Women’s Conference

We have been hearing for weeks about the World Conference on Women to be held in Beijing. With Harry Wu in prison, most people felt that Hillary Clinton should not attend. She should not endorse, even obliquely, the Chinese version of human rights. Now that Wu is back home, the way seems clear for Ms. Clinton to go and address the conference. She can eloquently spotlight the global problem of women trapped in poverty and discrimination.

In the Aug. 26 Times we read the headline, “First Lady Going to China Despite GOP Objections.” Oh, well, that’s standard. The GOP is expected to express opposition. But Sen. Bob Dole (R-Kan.) is quoted as saying, “This misguided conference and its left-wing ideological agenda remains a genuine waste of the taxpayer’s money.”

Fighting words, Mr. Dole. Since when can a conference designed to promote the protection of women, strengthening families and improving health care be called “misguided”? Whenever and wherever we can address these issues is important. Left or right, we should all talk and listen and strive to understand what must be done to stop the feminization of poverty.

NANCY MacCOON

Los Angeles

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* I feel that Clinton should go to the conference, but only if she denounces the sex-selection abortion policy of the Chinese government. They kill female fetuses purposely in order to control the population. If Ms. Clinton doesn’t denounce this then she doesn’t give a hoot about women’s rights.

Give ‘em hell, Hillary, or don’t go at all!

MARK THOMAS

Santa Ana