Italy has pulled out of next month's UN conference on Racism and

[cali]

other related discrimination.

I have mixed feelings about this. To date, the U.S, Israel, Canada and now Italy have pulled out of the conference. It's very likely that the Netherlands, GB and other EU countries will also pull out. And it is not only about Israel and anti-semitism, but about the stonewalling of issues regarding women and discrimination in other countries, as well as the push to equate criticism of religion with human rights abuse. Of course Israel should be condemned for its discrimination against and oppression of Palestinians, but other vital areas of discrimination should also be addressed by the world community, and no way should criticism of religion be equated to human rights abuse. Durban I was a fucking mess and accomplished nothing good. Durban 2 looks to be shaping up to be another missed opportunity.


Italy pulls out of UN racism conference
By ARIEL DAVID – 14 hours ago

ROME (AP) — Italy said Thursday it is pulling out of a U.N. conference on racism — the latest blow to a meeting seen by many Western governments as marred by Muslim attempts to attack Israel and shield Islam from criticism.

Foreign Minister Franco Frattini also decided to postpone a planned trip to Iran in protest over remarks against Israel and the U.S. administration by Tehran's leadership, the ministry said in a statement.

Speaking on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Brussels, Frattini said Italy has withdrawn its delegation from the preparatory negotiations ahead of the so-called Durban II conference due to "aggressive and anti-Semitic statements" in the draft of the event's final document.

Frattini's comments on the conference were reported by Italian news agencies and confirmed by foreign ministry spokesman Maurizio Massari, who said Rome would not participate in the conference unless the document was changed.
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http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gJ-jO8GITRBOpeVyJThpU1Ys7NGAD96O3MOO2

[MADem]

1. It sounds like a clusterfuck, shitstorm, soap box effort anyway. I don't blame Italy.

Or Canada. Or the US, or anyone who backs away from this mess. You can call it a Conference, but it sounds more like an exercise in scolding. Fuck that! Just the suggestion that I can't say Scientologists are a bunch of Whackjob Idiots without being accused of violating their human rights is flat-out absurd, because they ARE a bunch of Whackjob Idiots. Emperor Has New Clothes, much? This is a waste of time. They need to rework the agenda and goals completely. Bravo, Italia!

"There are expressions of anti-Semitism," Massari said by telephone. "Until the document is modified we will not have a part in it."

The United States has imposed similar conditions. Israel and Canada have already announced a boycott....

Islamic countries, still angry over cartoons and films attacking Muslims, have been campaigning for wording that would equate criticism of a religious faith with a violation of human rights.

The informal negotiations have proven difficult, with many issues that marked the first U.N. conference on racism in 2001 re-emerging — such as criticism of Israel.

The April 20-25 meeting in Geneva is designed to review progress in fighting racism since the previous summit in South Africa. That meeting was marred by attacks on Israel and anti-Israel demonstrations at a parallel conference of non-governmental organizations.

[cali]

2. It's a shame though that the world can't get it together to hold a meaningful

conference on these vital issues. But yeah, I don't blame Italy for withdrawing either. And it won't stop with Canada, the U.S., Israel and Italy. This looks to be a major schism between cultures.

[MADem]

3. Realistically, you know full well that the culture calling for the

"human rights" insertion would claim that the mullahs who wave that "infidel" word around every Friday in the masjid were just excercising their right of free speech, or they weren't talking 'specifically' about Christians or Jews. They want it their way, one way, or no way. It's a bullshit insistence, and it's designed to stifle discussion, not encourage it. The facts are that Islam has been standing at a crossroads for the last fifty or so years, and they need to get off the dime and head down one lane or another. If they're smart, they'll take the lane that heads towards the 21st Century, rather than the one going back to the 14th!

Basically, they've managed to wipe their asses on this UN effort by being obstreperous jerks.

[cali]

4. I actually think that's about right except

that Islam is not just one monolithic entity. I do believe that equating criticism of religion with human rights abuses is a very dangerous thing and should NEVER happen.

[MADem]

5. Of course it's not a borg! It's a lot like Christianity in that regard.

There's no one "Christian" boss of all the Christians, either. There are sects, groupings, each with their own little "boss" who lays down the law for their own little group. Same with the Jews--you wouldn't think you were talking to people of the same faith if you compare the reform to the Hasidic.