Human Rights at 60 Aren't What They Used to Be -Joseph Loconte
Sixty years ago, Eleanor Roosevelt [pictured above], then head of the UN Human Rights Commission, said: "Democracy, freedom, human rights have come to have a definite meaning to the people of the world, which we must not allow to so change that they are made synonymous with suppression and dictatorship."
Today, the world's dictators and terrorists are no doubt celebrating the prostitution of human rights - often at the encouragement of UN policies and protocols. More than half of the 47 members of the UN Human Rights Council fail to uphold basic democratic freedoms in their own countries. Some of the most egregious offenders of human rights - including China, Cuba, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and Zimbabwe - typically evade censure.
(Weekly Standard)
Sixty years ago, Eleanor Roosevelt [pictured above], then head of the UN Human Rights Commission, said: "Democracy, freedom, human rights have come to have a definite meaning to the people of the world, which we must not allow to so change that they are made synonymous with suppression and dictatorship."
Today, the world's dictators and terrorists are no doubt celebrating the prostitution of human rights - often at the encouragement of UN policies and protocols. More than half of the 47 members of the UN Human Rights Council fail to uphold basic democratic freedoms in their own countries. Some of the most egregious offenders of human rights - including China, Cuba, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and Zimbabwe - typically evade censure.
(Weekly Standard)
4 comments:
And of course, countries that used to lead the way on these issues, most notably the U.S. still, mostly uphold these rights for their own citizens (when they aren't spying on them in a warrant-less fashion) but have made it clear to the rest of the world that they do not deserve such a privilege. Thanks to the last 8 years, we hold no credibility here, and will need someone else to make this argument.
By the way, Ms. Roosevelt would not have needed to look further than our own shores to be outraged the last 8 years.
The issue of balancing the need for extra policing to prevent terrorist freedom to operate, is a difficult one. I know you don't like Bush.
What will be truly interesting, will be to watch how Obama balances those needs. His appointments have been surprisingly center-right, and consistent with many Bush policies. Obama will be exceedingly interesting to watch.
I think they are more aligned and consistent with Bill Clinton's policies, a President with a better record of keeping his citizens safe while protecting their rights, as well. And I agree that Obama will be interesting to watch.
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