Just to let you know

[Guest TheMikeSC]

Here is the FULL membership of the UN Human Rights Council---the one the U.S is, apparently, not deserving to be a member of any longer.

 

1. Algeria 2003  

2. Argentina 2002  

3. Armenia 2004

4. Austria 2004

5. Bahrain 2004  

6. Belgium 2003  

7. Brazil 2002  

8. Burundi 2002  

9. Cameroon 2003  

10. Canada 2003  

11. Chile 2004  

12. China 2002  

13. Costa Rica 2003  

14. Croatia 2004

15. Cuba 2003  

16. Czech Republic 2002  

17. Democratic Republic of the Congo 2003  

18. Ecuador 2002  

19. France 2004  

20. Germany 2002  

21. Guatemala 2003  

22. India 2003  

23. Indonesia 2002  

24. Italy 2002  

25. Japan 2002  

26. Kenya 2003  

27. Libyan Arab Jamahiriya 2003  

28. Malaysia 2003  

29. Mexico 2004  

30. Nigeria 2002  

31. Pakistan 2004  

32. Peru 2003  

33. Poland 2003  

34. Portugal 2002  

35. Republic of Korea 2004  

36. Russian Federation 2003  

37. Saudi Arabia 2003  

38. Senegal 2003  

39. Sierra Leone 2004

40. South Africa 2003  

41. Spain 2002  

42. Sudan 2004

43. Swaziland 2002  

44. Sweden 2004  

45. Syrian Arab Republic 2003

46. Thailand 2003  

47. Togo 2004

48. Uganda 2004

49. United Kingdom 2003  

50. Uruguay 2003  

51. Venezuela 2003  

52. Viet Nam 2003  

53. Zambia 2002  

 

 

 

Yeah, I LOVE this. Syria? UGANDA? Sudan? Saudi Arabia? Cuba?

 

But no America.

 

Just checking---we should remain a member of the U.N for WHAT reason, exactly?

              -=Mike

[Guest Kahran Ramsus]

The UN is all but dead anyways.

[Guest Vern Gagne]

This shouldn't suprise anyone. The U.N. is a gutless anti-U.S/Isreal (the only other major country who's not a member) organization. Why the U.S. remains in the U.N. when they constantly scorn and criticize the U.S. is beyond me. The UN doesn't serve the best interest of the United States, and quite frankly I don't think we need them.

[Guest Invader3k]

Yeah, China (which seems to think it should own all of East Asia) is on there, but not the United States. WTF?

[Guest]

That's... completely absurd. I can't even think of anything original to say. Pakistan is on the Human Rights Council? A state that stones women to death and sets them on fire for the terrible crime of being raped?

I thought that the US had been reinstated at some point, or was going to be (some country was going to step down), but now I don't even care. What a farce.

[Guest Bruin]

This list is baffling to say the least.. South Africa!? One would think that such a thing as SLAVERY would be considered in-humane. Guess not according to the ever-idiotic UN.

[Guest Some Guy]

Yeah, Germany has a GREAT track record when it comes to human rights.  All the Muslim theocracies mistreat women.  China? South Africa? The fucking Sudan?  They still have SLAVERY for Christ's sake.  Russia? Congo? Nigeria? All those countries are SOOOOOOOO much better in terms of human rights then America.  What a crock of shit. And people wonder why the is a growing movement for America to leave the UN?

[Guest cobainwasmurdered]

Ok i just sent an email about what a crock of shit this is to my local MLA. Canada shouldn't be part of an orgnization like that.

[Guest TheMikeSC]

Ok i just sent an email about what a crock of shit this is to my local MLA. Canada shouldn't be part of an orgnization like that.>>>

 

 

The HRC has become so bad that Canada has basically decided to not say a word. They decided to stop investigating Iran's human rights violations and Canada has lost the will to fight it.

                 -=Mike

[Guest Some Guy]

Shouldn't a Human Rights Council try to help further the cause of Human Rights and not political correctness?

[Guest DrTom]

"Just checking---we should remain a member of the U.N for WHAT reason, exactly?"

 

Because no other country in the world has our balls.  We ARE the testosterone of the UN; we know it and they know it.  They can't even send a threatening letter to someone without sending it to an American to add some vitriol, let alone do anything resembling a show of force without us.  I have to wonder why we basically let ourselves be used by an organization that decides countries who light their women on fire are more qualified to opine on worldwide human rights than we are.

