Anger is a logical reaction to the UN vote on gay rights, but surprise is not.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

Many of the sub-bodies of the UN do some good - the WHO, for example - but the institution itself is rotten to the core.

The one idea John McCain had in 2008 which I thought was good was for a "league of democracies" to form a middle way between the UN and unilateralism.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

1. The problem with McCain's idea is, who says what is a democracy?

For example, some nutcases think the UK isn't a democracy because it prohibits guns.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

3. It would need to be a self-selecting body.

Anyone who wants to set up a club can set up a club, and each club gets to choose who to invite. Hopefully, a club of "approximately democratic nations with at least some respect for human rights" would have enough economic, political and military muscle to bully at least small nations into improving their human rights records.

Western attempts to improve human rights tend to focus on Middle East and parts of the Far east, but I don't think there's very much the West can do to improve matters in either of those. Africa, however, is in a much worse state and I suspect significantly easier to improve by outside intervention, because most suffering in Africa is caused either by people out for themselves or by forces of nature, rather than by people who believe they are doing the right thing.

[bluestateguy]

2. I am all for having a UN and us participating in it

But I have lost my patience with people on the Left who delusionally think that the UN is this benevolent, loving, humanitarian organization that can do no wrong. These same people will say that all American foreign policy should first be cleared through the UN for approval beforehand.

This gay-bashing vote should be a lesson to these people.

[donco6]

4. Who is saying that?

Just curious.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

5. People rich in plant fiber. -nt

[Ozymanithrax]

6. The same people that bash gays at the UN are the ones who condemn Israel...

repeatedly. It seems intolerance is an equal opportunity character flaw.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

8. There's some overlap, but also some differences.

Noteably, most of the Islamic world comes into both categories, but my impression is that Africa is more represented in the former than the latter, and Europe the reverse.

[jancantor]

7. The fact that Bolton and many on the right

are such vociferous critics on the UN and the fact that the UN is NOT centric to the US (obviously) I think makes many reflexively side with and overly respect the UN. That's of course... ridiculous. The UN is a collection of nations. Many, if not a majority of these nations take asshattery to a new level. A league of nations is only as good as the collective member nations. The UN is ineffective, also.