Girl Scouts National Conclave to Feature Pro-Abortion, Pro-Lesbian Speakers     8/29/2005 By Robert Knight 50th annual convention in Atlanta will showcase group’s drift into radical feminism. Dr. Johnnetta Cole, a woman whose radical views forced the Clinton administration to withdraw her name from consideration for Education Secretary, will be one of three keynote speakers at the Girl Scouts USA national convention in Atlanta from October 7-10. Another speaker is Kavita Ramdas, president and CEO of the Global Fund for Women, which, among other things, promotes abortion and feminism. The third speaker is Ann Curry, news anchor for NBC’s Today Show. The choice of the first two speakers indicates that the Girl Scouts show no sign of slowing their plunge into hard-core feminism and political advocacy, at least at the national level. The Girl Scouts still sell cookies by the millions, conduct many worthwhile community activities, and involve many families that hold traditional values. But the national organization, like many others, has been captured by a liberal elite that sometimes tips its hand. Here’s a quote from Kavita Ramdas from a newsletter published on her group’s Web site in 2003: “As women in the United States celebrate the 30th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, (a landmark case that gave women in the U.S. the right to decide when and if to bear children), we are proud to bring you this issue of Raising Our Voices, highlighting ongoing efforts to protect women’s reproductive health and rights. “The Roe v.Wade decision culminated many years of struggle by the North American women’s movement and helped establish a policy environment within the U.S. that supported women’s reproductive rights around the world. Subsequently, the U.S. strongly endorsed women’s rights at both the Cairo and Beijing U.N. conferences by supporting a woman’s right to information about and access to contraception, and safe, legal abortions. Today, however, these achievements are being undermined by a U.S. administration which is hostile to women’s rights, having re-instated the Global Gag.” Another article in the newsletter discusses women’s sexual repression in Turkey, with some persuasive examples. But the article also includes this: At a young age, girls are taught about the importance of being a virgin when they marry, creating an atmosphere of anxiety around sex. Cole's Worldview Johnnetta Cole, who is president of Bennett College for Women in Greensboro, North Carolina, gave a speech at last September’s hard-left Women & Power Conference organized by “the nation’s largest holistic education group,” Omega Institute, and V-Day, which promotes an end to violence against women [editor’s note: “Good!”] along with the play The Vagina Monologues on college campuses [editor’s note: “Bad!”]. In her talk “The Power of Diversity,” Cole referred to the “historic and herstoric” occasion, and used the word “power or powerful” 10 times. Some topics and excerpts: A female deity “Now, let’s talk about who are we women folk. We’ve such an awesome task. The awesome task of feeling our own power, moving to join with others collectively, to get this world right side up again. And I’m going to tell you, good Lord, she knows this world needs to be right side up again.” On marriage “For those women who happen to be in a traditional relationship with a man, they may have even put something on it called marriage – all of those sisters also share something. They must have some kind of special honing device so that when the man with whom they are living says – or it could be one of those children – where are my socks? She knows exactly where they are.” Equating homosexuality with race “Here we are an extraordinary array of colors, of ethnicities, of races. As an anthropologist, I’m not sure what that is, but I’m supposed to say it, of nationalities, of different sexual orientations.” Rejecting ex-“gay” counseling and ministry “Despite the fact that some wish to do so, I am not praying today or any day that lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered folk will somehow get religion and become heterosexuals. I’m not doing that. The nationality, the religion of every woman should be celebrated.” Opposing the Gospel “No must be the answer to – to proselytizing to all who are not Christians into some denomination of Christian faiths.” Deafness might be better than hearing “Even the assumption that all folks who have disabilities wish to immediately eliminate them is something to think about. … I witnessed a debate. Some in the community [at Gallaudet University for the deaf] of the deaf and hard of hearing stood up in absolute defense of the cochlear implant, a device which allows some people to hear. And others, including the first deaf president I. King Jordan, spoke with caution and said what makes you folks who hear assume that you have a superior way?” Schooled in lesbian advocacy “The sister warrior who helped me to fight my own homophobia and heterosexism in my life … was Audrey Lore. It was at Hunter College where we were both faculty members that she was my teacher. Let me share with you how Sister Audrey would often introduce herself. She would say I’m Audrey Lore, a black woman, lesbian, feminist, poet, professor, mother.” Seeking power, above all “But the changing of the world requires in my view a changing internally first; a sensing of who one is. In Sister Tulani’s words, touching your own power. [Editor’s note: “[A]nd your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods.” – Satan’s