[Guest Invader3k]

This topic just keeps making me angrier and angrier. Sometimes I just want the US and it's more sensible allies (UK, Israel, etc) to unleash hell on this world and show everyone that we're not just another country.

 

The world needs to learn not to fuck with us anymore. I'm damn sick of it...we try to serve the interests of everyone and get shite on constantly. We have the best interests of everyone in mind, and we always get scolded for doing what's right. It's been going on for far too fucking long, and it's time for other nations to remember who the hell they're messing with.

[Guest cobainwasmurdered]

Good Idea Invader! Let's punish those bastards for questioning American motives and methods. Let's Nuke 'em that'll show those S.O.B.'s!!

[Guest muzanisa]

WTF

 

how come the US is not deserving to be a member? When did this happen?

[Guest Invader3k]

In response to "cobainwasmurdered"...that's not really what I meant or wanted. I am just frustrated that the United States constantly gets disrespected by the rest of the world, when we have done so much in the past and present to help other countries.

[Guest TheMikeSC]

WTF

 

how come the US is not deserving to be a member? When did this happen? >>>

 

 

We were voted off of the panel last year. I'm not sure why, but we aren't there.

 

We likely will return next year as Italy has offered to not run to help us get back on the Council.

 

Still, what good is a Human Rights Council if friggin' China and Cuba are able to pas judgment?

                         -=Mike

 

..."Well, they only tortured SOME of their political dissidents"

[Guest TheMikeSC]

Good Idea Invader! Let's punish those bastards for questioning American motives and methods. Let's Nuke 'em that'll show those S.O.B.'s!! >>>

 

 

When they won't question Iran, Palestine, China, Cuba, et al---then they have NO business questioning America or Israel's record.

                                -=Mike

 

...Geez, China only kills A LOT of their girls when the girls are born---thank God they don't violate human rights.

[Guest Mad Dog]

Nice to see we get booted in favor of countries that still employee slavery and kill there citizens whenever they feel like it.

 

I don't even know why the U.S. stays.  I mean we pay a quarter of all the bills for the U.N. just so a bunch of countries can bad mouth us.  We pay the most yet we hold the fewest chairs of any country.  Yeah that makes sense.

[Guest muzanisa]

Okay I don't agree with all of the people here.

Most Muslim Women that I know and I know a fair few don't actually feel oppressed and I think it's unfair ro put our cultural norms and standards onto another persons country.

Cuba is a mix of the bad and the good in that for their area of the world they have a remarkable record on Infant mortality and education plus healthcare. Unfortunately it isn't a good idea to be anti Castro there.

But the US to booted off the HRC??

I'm sorry but I can't believe that. As far as human rights go you're pretty much the best in the world (Sweden or the Netherlands may be more liberal, but really), I can't find anything on this and I'd like to know why the US was booted off.

[Guest TheMikeSC]

<<<Okay I don't agree with all of the people here.

Most Muslim Women that I know and I know a fair few don't actually feel oppressed and I think it's unfair ro put our cultural norms and standards onto another persons country.>>>

 

 

Most Muslim women are in abject terror of speaking out against their present situation.

 

If you were to ask slaves back in the 1800's how their lives were, some would probably say "It's not so bad".

 

It doesn't change that their lives WERE miserable.

 

And it's ABSOLUTELY fair to put our cultural norms upon others. All of these countries are expected to live by the U.N charter and a great many of the ones on the HRC don't live by it.

 

 

<<<Cuba is a mix of the bad and the good in that for their area of the world they have a remarkable record on Infant mortality and education plus healthcare.>>>

 

 

We have no idea about infant mortality. The gov't isn't exactly honest.

 

Education? Umm, no.

 

Healthcare? By most accounts, their quality of care is horrible.

 

Let's not forget that many Europeans are QUITE aware that there are numerous hotels in Cuba that Cubans are forbidden from using. And shall we even go into their prison system?

 

 

<<<Unfortunately it isn't a good idea to be anti Castro there.>>>

 

 

That's like saying living in the South in the 19th Century was good---but it wasn't a good to be black.

 

 

<<<But the US to booted off the HRC??

I'm sorry but I can't believe that.>>>

 

 

Voted off. Caused a major stirin conservative circles and led to calls for us to leave the UN altogether.

 

 

<<<As far as human rights go you're pretty much the best in the world (Sweden or the Netherlands may be more liberal, but really), I can't find anything on this and I'd like to know why the US was booted off. >>>

 

 

They never explained why---but looking at the make-up of the HRC, I can make some guesses.

