Those Fuckers

Sorry - I know most of the blogging today will be about the debate last night, but this really deserves some attention:

Secretary of State Colin Powell announced that the Independent Women’s Forum (IWF), was one of the recipients awarded part of a $10 million grant to train Iraqi women in the skills of democratic public life. IWF’s website states that their mission is to counter “the dangerous influence of radical feminism in the courts” and to combat “corrosive feminist ideology on campus.” It was “established to combat the women-as-victims, pro-big-government ideology of radical feminism.”

“Talk about an inside deal, the IWF represents a small group of right-wing wheeler-dealers inside the Beltway,” said Eleanor Smeal, president of the Feminist Majority.

IWF has a history of opposition to women’s rights, including the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), stating that VAWA was not helpful to the victims and gives too much authority to the government, reports the Washington Post. In addition, IWF led a campaign against Title IX that calls for gender equity in education and the Women’s Educational Equity Act that gives schools the materials to combat sex discrimination.

God. Like we haven't already fucked enough with future generations of Iraquis - let's make it a little harder for the women there. I just don't get this! What the hell is the purpose here? How does it help the IWF to go over to Iraq? It's not exactly a hotbed of feminism over there. Does the GOP really hate women so much they have to establish an anti-feminist agenda as foreign policy? (Thanks to Body and Soul for the link.)