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UN body OKs call to curb religious criticism
By FRANK JORDANS – 4 days ago
GENEVA (AP) — The U.N.'s top human-rights body approved a proposal by Muslims nations Thursday urging passage of laws around the world to protect religion from criticism.
The proposal put forward by Pakistan on behalf of Islamic countries — with the backing of Belarus and Venezuela — had drawn strong criticism from free-speech campaigners and liberal democracies.
A simple majority of 23 members of the 47-nation Human Rights Council voted in favor of the resolution. Eleven nations, mostly Western, opposed the resolution, and 13 countries abstained.
The resolution urges states to provide "protection against acts of hatred, discrimination, intimidation and coercion resulting from defamation of religions and incitement to religious hatred in general."
"Defamation of religions is the cause that leads to incitement to hatred, discrimination and violence toward their followers," Pakistan's ambassador Zamir Akram said.
"It is important to deal with the cause, rather than with the effects alone," he said.
Muslim nations have argued that religions, in particular Islam, must be shielded from criticism in the media and other areas of public life. They cited cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad as an example of unacceptable free speech.
"Islam is frequently and wrongly associated with human rights violations and terrorism," the resolution said.
Opponents of the resolution included Canada, all European Union countries, Switzerland, Ukraine and Chile.
"It is individuals who have rights and not religions," Canadian diplomat Terry Cormier said.
India, which normally votes along with the council's majority of developing nations, abstained in protest at the fact that Islam was the only religion specifically named as deserving protection.
Wuh?"Islam is frequently and wrongly associated with human rights violations and terrorism," the resolution said.
If the UN keeps making bone headed moves like this they are going to end up going the way of the League of Nations. They will simply make it untenable for first world countries to remain in it.
behead citizens... blow up toddlers and other various civilian collateral damage in the name of phantom WMDs and burning bush mythology.. yea.. clearly muslims should wear the adjectives like badges just like you people do. for christs sakes some of you are beyond retarded.
behead citizens... blow up toddlers and other various civilian collateral damage in the name of phantom WMDs and burning bush mythology.. yea.. clearly muslims should wear the adjectives like badges just like you people do. for christs sakes some of you are beyond retarded.
Excellent point! Because everyone knows how these Slims were all about peace, love and harmony for the 3,000 years before Bush.
behead citizens... blow up toddlers and other various civilian collateral damage in the name of phantom WMDs and burning bush mythology.. yea.. clearly muslims should wear the adjectives like badges just like you people do. for christs sakes some of you are beyond retarded.
Excellent point! Because everyone knows how these Slims were all about peace, love and harmony for the 3,000 years before Bush.
Ahh.. I see you are not counting the crusades then. gotcha. Is operation Do As I Say Not As I Do a go then? If your narrow ass view of history only wants to gander at muslims then I guess it's no wonder why you'd be crying foul despite how many christians and jews are actually out bombing the holy shit out of, and occupying foreign nations in the last 100 years.
Not surprising. You always do come down on the authoritarian side of every issue except the one's restricting where you get to spark up your Virginia Slim menthol lights.