              -=Mike

[Guest Some Guy]

Okay I don't agree with all of the people here.

Most Muslim Women that I know and I know a fair few don't actually feel oppressed and I think it's unfair ro put our cultural norms and standards onto another persons country.

Cuba is a mix of the bad and the good in that for their area of the world they have a remarkable record on Infant mortality and education plus healthcare. Unfortunately it isn't a good idea to be anti Castro there.

But the US to booted off the HRC??

I'm sorry but I can't believe that. As far as human rights go you're pretty much the best in the world (Sweden or the Netherlands may be more liberal, but really), I can't find anything on this and I'd like to know why the US was booted off.

Do you live in the Middle East? If not then the Muslim women you know aren't who we're talking about here.  The Muslim women in America and most of Europe are free to choose how they want to dress and act, in much of the Mid-East they aren't.

 

BTW, Liberalism or leftist politics has no real bearing on how good a countries Human Rights are, the USSR comes to mind as one example.

[Guest]

US Regains HRC Seat

Nice of Spain and Italy, I suppose, but I can't make myself care. That the HRC had the brazen gall to vote us off in the first place is more than adequate proof that it is not a serious body.

 

In that context, I have to disagree sharply with this line in the CNN story:

The move was seen as a humiliation for the United States.

Not at all. It wasn't a humiliation for the United States. It was a humiliation for the United Nations.

[Guest muzanisa]

the Muslim women you know aren't who we're talking about here.

 

Then can you refer to countries by name, not as Muslim countries please?

 

And it's ABSOLUTELY fair to put our cultural norms upon others. All of these countries are expected to live by the U.N charter and a great many of the ones on the HRC don't live by it.

 

 

 

If you're in favour of hyper globalisation it's fair to put your cultural norms upon others. As I suspect you're not, unless it leads to complete US hegemony then it isn't.

If you meant that Countries on the HRC should have spotless human rights records I'll agree.

 

 

 

 

We have no idea about infant mortality. The gov't isn't exactly honest.

 

Education? Umm, no.

 

Healthcare? By most accounts, their quality of care is horrible.

 

I wasn't using Cuban Government propaganda to facilitate my argument but independent facts. If you can't accept that what I say is true we'll compare sources.

 

 

 

 

That's like saying living in the South in the 19th Century was good---but it wasn't a good to be black.

 

 

It was meant to be facetious, I'd have thought that was obvious, but I'm sorry if it didn't come across.

 

If you don't know why the US was booted off then why start a thread based on what you think happened?

[Guest TheMikeSC]

Quote  

the Muslim women you know aren't who we're talking about here.  

 

 

Then can you refer to countries by name, not as Muslim countries please?>>>

 

 

How 'bout the girls who burned to death in Saudi Arabia because the religious police prevented them from leaving the school due to them not being in "proper Muslim attire"?

 

How about the woman in Iraq who is scheduled to be executed for getting raped---while the guy got NOTHING?

 

How 'bout all of the women forced to leave college due to the Muslim church ordering it so?

 

You mean those women are happy?

 

 

<<<Quote  

And it's ABSOLUTELY fair to put our cultural norms upon others. All of these countries are expected to live by the U.N charter and a great many of the ones on the HRC don't live by it.

 

 

 

 

If you're in favour of hyper globalisation it's fair to put your cultural norms upon others. As I suspect you're not, unless it leads to complete US hegemony then it isn't. >>>

 

 

If WE are going to be expected to live by these norms---the others should, too. This is why I feel we should leave the U.N. It's absurd for us to stay in a group that only expects some of their countries to abide by the rules.

 

 

<<<If you meant that Countries on the HRC should have spotless human rights records I'll agree.>>>

 

 

I'm not even asking for spotless. How 'bout less than horrific human rights records?

 

 

 

<<<Quote  

We have no idea about infant mortality. The gov't isn't exactly honest.

 

Education? Umm, no.

 

Healthcare? By most accounts, their quality of care is horrible.

 

 

I wasn't using Cuban Government propaganda to facilitate my argument but independent facts. If you can't accept that what I say is true we'll compare sources.>>>

 

 

What were you using? The fact that they have "universal" health care?

 

You'd think with such a wonderful country people wouldn't die on rafts trying to escape all of the time, wouldn't you?

 

 

<<<Quote  

That's like saying living in the South in the 19th Century was good---but it wasn't a good to be black.

 

 

 

It was meant to be facetious, I'd have thought that was obvious, but I'm sorry if it didn't come across.

