What a concept — an abuser-free Human Rights Council

The credibility of the United Nations is on the line as negotiators meet this week to try to finalize the creation of a U.N. Human Rights Council. The new council would replace the current Human Rights Commission, which has become Exhibit A in “What’s wrong with the United Nations” — as human-rights abusers Cuba, Sudan and Zimbabwe serve on the commission, and it was chaired by Libya in 2003. Such crucial details as the size of the council and how its members are chosen are still unresolved. Opposition reportedly is being led by two of our allies in the war on terrorism: Egypt and Pakistan. Why is that not surprising?
Posted by Phillip Brownlee

20 Comments

  1. Joe Williams
    Posted January 8, 2006 at 9:45 am | Permalink

    So I guess the United States will not get a seat on the new Abuser Free Human Rights Council.

  2. Posted January 8, 2006 at 9:56 am | Permalink

    The problem is, what country doesn’t have some “human rights abuses”?

    Not the US of A, that’s for sure. I’m not saying we’re as bad as the basket cases of Libya and Cuba, but when authorities leave prisoners in jail cells to drown in New Orleans during hurricane Katrina, you got human rights abuse here too.

  3. XXX
    Posted January 8, 2006 at 10:22 am | Permalink

    PL, can you provide some back up (links) for that? I wasn’t aware that prisoners drowned in NO. I’m interested.

  4. Ed Friedemann
    Posted January 8, 2006 at 10:47 am | Permalink

    Actually, they drown while stealing more chains than they could swim with.

  5. Ed Friedemann
    Posted January 8, 2006 at 12:10 pm | Permalink

    Palestinians Won’t Miss SharonRichard H. Curtiss, DHanley200@aol.com

    http://www.arabnews.com/?page=7&section=0&article=75938&d=8&m=1&y=2006

  6. Ed Friedemann
    Posted January 8, 2006 at 12:49 pm | Permalink

    Bush Quotes:”If we don’t succeed, we run the risk of failure.”

    “Verbosity leads to unclear, inarticulate things.”

    “I think we ought to raise the age at which juveniles can have a gun.”

    And this jerk is the President of The United States?

  7. Ed Friedemann
    Posted January 8, 2006 at 1:54 pm | Permalink

    The White House Chef got fired for cooking things which Bush didn’t like. Well, at least somebody was trying.

  8. XXX
    Posted January 8, 2006 at 3:18 pm | Permalink

    “Actually, they drown while stealing more chains than they could swim with.”Good one Ed. Sometimes you really leave me in stitches!

    But I did a google search and couldn’t find any instance where it’s documented that a prisoner drowned. Sounds like several came close, and I don’t condone leaving prisoners up to their chests in flood water, but let’s keep it accurate.

  9. Ed Friedemann
    Posted January 9, 2006 at 4:44 am | Permalink

    Well, You need to get used to the fact that there’s things the government would rather not talk about these days.

    Start with AIPAC bribery and corrupting of our congress and work your way down to Iraq.

    Why are we still there? And what ever stupid reason is offered, is that good enough for our soldiers to die?…… Really?

  10. Ed Friedemann
    Posted January 9, 2006 at 4:53 am | Permalink

    It is inconceivable to me that our Secretary of State cancelled an important trip to Australia to ready herself to mourn about the possible passing of an Israeli war-criminal.

    Google his history, or read my above post. It should make you sick to your stomach.

  11. Posted January 9, 2006 at 12:36 pm | Permalink

    XXX, see The Nation, 2 January 2006, p. 18, “Left to Die” “New Orleans abandoned its citizens in jail” by Billy Sothern.

    He alleges that the sheriff’s deputies fled rising flood waters and left locked in cells. “As prisoner Dan Bright told Human Rights Watch, ‘They left us there to die.’”

  12. Posted January 9, 2006 at 12:41 pm | Permalink

    Also from the article, “While officials deny that any bodies were found, many prisoners who were there insist that they saw floating bodies.”

    Given the reports of eye-witnesses who were held captive in NOLA and not allowed to cross bridges to neighboring towns, and other people left to die (”They’re coming for you, mama, they’re coming for you.” Remember that moving testimony on television?), this fits a consistent pattern.

  13. Ed Friedemann
    Posted January 9, 2006 at 12:51 pm | Permalink

    PL, That should have come out as what the government would say { in their theme of lying about everything }.

  14. Posted January 9, 2006 at 1:00 pm | Permalink

    Ah . . . okay, Ed. I didn’t think that sounded like you, heh.

    Thanks for the clarification.

  15. Ed Friedemann
    Posted January 9, 2006 at 1:03 pm | Permalink

    PL, It should have read,” And I suppose they’ll tell us……

    When speaking, it would sound as I meant it, but I should have caught that…

  16. XXX
    Posted January 9, 2006 at 4:30 pm | Permalink

    PL, I’m not disputing what you say, but after your first comment, I did a LOT of reading on the subject and can’t find anything that says anybody actually drowned while incarcerated. I read the statement:

    “While officials deny that any bodies were found, many prisoners who were there insist that they saw floating bodies.”

    The articles I read said they saw bodies floating OUTSIDE of the prison.

    I wouldn’t doubt a thing like that…I just can’t find anything difinitive that says anybody actually drowned in jail.

  17. Posted January 9, 2006 at 6:01 pm | Permalink

    We can go round and round on this, XXX, but the original post said, “the authorities left them in prison to drown.”

    Whether anyone drown is not exactly the point–the point is that the prisoners had to bust themselves out of jail cells while water was rising around their knees.

    It’s hard to imagine that they all could escape successfully.

    But whether they did or not, what kind of a person walks away from prisoners in jail cells while water is pouring in?

  18. Posted January 9, 2006 at 6:03 pm | Permalink

    If I chain you to a railroad track, and you escape before the train hits you, have I done nothing wrong because you weren’t crushed to death?

  19. XXX
    Posted January 9, 2006 at 9:46 pm | Permalink

    Like I said, PL, I’m not disagreeing with you. You know what a stickler I am about details. Your original post caught my interest and I did a lot of reading about it. I thought it strange that as much as is written and all the comments about being “left to drown”, I couldn’t find anything that says anybody actually DID drown. I find that a little strange.

    I agree it’s a terrible thing to have left anybody locked in a cell as the flood water rose. I read that a significant number of people who were left were individuals who hadn’t even been charged yet (i.e. picked up and being held for whatever reason).

  20. XXX
    Posted January 9, 2006 at 10:27 pm | Permalink

    oh, and speaking of details, have you noticed that the poster “Gail” uses the “steve@steve” e-mail address?