The Ironic Conference
This week, the United Nations is holding a conference on racism in Geneva, Switzerland. It is meeting to focus on one of the biggest issues facing the world today, and the United Nations are doing the right thing by devoting time to this issue. Unfortunately, it is a conference boiling over with controversy and irony.
The first point of irony is that the United States, probably the most influential country in the world today, is boycotting the meeting. In other words, we’re not going to be there. Our reasons for staying away are legitimate; it’s not like we missed a connection at Heathrow or anything like that. No, in fact we never bothered getting on the plane in the first place. It is a shame the US won’t participate in this conference, since racism has dogged our country throughout its history. In other words, we would have a lot to contribute to the meeting.
Our concern about the conference is that several nations may press the conference to denounce Israel as racist. Furthermore, we also fear that the Islamic countries will persuade the UN to ban anti-Islamic language. The problem with these two “solutions” is that the first will de-legitimize Israel as a country, and the second will infringe on the concept of free speech.
We value free speech very highly in the United States. Admittedly, it’s a thorny issue since it means we have to listen to the views of those with whom we disagree, such as the Ku Klux Klan and neo-Nazis. Then again, they have to listen to our anti-racist views, so we feel that this balances out everything. It doesn’t necessarily get problems solved, but at least everyone can be heard.
The second point of irony with this conference is its timing. I guess the UN thought it would be making a major statement on the issue of racism by scheduling the start of the meeting on the 120th anniversary of the birth of the greatest racist of all time. Yes, boys and girls, today is Adolf Hitler’s birthday!
This day has become down through the years a day of celebration for racists all over the globe. Even more ironic is the fact that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is speaking at the conference today. Okay, what joker scheduled this speech for opening day of the conference and Hitler’s birthday to boot?
I’ll be very surprised if Ahmadinejad doesn’t take advantage of the occasion by giving a shoutout to the Nazi leader. Note to Ahmadinejad: the purpose of the conference is to highlight racism and ways to combat. You’re missing the point of the meeting if you use it to encourage racism.
Oh well, in the spirit of free speech, we must listen to his voice too. So his views will be duly noted and everyone will nod or nod off while he speaks. Then most of the leaders of the world will return home to their countries and it will be business as usual. Well, everyone will return home except for the United States, because we didn’t bother leaving home in the first place.
The first point of irony is that the United States, probably the most influential country in the world today, is boycotting the meeting. In other words, we’re not going to be there. Our reasons for staying away are legitimate; it’s not like we missed a connection at Heathrow or anything like that. No, in fact we never bothered getting on the plane in the first place. It is a shame the US won’t participate in this conference, since racism has dogged our country throughout its history. In other words, we would have a lot to contribute to the meeting.
Our concern about the conference is that several nations may press the conference to denounce Israel as racist. Furthermore, we also fear that the Islamic countries will persuade the UN to ban anti-Islamic language. The problem with these two “solutions” is that the first will de-legitimize Israel as a country, and the second will infringe on the concept of free speech.
We value free speech very highly in the United States. Admittedly, it’s a thorny issue since it means we have to listen to the views of those with whom we disagree, such as the Ku Klux Klan and neo-Nazis. Then again, they have to listen to our anti-racist views, so we feel that this balances out everything. It doesn’t necessarily get problems solved, but at least everyone can be heard.
The second point of irony with this conference is its timing. I guess the UN thought it would be making a major statement on the issue of racism by scheduling the start of the meeting on the 120th anniversary of the birth of the greatest racist of all time. Yes, boys and girls, today is Adolf Hitler’s birthday!
This day has become down through the years a day of celebration for racists all over the globe. Even more ironic is the fact that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is speaking at the conference today. Okay, what joker scheduled this speech for opening day of the conference and Hitler’s birthday to boot?
I’ll be very surprised if Ahmadinejad doesn’t take advantage of the occasion by giving a shoutout to the Nazi leader. Note to Ahmadinejad: the purpose of the conference is to highlight racism and ways to combat. You’re missing the point of the meeting if you use it to encourage racism.
Oh well, in the spirit of free speech, we must listen to his voice too. So his views will be duly noted and everyone will nod or nod off while he speaks. Then most of the leaders of the world will return home to their countries and it will be business as usual. Well, everyone will return home except for the United States, because we didn’t bother leaving home in the first place.
posted by todd gunther | 6:33 AM
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