promise to Eve, Genesis 3: 5, KJV] “And then acknowledging the power of others and moving collectively to harness it. But if one is still driven by racist, sexist, heterosexist and other bigoted attitudes and behaviors, you will never harness your own or the power of all of us.” Anti-male stereotyping “Here he comes, brother lion. … [H]e, of course, puts out this enormous disruptive noise to declare once again that he is the king of this place. If brother lion walked on two rather than four legs, you have the feeling he might have kind of hiked up his trousers, leaned a little bit, and then walked on down. Now, any similarity between Brother Lion and the males of any other species, I leave that up to you. I’m just telling the story.” Girl Scouts Head Leftward Founded as a traditionalist alternative to the Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts of America has evolved into a prototypical feminist organization, steering girls toward Planned Parenthood for sexual advice and saying that lesbianism is no bar to being a Girl Scout leader. In “The Cookie Crumbles,” an investigative article for National Review magazine, Kathryn Jean Lopez pulled the covers off the Girl Scouts. Some years ago, the Girls Scouts began purging materials of positive references to homemakers. Instead of being family-centered, the group now promotes “girl empowerment,” with programs that focus heavily on a narcissistic devotion to self, but then steered into collective action for liberal causes, such as environmentalism. For example, “The Ten Emerging Truths: New Directions for Girls 11-17,” published by theGirl Scout Research Institute, includes “Truth 6: Girls Need Empowerment: By Girls, for Girls.” The report notes that a majority of the 3,000 girls surveyed said they preferred the term “advisor” or “counselor” over that of “leader.” The girls are apparently and approvingly supposed to be self-driven and equality-oriented, with minimal adult supervision. The report also relies heavily on feminist and liberal sources, such as Ms. Foundation for Women, Planned Parenthood and Human Rights Watch, the latter of which is cited for its “Hatred in the Hallways: Violence and Discrimination Against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered Students in U.S. Schools” (2001). While reducing bullying or violence against any students is a laudable goal, Human Rights Watch advocates promoting homosexuality as the solution. Contributing sources to “Hatred in the Hallways” read like a Who’s Who of homosexual activist groups in the schools. Girl Scouts No Longer Have a Monopoly Some Girl Scout leaders have become alarmed by the organization’s leftward leanings and have decided to do something about it. In 1995, Patti Garibay, a former Girl Scout troop leader, founded the Cincinnati, Ohio-based American Heritage Girls (AHG), which now has troops in 32 states. According to its Web site, American Heritage Girls organization is a scouting program for girls that supports the traditional values of God, Family and Country. AHG's programming promotes the Judeo-Christian values upon which our country was founded and strives to enhance the girls’ life experiences with fun-filled activities supervised by trained adults, supported by family members and implemented by members. AHG's programming provides life skills, leadership skills and character building through a traditional troop setting. In 1993, the Girl Scouts eliminated the requirement for girls to say the word God in the Girl Scout Promise: On my honor, I will try: To serve God* and my country, To help people at all times, And to live by the Girl Scout Law. Although the word God is still in the Promise, it has an asterisk: “* The word “God” can be interpreted in a number of ways, depending on one's spiritual beliefs. When reciting the Girl Scout Promise, it is okay to replace the word “God” with whatever word your spiritual beliefs dictate.” Here’s the American Heritage Girls Oath: I promise to love God, Cherish my family, Honor my country, and Serve in my community. “God should not be optional in our lives or in our scouting choices,” said Patti Garibay. “American Heritage Girls believes that a character building program for youth, such as scouting, demands a moral compass. AHG provides just that – a philosophical basis of Biblical truths and a continued commitment to assist girls as they grow in their relationship with Christ.” Accordingly, AHG incorporates Bible verses and references to God throughout its materials. A case in point is the Fall 2004 edition of the newsletter, Heritage Headlines, honoring grandparents. “The unconditional love of a grandparent granted to each grandchild reflects the love of their Heavenly Father,” Garibay writes, citing Proverbs 17:6: “Grandchildren are the crown of the aged.” “The role of the grandparent is unique and necessary as children make sense of their family’s heritage, their own role in that heritage and ultimately defining their purpose in life.” As American Heritage Girls celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, Concerned Women for America salutes them for lighting a candle instead of just cursing the darkness. For more information, contact: American Heritage Girls, Inc. 175 Tri-County Parkway, Suite 100 Cincinnati, OH 45246 (513) 771-2025 (513) 771-2595 ahg@ahgonline.org www.ahgonline.org Robert Knight, a former Los Angeles Times writer and editor and Hoover Institution Media Fellow, directs the Culture & Family Institute, an affiliate of Concerned Women for America.