 

If you don't know why the US was booted off then why start a thread based on what you think happened? >>>

 

 

I didn't start a thread on why we were booted off.

 

I started a thread based on the fact that we were booted off but there are NUMEROUS countries on the Council who have no business, whatsoever, being on a Human Rights Council.

 

It's more of a "We should get out of the UN" thing.

                    -=Mike

[Guest muzanisa]

How 'bout the girls who burned to death in Saudi Arabia because the religious police prevented them from leaving the school due to them not being in "proper Muslim attire"?

 

How about the woman in Iraq who is scheduled to be executed for getting raped---while the guy got NOTHING?

 

How 'bout all of the women forced to leave college due to the Muslim church ordering it so?

 

You mean those women are happy?

 

 

So it is the Saudi and Iraqui governments that do these horrific things. Not the Muslim countries.

 

 

What were you using? The fact that they have "universal" health care?

 

You'd think with such a wonderful country people wouldn't die on rafts trying to escape all of the time, wouldn't you?

 

 

 

Cuba aint a wonderful country as the people leaving it would testify. However there are quite a few people in Cuba happy to be there. Once I get my MA hopefully I'll be working in NYC away from the Government of the UK. My Dad left Ireland for the UK to get away from the religous intolerance of Ireland back in the 1950's. My Dad was a proud Irishman as am I.

I was using their really quite remarkable adult literacy levels, health index and infant mortality levels as posted on many charitable and informational websites.

[Guest TheMikeSC]

Quote  

How 'bout the girls who burned to death in Saudi Arabia because the religious police prevented them from leaving the school due to them not being in "proper Muslim attire"?

 

How about the woman in Iraq who is scheduled to be executed for getting raped---while the guy got NOTHING?

 

How 'bout all of the women forced to leave college due to the Muslim church ordering it so?

 

You mean those women are happy?

 

 

 

So it is the Saudi and Iraqui governments that do these horrific things. Not the Muslim countries.>>>

 

 

The Muslim Church is running the show in Arabia. Let's not delude ourselves.

 

 

Quote  

What were you using? The fact that they have "universal" health care?

 

You'd think with such a wonderful country people wouldn't die on rafts trying to escape all of the time, wouldn't you?

 

 

 

 

Cuba aint a wonderful country as the people leaving it would testify. However there are quite a few people in Cuba happy to be there. Once I get my MA hopefully I'll be working in NYC away from the Government of the UK. My Dad left Ireland for the UK to get away from the religous intolerance of Ireland back in the 1950's. My Dad was a proud Irishman as am I.

I was using their really quite remarkable adult literacy levels, health index and infant mortality levels as posted on many charitable and informational websites. >>>

 

 

I'd love to see these sites, honestly.

 

Most "charitable" sites are left-wing sites with sympathies towards commnists.

            -=Mike

[Guest muzanisa]

Mike you're fun to argue with but your tendictousness makes it quite pointless at the end of the day.

[Guest]

If you don't know why the US was booted off then why start a thread based on what you think happened?

Well then, let's make it crystal clear why we were booted off, shall we? We were booted off because we support Israel, and because the ECOSOC, which votes by secret ballot on the Council's members, is dominated by third world nations which we have criticised incessantly for their human rights abuses.

I'm starting to agree with Mike more and more. The UN is rapidly becoming a complete disgrace to the principles for which it's supposed to stand. We should either reform it or leave it. But we shouldn't just sit there and take this kind of hypocritical, presumptuous, tit-for-tat bullshit.

[Guest TheMikeSC]

Mike you're fun to argue with but your tendictousness makes it quite pointless at the end of the day. >>>

 

 

Well, I'd comment---but since my dictionary here and two dictionaries on-line claim that tendictousness isn't actually a word, I'm afraid I'm quite unable.

                 -=Mike

 

...Using large words instead of more common words is a sign of poor communication skills.

[Guest DrTom]

"Using large words instead of more common words is a sign of poor communication skills."

 

That's not entirely true, Mike.  I fancy a lot of different words, and it's never a bad thing to have a decent vocabulary.  Sometimes, a large word is simply (as Buckley has said), "a better fit" than a smaller one.  It all depends on how the sentence looks, sounds, and flows.

 

More accurately, using large words incorrectly, instead of just using more common words, is a sign of poor communication skills.  The word in question stumped me and my sources, too; perhaps he meant "tenaciousness?" (Which itself is nicely replaced by the much more aesthetically pleasing "tenacity.")