Last week, Iran was appointed to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. Iran. Making decisions and giving advice on the status of women.

NEW YORK — Without fanfare, the United Nations this week elected Iran to its Commission on the Status of Women, handing a four-year seat on the influential human rights body to a theocratic state in which stoning is enshrined in law and lashings are required for women judged “immodest.”

Just days after Iran abandoned a high-profile bid for a seat on the U.N. Human Rights Council, it began a covert campaign to claim a seat on the Commission on the Status of Women, which is “dedicated exclusively to gender equality and advancement of women,” according to its website…

The Commission on the Status of Women is supposed to conduct review of nations that violate women’s rights, issue reports detailing their failings, and monitor their success in improving women’s equality.

That’s right. Iran, a country where women are routinely lashed for baring an ankle, is now assigned the task of improving women’s equality. The United States Ambassador, Susan Rice, appointed by President Obama, was silent and did not even attend the vote. In fact, she wasn’t even in the building. Apparently, the administration believes that Iran will help shatter that glass ceiling with stray rocks, used as they stone women to death for being raped.

A week later, and they remain mum.

Not one word of denouncement from President Obama, who is too busy demonizing one of our own American states and ignoring devastating floods. Too bad we can’t call ourselves “Los Women”. Maybe he’d give a hoot then. Ambassador Rice also refuses to comment, which is the status quo with her, evidently. The State Department, headed by Hillary Clinton, she of “not staying at home baking cookies” because that would be demeaning fame, is silent. Except for one anonymous official, who said this:

“We’re not going to stand up and cheer,” the official said. “By the same token, that is less onerous than the Human Rights Council because women in Iran, relative to other countries in the region, actually have greater rights.”

“You don’t have women placed in head-to-toe burkas in that country,” the official said. “You have women elected to the legislature in the country.”

Oh, well, as long as you don’t cheer. It’s not like it’s human rights and all. It’s just pesky women! And it’s not like they require head to toe burkas!  And by not required, he means they totally are required. It’s national law and Iran recently announced they are cracking down on it, especially if a woman dares to be suntanned.

In some areas of north Tehran we can see many suntanned women and young girls who look like walking mannequins.

“We are not going to tolerate this situation and will first warn those found in this manner and then arrest and imprison them.”

Of course, no denouncement of that either. Which isn’t really surprising; the left appears to hate suntans as well. They’ve penalized those who frequent tanning salons in the health care bill by way of a punitive tax. Why do Leftists hate tan women? Is it because they are jealous, being all pasty pale themselves from remaining trapped inside scrawling out their screeds against the “unfairness” of life?

Thank goodness feminists have spoken out for women worldwide! It’s funny, because it’s not true. All that has come out of their quarters is the sound of crickets. Screeching and whining crickets, but crickets nonetheless. Jezebel.com made one note of Iran’s appointment to the council with this headline:

Iran Named To UN Gender Equality Group Despite Obvious Issues

Just some “issues”. No big whoop. It’s not like Iran denied global warming or anything. Sheesh! Relax, wingnuts! (the comment section will confirm that line of thinking). Feministing has no mention. Pandagon has no mention, but they did bring up another item from Iran’s fabulous record as it pertains to women. Boobquake. You see, an Iranian (the new arbiters of women’s rights!) cleric claimed that earthquakes were caused by immodestly dressed women. You know, women who actually show their faces and stuff. The ever inane Amanda Marcotte defended the cleric, by claiming we are worse for insisting that an embryo is a life.

But we have plenty of woman-hating religious claims in our culture that are taken seriously.  Take for instance, the claim that an embryo is a fully formed human being with rights, and so women’s bodies have to be routinely commandeered against their will in order to gestate them.  That’s a religious claim, as much as anti-choicers pretend otherwise.  It’s based in the idea that godsaidit—god said it’s a person, so sorry, women!

Yes, Amanda. Being against infanticide is exactly the same as raping and torturing women for speaking.

Iranian women have long demanded freedom and gender equality; they have employed both individual and group strategies, initiated various campaigns, and faced insults, threats, arrests and imprisonment in the process. Many of these women are currently in prison.

Over the past eight months, the protest movement that emerged following the disputed presidential elections has been suppressed by mounting violence. Physical and psychological violence – through arrest, torture, rape, extended imprisonment, and even execution – has been exercised against civil and political activists in Iran. As of now, numerous women activists from various movements – women’s, workers, students, civil, and political – are detained and/or have received heavy sentences. The list of detainees grows everyday.

See, unlike y’all, including our President and his administration, I actually read things about bad guys and don’t just pretend that they don’t exist. You should try doing the same. You know who else would want you to do so?

Neda. Does anyone at the UN remember her? I do. Here is a reminder (via Hot Air)

“We were stuck in traffic and we got out and stood to watch, and without her throwing a rock or anything they shot her,” he said. “It was just one bullet.”

Blood poured from the right side of her chest and began bubbling out of her mouth and nose as her lungs filled up.

“I’m burning, I’m burning!” Panahi recalled her saying, her final words.

She was killed by the people who are now the new United Nation’s bastion of Women’s Rights. For being on the street. Peacefully.

By remaining silent, the administration is in effect condoning the appointment of Iran to the Commission on the Status of Women. Spitting in the face of the beautiful life that once was Neda. And every woman like her. Women who live in constant fear for their lives, who are tortured and beaten and stoned to death merely for being women.

Condoned. As a way of “tolerance” and appeasement.

Beyond shameful.

(Cross-posted at NewsReal)