Validity of criticisms leveled at USA on its Human Rights Record

UN human rights committee severely criticized USA for its human rights records on multiple different issue. How justified do you think these accusations are, and should there be a concerted push to improve it?

US criticised by UN for human rights failings on NSA, guns and drones | World news | theguardian.com

Some topics that leapt to the eye:-

Walter Kälin, a Swiss international human rights lawyer who sits on the committee, attacked the US government’s refusal to recognise the convention’s mandate over its actions beyond its own borders. The US has asserted since 1995 that the ICCPR does not apply to US actions beyond its borders - and has used that “extra-territoriality” claim to justify its actions in Guantánamo and in conflict zones.

“This world is an unsafe place,” Kälin said. “Will it not become even more dangerous if any state would be willing to claim that international law does not prevent them from committing human rights violations abroad?”

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Kälin went on to express astonishment at some of America’s more extreme domestic habits. He pointed to the release this week in Louisiana of Glenn Ford, the 144th person on death row in the US to be exonerated since 1973, saying: “One hundred and forty-four cases of people wrongfully convicted to death is a staggering number.”

Pointing out the disproportional representation of African Americans on death rows, he added: “Discrimination is bad, but it is absolutely unacceptable when it leads to death.”

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The experts raised questions about the National Security Agency’s surveillance of digital communications in the wake of Edward Snowden’s revelations. It also intervened in this week’s dispute between the CIA and US senators by calling for declassification and release of the 6,300-page report into the Bush administration’s use of torture techniques and rendition that lay behind the current CIA-Senate dispute.

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Discuss.

I agree on all fronts, but then again I'm one who believes America should live up to its sense of moral superiority.

Or at least follow the Geneva Convention.

I don't see any of it changing any time soon.

The ponderance of these accusations certainly require deep, introspective, soul searching. The magnitude of International concern over such slights dictates the solemnity with which one must
scrutinize, contemplate, and recognize the catastrophic failings of the U.S to properly steward itself and the world in general.

Reverently allowing the dignity of proper excogitation it seems the best elucidation is " The U.N. should go piss up a goddam rope!"

Awed with the UN cocern

Thom Paine

Thom:- you don't agree that these problems are concerning, or you don't agree abt. the fact that the UN is raising them?

First off there is the worldwide liberal project of creating organizations and laws which have primacy over nation-states. This is just another effort towards that goal.

The only real power in the international system is hard power. Can a nation MAKE another nation do something. The US has a lot of hard power. People all around the world don't like this, so naturally they'll try to weaken this. It's simply not in the US interest to turn over it's power to international organizations. It simply IS in the interests of weaker nations to have more power turned over to international organizations where they can share in the exercise of that power.

Look at the critic who is making these accusations. How did he get into his position? He's there due to political maneuvering, not through the earned power of his nation. He has a blatant self-interest in strengthening this international apparatus which rides above the power of nation-states - more opportunities for him to personally exercise power.

It's completely natural that foreigners don't like NSA surveillance. Too bad. Their own agencies can spy on the US. The NSA spying on Americans is an internal affair. The NSA spying on foreigners is them doing their job and that's not a violation of the rights of foreigners. Trying to make that argument is just another effort to exercise power of the US.

sayak said:

Thom:- you don't agree that these problems are concerning, or you don't agree abt. the fact that the UN is raising them?

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The UN has many more things it could feebly attempt to influence.

We may not be the most perfect country on the planet but we are leading the pack toward that impossible to achieve ideal.

I have no complaint with Gitmo; at least we discovered the wrongful convictions.

I have a love-hate stance with the NSA. I dislike the lack of privacy but realize the need to know who is doing whom; I wish not to, after a catastrophic event, wonder why we didn't see the possibility in advance.... already witnessed that with the CIA after Vietnam....

have a fine day sayak eace

Thom Paine

US regularly writes long report and speeches criticizing other country's record. So they should be willing to listen when other organizations do the same. Besides I am less interested in the actual facts of these violations (truth/falsehood) rather than who is saying it. Either there is a framework by which actions taken by other countries are subject to criticism and punitive measures (like sanctions or even forceful interventions) to which every country is subject to, or there is not and everything goes. So which is it?

sayak said:

Either there is a framework by which actions taken by other countries are subject to criticism and punitive measures (like sanctions or even forceful interventions) to which every country is subject to, or there is not and everything goes. So which is it?

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False choice. Those who have power can exercise it as best suits their interests without subjecting themselves to the same rules.

Dad: "Drinking is bad for people. Don't drink."
Kids: "But Dad, you drink."
Dad: "That's different. Go to bed."

There is plenty of evidence that there is racial bias in capital punishment sentences and that far too many people on death row and people who have been executed have been found innocent.

Torture is illegal and immoral and provides unreliable intelligence no matter where it happens. No one should be kept prisoner for years without a fair trial unless they fall under the guidelines for prisoners of war status. Doing these actions on foreign soil does not make them legal or right.

Gathering confidential information on people without a specific probable cause or without a warrant is illegal and wrong. The argument that because the phone company or an ISP has date then it is not private is bull****. It doesn't apply to medical confidentiality and shouldn't apply to these other areas. Everyone who supports collecting such data should show that they are sincere by voluntarily posting their phone bills online.

The USA has a pretty good human rights record but there is still plenty of room for improvement.

RiverDad said:

False choice. Those who have power can exercise it as best suits their interests without subjecting themselves to the same rules.

Dad: "Drinking is bad for people. Don't drink."
Kids: "But Dad, you drink."
Dad: "That's different. Go to bed."

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Might makes right is your credo? Apparently that also justifies terrorism, which is a method for a less powerful nation or group to gain more power.

Hard Truth said:

Might makes right is your credo? Apparently that also justifies terrorism, which is a method for a less powerful nation or group to gain more power.

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There is no powerful referee in the international system. What referees exist in the system exist because strong countries are willing to play along so long as it suits their interests.

sayak said:

UN human rights committee severely criticized USA for its human rights records on multiple different issue. How justified do you think these accusations are, and should there be a concerted push to improve it?

US criticised by UN for human rights failings on NSA, guns and drones | World news | theguardian.com

Some topics that leapt to the eye:-







Discuss.

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I ignore everything the UN says. I think our government should as well. In fact I think it should withdraw from the UN.

yes that went well last time.....2nd world war?

sayak said:

UN human rights committee severely criticized USA for its human rights records on multiple different issue. How justified do you think these accusations are, and should there be a concerted push to improve it?

US criticised by UN for human rights failings on NSA, guns and drones | World news | theguardian.com

Some topics that leapt to the eye:-







Discuss.

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There is some truth there, even if it does come from the UN.

But then, Liberals have exacerbated many of the problems. They take away peoples ability to defend themselves. They try to fight racism by creating more racism. They ensure inequality is used on death sentences by making it harder and more expensive to prosecute such cases. Liberals also enslave people onto welfare and create an atmosphere where violence and crime festers. They are soft on crime and weak on punishing criminals, preferring phsycobabilist bull**** to real working solutions. Liberals continue to drive more and more jobs out of the country causing even more poverty. Their socialist ideas and methods create so many problems that it would take to long to list them all.

StringBean said:

I agree on all fronts, but then again I'm one who believes America should live up to its sense of moral superiority.

Or at least follow the Geneva Convention.

I don't see any of it changing any time soon.

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I do too, String.