Cher recently went on a Twitter rant against “right-wing” white guys – Americans, of course. She claims they infringe on women’s rights and participate in all sorts of evil – typical vapidity from Hollywood’s politically shallow crowd. The taller half of “I Got You, Babe” could serve as secretary of state to President Penn.
The truth is, as usual, something different altogether.
The story of female infanticide, especially as practiced in China, is one of the more grotesque stories in our sick and groaning world today. The communist country’s evil “one child per family” policy is lunacy on myriad levels, not least of which is the fact that it trashes precious individual lives.
Dr. Jim Garrow, executive director of the Bethune Institute/Pink Pagoda, is trying to change that.
From his website: “Through a word of mouth information campaign we have shown over 27,000 families that allowing their child to live and be adopted by a foreigner is a much preferred option to infanticide. They have agreed with us.
“We view each child as a gift from God, full of promise and potential, needing only the opportunity to add something special to humanity,” the website asserts. “There are no throwaways!”
Extraordinary!
Garrow’s new book, “The Pink Pagoda: One Man’s Quest to End Gendercide in China,” is one you simply must get and read.
I’ve noticed that many American readers really enjoy books about Asian culture, so the interest is already there. When you combine that with Garrow’s searing story of how he has helped snatch these babies from the mouth of the dragon … well, you won’t be the same. And hopefully, you’ll decide to join the cause!
Garrow begins “The Pink Pagoda” with a brief, yet moving and informative account of how all this came to be, including the “one child policy.” It seems that Mao implemented it to control his political enemies, the Han. The policy was put into practice six years after Roe v. Wade in the U.S. and has resulted, of course, in untold millions of deaths.
Garrow also displays his storytelling ability, at one point providing rich detail about heading through a Chinese province where “roads” are more like goat paths, and the locals worship various deities. “The Pink Pagoda” is full of small stories, both tragic and heroic. Like life, this book is not all fairy tales and Hollywood endings, but the overall message is one of supreme hope amidst desolation and evil.
The nobility of the Chinese people (something Garrow notes time and again) is an important window into this story and into the world Garrow enters. For example, he tells the story of two associates murdered in China and his travel from the comforts of his Canadian home, straight to the homes of the parents of these associates. At the first meeting, the father of the man killed greets Garrow on his knees and thanks him for coming all that way to pay his respects.
“The Pink Pagoda” also offers a more nuanced look into Chinese culture, one not commonly seen by readers of this book, no doubt. Garrow’s tale includes plenty of insights into helpful characters who wield great power in that giant country, so shrouded in literal and figurative mist. This aspect of “The Pink Pagoda” – the networking that is so crucial to Garrow’s work –makes for riveting reading.
Garrow’s networking abilities – even now utilizing Facebook to get the word out – are legendary, and he’d be the first to tell you that others have advanced this agenda, not him.
That’s partially true. Yet his passion for this work – teaching Chinese couples that there is a place in this world for their girl baby and linking them with hopeful, adoptive families – is the driving force behind “The Pink Pagoda.”
One of the endorsers of “The Pink Pagoda,” William Gairdner, had an interesting observation about Garrow and his work: “When I closed the book, and because all the Western nations have during the past half century normalized pediatric euthanasia (otherwise known as abortion), I found myself hoping Jim’s story will call forth from their midst similarly dedicated citizens to take up the cause of saving innocent life.”
Amen and amen. Jim Garrow and his Pink Pagoda campaign is a cause worth joining. This story shames those who hound real freedom fighters and real human rights activists, yet ignore the insanity of leftist policies. Read his book and prayerfully consider being part of the Pink Pagoda effort. Let us hope these are baby steps in the path to abolishing this ghastly policy.
