Did you read where earlier this month, as part of the celebration of the anniversary of the U.N.’s 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, France and the Netherlands sponsored a new non-binding UN declaration extending the rights guaranteed in the UDHR to homosexual and transgender people?
Out of the 192 countries in the UN, only 66 signed. This is perhaps not surprising, considering the governments of many of those states. However, look at the countries that did sign: All 27 EU countries, Australia, new Zealand, Canada, Japan, Mexico, and a bunch of others. See any “civilized” Western nations missing from that list?
The United States — along with Russia, China, and many Arab countries — has stirred up international tensions by refusing to sign a United Nations declaration that condemns anti-gay laws and demands international decriminalization of homosexuality.
That’s from the Wikinews story, which links to lots of other stories. Here’s a little more:
Gay rights activists in the U.S. and around the world, however, expressed anger at the United States’ decision, with one international group calling the stance “appalling.” Former chief U.S. spokesman to the U.N. Richard Grenell said the United States’ reasons for not signing the declaration were “ridiculous,” adding that “the U.S. lack of support on this issue only dims our once bright beacon of hope and freedom for those who are persecuted and oppressed.”
Representatives around the world have also spoken out against the U.S. decision, and in support of the updated declaration. Dutch Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Verhagen said the declaration was purely symbolic but that he would accept nothing less than for “human rights apply to all people in all places at all times.” U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay discussed concerns over the countries that have not signed the document, comparing anti-gay laws to Apartheid laws and saying that stigma was to blame for unpunished violence and discrimination.
I guess I shouldn’t be surprised and disappointed, especially given the whole Prop. 8 thing, but still. I am actually a bit surprised that Harper’s nut gallery didn’t stop us from signing, but at least that’s a pleasant surprise.
Oh, and guess who else publicly opposed the declaration? Which forward-thinking institution that has a long history of doing good things for the human race in the name of love and tolerance? Yeah, you’re right:
The declaration also has been opposed by the Vatican, a stance which prompted a protest in Rome earlier this month.
A Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said the Roman Catholic Church opposed the death penalty and other harsh repression of gays and lesbians, but he expressed concern that the declaration would be used as pressure against those who believe marriage rights should not be extended to gays.
A new Vatican statement, issued Thursday, endorsed the call to end criminal penalties against gays, but said that overall the declaration “gives rise to uncertainty in the law and challenges existing human norms.”
So what does that mean? “Stop killing them, but keep them in the closet, and none of this marriage stuff?”
Man, it’s time for some Barlow:
