2009 – Tennessee Legislature – House of Representatives

Memorials, Congress - Urges United States Senate to reject ratification of United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. -

Official Title

Memorials, Congress - Urges United States Senate to reject ratification of United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. -

Bill Number

HJR369

Date

Apr. 20, 2009

Comments (4)
Jenci Spradlin Sun. Apr. 26, 02:14pm EST#1

regardless of what this bill is about, I find it highly interesting that the state legislature is telling the Federal Senate what to do in terms of the UN; but then will turn around and tell the Fed to butt out of it's business altogether! Now, I can understand if there was legislation that directly impacts State's rights, but to just simply weigh in on Federal action is sort of hypocritical.

Jeffrey Chupp Sun. Apr. 26, 08:04pm EST#2

That's an excellent observation, Jenci.

Joshua Boulée Mon. Apr. 27, 12:56pm EST#3

I don't think so. I have no problem with it coming the other way, either, unless it is mandated or money is associated with compliance. These United States are supposed to have input into the federal government they voluntarily joined. Remember, in the original design the States appointed their Senators, but now that that has been taken from them these resolutions are really the only way they can have a voice in Washington.

Bobby Cornett Fri. Jun. 26, 10:57am EST#4

I think the point is missed about this bill, from what I understand Tn is telling the FED that "WE (TN) are not going to allow the UN to dictate law on our sovereign land."

This UN Treaty would erode U.S. sovereignty.

Because of the Supremacy Clause in Article VI of the Constitution, all treaties are rendered "the supreme law of the land," superseding preexisting state and federal statutes. Any rights or laws established by the U.N. convention could then be argued to hold sway in the United States.

"To the extent that an outside body, a group of unaccountable so-called experts in Switzerland have a say over how children in America should be raised, educated and disciplined -- that is an erosion of American sovereignty," said Steven Groves

Parental rights groups are similarly stirred; they see in the U.N. convention a threat that the government will meddle with even the simplest freedoms to raise their children as they see fit.

"Whether you ground your kids for smoking marijuana, whether you take them to church, whether you let them go to junior prom, all of those things . . . will be the government's decision," said Michael Farris, president of ParentalRights.org. "It will affect every parent who's told their children to do the dishes."

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