The shocking US vote not to condemn the death penalty for LGBT people
The past week saw two remarkable developments at the United Nations, and the world took notice of both. One was the passage of a resolution condemning the use of the death penalty as punishment for consensual gay relations. LGBT groups viewed the moment as a major milestone, what the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association called a "historic first." Celebrations, however, were muted. That's because of the other occurrence: The United States, until recently a leader in the global effort to advance human rights, voted against the resolution.
Even though the UN Human Rights Council's measure does not outlaw the use of the death penalty, Washington's decision to vote no on the resolution still sent shockwaves among human rights groups and their supporters. And the shock was not limited to the United States. Headlines in other countries noted that America sided with the nations that refused to condemn the medieval -- but still practiced -- policy of killing people simply because they are gay. They noted, correctly, that the US vote was dictated by fear of undercutting the death penalty itself. In 2014, the Obama administration abstained from a resolution from the Human Rights Council on the death penalty, though that resolution notably lacked any provision related to its specific use against gay or transgender individuals. The fact is that we live in a world where even today gay people are being arrested, tortured and killed because of their sexual orientation. And the United States didn't just let an opportunity to condemn those atrocities pass by -- it did much worse. It took a stand against that condemnation. On transgender ban, Trump, listen to your generals On transgender ban, Trump, listen to your generals This latest vote came as a stark reminder that under the current administration, the United States hasn't just given up its commitment to advancing human rights. It has, instead, changed sides in that struggle. We initially heard from the US State Department that the human rights agenda would be sidelined, and we've watched President Donald Trump repeatedly praise some of the world's most repressive rulers, at times seeming to praise them precisely for their ruthlessness. The resolution, to be clear, was not solely focused on LGBT executions. It urged countries that have still not abolished the practice to make sure it is not imposed as punishment for "apostasy, blasphemy, adultery and consensual same-sex relations." The final vote at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, was 27 in favor of condemning abuse of the death penalty, 13 against and seven abstentions. We should all celebrate passage of the resolution in a UN body with a dismal track record. But the fact that the United States, the birthplace of the modern human rights movement, opposed a measure supported by every single Western and Eastern European country in the body, and every Latin American country (only Cuba abstained), and instead sided with Saudi Arabia, Egypt, China and other countries with troubling human rights records, made it a dark day for human rights.
| by Anonymous | reply 36 | October 14, 2018 8:14 PM
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Nikki is still sore at being "abused" at NYC Pride.
| by Anonymous | reply 3 | October 10, 2018 4:28 PM
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Hillary Clinton was the one who pushed to get the protection in there in the first place.
Now our country under Trump is dying.
| by Anonymous | reply 4 | October 10, 2018 4:30 PM
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I don't understand the adoration of Haley. She just did her master's bidding. she showed some spunk but in minor areas. I guess the bar is really low.
| by Anonymous | reply 5 | October 10, 2018 4:31 PM
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The US is a disgusting third world country now.
| by Anonymous | reply 7 | October 10, 2018 4:35 PM
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Very disappointing. But the left rants and raves about anti-Islamic prejudice, while Moslem countries are the harshest are the most virulent persecutors of gay people.
| by Anonymous | reply 9 | October 11, 2018 3:12 PM
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A local paper had an ad from the US Embassy that the country is doing a Visa lottery. I read that, and thought to myself 'Who the fuck wants to live in that shithole country?'
Even though I don't live there, I do carry a Canadian passport. . .
| by Anonymous | reply 10 | October 11, 2018 3:51 PM
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When are the gay Trump supporters gonna wake up ?
| by Anonymous | reply 11 | October 12, 2018 7:53 AM
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How many of them are there, in actuality, r11?
| by Anonymous | reply 12 | October 12, 2018 2:29 PM
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They're keeping their options open
| by Anonymous | reply 13 | October 12, 2018 2:32 PM
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R9, it's because of Trump that we didn't condemn this, not "the left"
| by Anonymous | reply 14 | October 12, 2018 2:35 PM
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Haley was anti-gay as SC Governor. She supported anti-gay clauses being added to the state constitution.
