes on a delayed basis, increases the use of the tax system to redistribute the income to those who pay little or no income tax




JOHN MCCAIN'S VIEW ON HEALTHCARE
Equal tax treatment for health coverage
Health insurance competition on a national scale
Federal assistance to the states to cover vulnerable populations
Creating a universal tax credit for health insurance
Fixing federal tax policy on health insurance
Tax equity and transparency




BARACK OBAMA'S VIEW ON HEALTHCARE
Saves the American family $2500 in medical costs
Offers affordable, comprehensive coverage
Comprehensive, federal standardized healthcare structure
Consolidates more healthcare dollars and decisions in D.C.
New government-run national healthcare program
Expansion of existing government health programs, restrictions on state experimentation, and mandated coverage for children
restrictions on state experimentation, and mandated coverage for children
Federal regulation of healthcare delivery
More federal involvement






BARACK OBAMA'S BUDGET PROPOSALS
Depends on $1 trillion over 10 years in tax revenues from unspecified sources
Adheres to the PAYGO by promising to exempt his proposed extension of 2001 and 2003 tax cuts
tax cuts
Relies on $924 billion over 10 years
Raies social secuity by 4 percent





JOHN MCCAIN'S BUDGET PROPOSALS
Will modernize social security, Medicare, and Medicaid
Cuts corporate tax rates, tax rates and doubles the income tax exemption for dependents
Gives $577 billion budget deficit and additional tax relief
Reduces troop presence in Iraq and achieves some savings and eliminates earmarks



MCCAIN EDUCATION PLAN
Schools competing for the most effective, character building teachers
Provides federal financial support so that parents can take their children out of
failing schools and send them to better ones
OBAMA EDUCATION PLAN
Obama enhances American education: Reforms No Child Left Behind (NCLB)
Works to ensure that all children have access to a strong science curriculum at
all grade levels
Better protection of U.S. chemical plants from potential terrorist attacks
Better guidelines for keeping track of spent nuclear fuel
Mandatory planning for the evacuation of people with special needs during emergencies



MCCAIN ECONOMY
End policies that contribute to higher transportation and food costs
Give all deserving American families and/or homeowners the opportunity to trade
burdensome mortgages for manageable loans that reflect their homes' market value
Premanently repeal the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) in order to save middle-class
families nearly $60 billion in a single year
Reduce the federal corporate tax from 35% to 25%
Call on Congress to suspend 18.4 cent federal gas tax and 24.4 cent diesel tax from
Memorial Day to Labor Day
Creates two income tax systems where Americans can choose the new simplified
version, or stay with the existing IRS system
Freezes discretionary spending, except for military and veterans, for one year to
evaluate all programs. Consolidates redundant federal programs, as well as
strengthens community colleges and technical training for displaced workers to find
similar or better jobs.

OBAMA ECONOMY
Tackles America's economic crisis
Creates a new "Making Work Pay" tax credit of up to $500 per person, or $1000 per
working family; this tax credit eliminates income taxes for lowest earning Americans
Fights for a trade policy that opens up foreign markets to support good American jobs
Helps all workers adapt to a changing economy by updating the Trade Adjustment
Assistance system
Doubles federal funding for basic research and making the research and development
tax credit permanent to help create high-paying, secure jobs
Raises the minimum wage index to inflation and increases the Earned Income Tax Credit
Does not privatize social security and works to maintain solvency issues
Protects consumers with credit card bill of rights
Simplifies IRS tax filings for middle class, including making a universal home mortgage
credit available to those who do not itemize their tax returns

MCCAIN CIVIL/SOCIAL
Overturns Roe vs. Wade as a "flawed decision"; states should decide abortion issue locally
Protects children by utilizing technology to restrict access to sexually explicit material
on the web via federally-supported libraries and schools
Supports some types of stem cell research, but opposes the "intentional creation of
human embryos for research purposes"
Creates two income tax systems where Americans can choose the new simplified
version, or stay with the existing IRS system
Calls on Congress to suspend the 18.4 cent federal gas tax and 24.4 cent diesel
tax from Memorial Day to Labor Day



OBAMA CIVIL/SOCIAL
Obama to ensure rights of individuals are maintained and empower individuals:
Preserves women's rights under Roe vs. Wade
Opposes a constitutional ammendment that makes abortions illegal
Strengthens domestic violence and hate crimes laws
Equalizes pay for all Americans working the same jobs; women and minorities continue
to make less doing the same work
Eliminates sentencing disparities for similar crimes

Somali reality

This is an article about a 13-year -old rape victim in Somalia, who was stoned to death.

US Response to Physical Torture

The United States response to female genital cutting has only come to the forefront in recent years. While the act of female circumcision is seen as physical and mental torture to most individuals around the world, it is strongly defended by those who are deep rooted in its culture and practices.

USAid, (who I have cited as a primary US relief group helping many international causes), released a policy on September 1, 2000 officially stating: "Policy: By this guidance, USAID recognizes FGC as a harmful, traditional practice that violates the health and human rights of women and hinders development. USAID opposes any practice of or support for Female Genital Cutting (FGC) and works toward the goal of total elimination of FGC. Under no circumstances does USAID support the practice of FGC by medical personnel. " (www.USAid.gov). The purpose of this policy is to spread awareness about the travesty going on in other countries and to support the Agency Strategic Plan along with other US Government policies trying to end FGC. Specific actions that this policy address include:
*updating agency strategy to include topics of gender, personal health, human rights and democracy governance
*support indigenous women's groups community leaders and religious organizations to ensure that all eradication activities are culturally appropriate
*identifying that FGC is only going to stop once the demand for it ends. Therefore USAid will work in close partnerships with indigenous community leaders as well as national and global policy leaders to promote broader education of the dangers and perils that FGC poses.
*coordinate elimination efforts and public support through working with donors and advocacy groups to enhance collaboration and coordination of elimination efforts.

The United Nations and the World Health Organizations (WHO) have both been privvy to the happenings regarding FGC, but have only recently begun to speak about it. In 1979, a formal policy statement was released, recommending to eliminate the practice.

Often, we only attempt to spread awareness and relief to causes that affect us personally (poverty, hunger, war, etc.) Because of this attribute of human nature, there is not as much US aid to FGC as I would have thought. There are many International groups and initiatives forming in countries in Africa and the Middle East, where FGC poses as a direct threat to the women that are born there. Other than releasing official statements condemning these procedures, the United States preveriably has its hands tied due to the deep rooted cultural ties this terrible tradition holds.

FGM! NO WAY!

Tribal communities around the world find westernization as a threat to maintaining cultural value. When the world began to recognize FGM as a human rights violation, practicing communities spoke out in defense of the procedures.

For example, the men in an Egyptian village demonstrated against the states attempt to ban 'circumcision'. This country is conservative, religious and guided largely by traditions, even when those traditions do not adhere to the tenets of their faith, be it Christianity or Islam. For centuries Egyptian girls, usually between the ages of 7 and 13, have been taken to have the procedure done, sometimes by a doctor, sometimes by a barber or whoever else in the village would do it.

FMG is considered necessary here to preserve chastity and honor. The skeptical public must be convinced that men will marry a woman who has not undergone the procedure and that circumcision is not necessary to preserve family honor. It is a challenge to get men to give up some of their control over women.

Both sides have been heard, but the terminal health risks associated with this tradition has the world speaking out against it. Culture can be upheld without threatening the lives of the women who cherish their heritage just as much as their grandmothers and mothers have in the past.