Of course she would NEVER condemn adultery. She's a regular Kim Davis when it comes to that.
| by Anonymous | reply 15 | October 12, 2018 2:51 PM
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'The left' is such a misnomer. The Democratic Party would be considered right of center in almost every other country.
There are very few true socialists in the USA. At best, 'the left' are centrists, or 'liberals'.
| by Anonymous | reply 16 | October 12, 2018 2:51 PM
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The U.S. cable media is not covering this. If they have, it was miniscule coverage and I missed it.
| by Anonymous | reply 17 | October 12, 2018 2:56 PM
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What does Trump's buddy Peter Thiel have to say about this?
| by Anonymous | reply 19 | October 12, 2018 8:17 PM
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Send that cunt Haley back to the Punjab where she can be raped to death with an iron bar.
| by Anonymous | reply 20 | October 12, 2018 8:20 PM
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Hillary Clinton pushed for the U.N. protection of gays and lesbians all the way through, and didn’t back down to the fundamentalist Muslim nations regarding the death penalty or to Russia on the subject of adoption (the Russians pulled all their adoptions from the U.S. rather than let gays and lesbians adopt).
Now we have Hitler. Thanks, Tad Devine.
| by Anonymous | reply 21 | October 12, 2018 8:32 PM
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But her emails. And Trumpy is our best friend.
| by Anonymous | reply 22 | October 12, 2018 8:34 PM
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You have to admire the Trumpys and their relentless Whataboutism whenever the incessant moral failings of their Fuhrer are brought up.
| by Anonymous | reply 23 | October 12, 2018 8:44 PM
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OP, it's consistent with trump's essentially giving permission, with his anti press statements, to the Saudi killing of Khashoggi. He's dragging this country through the sewer.
| by Anonymous | reply 24 | October 12, 2018 9:22 PM
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This is the new America. It will be far right here going out. We'll see an erasure of all post-WW2 progress.
| by Anonymous | reply 25 | October 12, 2018 9:24 PM
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See, I'm just trying to snuff out the evil at long last.
| by Anonymous | reply 26 | October 12, 2018 9:57 PM
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Not just Haley. Bolton's smelly fingers are all over this too.
| by Anonymous | reply 27 | October 12, 2018 10:10 PM
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Not to sound cruel but what difference does it make? These countries are run by demons and they're not gonna change by statements made by us without substance. Especially when the organisation making the condemnation still has a space on the human rights council for saudi bastards.
| by Anonymous | reply 28 | October 12, 2018 10:39 PM
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It may not make any real difference, but it's humiliating to be a citizen of a country that shrugs at the idea of you being murdered just because you're gay.
| by Anonymous | reply 29 | October 12, 2018 11:14 PM
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I don't believe in hell, but I'll make an exception for Turdus.
| by Anonymous | reply 30 | October 12, 2018 11:18 PM
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It’s not just shrugging if you’re murdered - these countries are enacting capital punishment for BEING gay.
| by Anonymous | reply 31 | October 12, 2018 11:35 PM
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Yeah, Adultery is ACTUALLY in the 10 Commandments-unlike anything against Homosexuality, which is only from cherry-picked passages that are over-analyzed. Too many straight Repugs would end up on Death Row if we outlawed cuck'ing and swinging.
| by Anonymous | reply 32 | October 13, 2018 2:53 AM
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Go ahead, Nik, shake them titties! Just try it!
| by Anonymous | reply 33 | October 13, 2018 2:54 AM
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This is beyond disgusting. Bunch of fucking hypocrites.
| by Anonymous | reply 34 | October 13, 2018 2:54 AM
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[quote] Of course she would NEVER condemn adultery.#
[quote] Yeah, Adultery is ACTUALLY in the 10 Commandments-unlike anything against Homosexuality, which is only from cherry-picked passages that are over-analyzed.
Read the whole article - the resolution also covers the death penalty for adultery (not that that makes anything better).
| by Anonymous | reply 36 | October 14, 2018 8:14 PM
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