[Peace-discussion] [usgp-media] Human rights in Iran (Re: Re: Accounts of state-sanctioned anti-gay

Wed, 06 Jun 2007 19:51:05 -0400

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--- In MIGreensSCC@yahoogroups.com, "Art Myatt" <almyatt@...> wrote:

 > We could oppose Bush and company by taking a position that it is
 > unrealistic to expect human rights or democratic reforms in Russia,
 > Iran, and so on. Or we could oppose them by doing our best to point
 > out that, while the abuses of human rights they mention are real,

Are they real? As real as the WMDs in Iraq in 2003?

The widely circulated story about Iranian authorities hanging two gay 
teenagers in 2005 because they were gay was quickly debunked but never 
put to rest and it is still circulated and promoted by both well- and 
ill-meaning people. Haven't we learned anything from Somalia, Kosovo, 
Iraq, etc. about how the US government and mainstream media fabricate 
and hype selective cases of human rights abuse allegations to set the 
stage for war? Remember the false incubator story in Kuwait? Even where 
the abuses have some basis in reality the GPUS should not join in 
feeding frenzies that build to war.

When it comes to human rights abuses in other countries, I think US 
Greens should focus on those abuses in which the US government is 
complicit, e.g. Iraq in the 1980s when Rummy met with Saddam Hussein and 
the US helped the Iraqis wage war against Iran and develop chemical 
weapons. Then, there's Israel in the present and, also, the U.S. policy 
of "extraordinary rendition" of "terrorist suspects" to other countries 
that are known to use torture.

Most recently, the US shipped "plane loads of ammunition to Beirut" to 
be used in attacks by the Lebanese national army against a refugee camp. 
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society, which is accredited by the ICRC, 
reports at least 25 civilians have been killed by the Lebanese army 
since the siege began two weeks ago. As even Human Rights Watch 
observed, "Under principles of international humanitarian law, warring 
parties are prohibited from using means and methods of attack that 
cannot discriminate between civilians and combatants, including 
indiscriminate shelling." Has the GPUS issued a press release about this 
US taxpayer funded human rights violation?

If we get involved at all in preaching against human rights abuses in 
other countries where the US is not clearly complicit then we should be 
slow and very wary of taking a stance that could reasonably help bolster 
the case for war, sanctions, etc. against an "official enemy" country. 
The GPUS should always and only take its lead from grass roots--meaning, 
they are local and have a broad popular base of support--NGOs and 
parties IN the countries concerned and not from the Western media and/or 
Western-based human rights groups; anything else smacks of imperial hubris.

Michelle
GPAX
HV Greens

Sources on Lebanon:
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N25482804.htm
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/05/23/lebano15992.htm
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=38028

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--- In <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:MIGreensSCC@yahoogroups.com">MIGreensSCC@yahoogroups.com</a>, "Art Myatt" <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:almyatt@...">&lt;almyatt@...&gt;</a>
wrote:<br>
&nbsp;<br>
&gt; We could oppose Bush and company by taking a position that it is <br>
&gt; unrealistic to expect human rights or democratic reforms in
Russia, <br>
&gt; Iran, and so on. Or we could oppose them by doing our best to
point <br>
&gt; out that, while the abuses of human rights they mention are real, <br>
<br>
Are they real? As real as the WMDs in Iraq in 2003?<br>
<br>
The widely circulated story about Iranian authorities hanging two gay
teenagers in 2005 because they were gay was quickly debunked but never
put to rest and it is still circulated and promoted by both well- and
ill-meaning people. Haven't we learned anything from Somalia, Kosovo,
Iraq, etc. about how
the US government and mainstream media fabricate and hype selective
cases of human rights abuse allegations to set the stage for war?
Remember the false incubator story in Kuwait? Even where the abuses
have some basis in reality the GPUS should not join in feeding frenzies
that build to
war.<br>
<br>
When it comes to human rights abuses in other countries, I think US
Greens should focus on those abuses in which the US government is
complicit, e.g. Iraq in the 1980s when Rummy met with Saddam Hussein
and the US helped the Iraqis wage war against Iran and develop chemical
weapons. Then, there's Israel in the present and, also, the U.S. policy
of "extraordinary rendition" of "terrorist suspects" to other countries
that are known to use torture.<br>
<br>
Most recently, the US shipped "plane loads of ammunition to Beirut" to
be used in attacks by the Lebanese national army against a refugee camp.<font
 class="text14"><font class="content">
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society, which is accredited by the ICRC,
reports at least 25 civilians have been
killed by the Lebanese army since the siege began two
weeks ago. As even Human Rights Watch observed, "</font></font>Under
principles of international humanitarian law, warring parties are
prohibited from using means and methods of attack that cannot
discriminate between civilians and combatants, including indiscriminate
shelling." <font class="text14"><font class="content">Has the GPUS
issued a press release about this US taxpayer funded human rights
violation?</font></font> <br>
<br>
If we get involved at all in preaching against human rights abuses in
other countries where the US is not clearly complicit then we should be
slow and very wary of taking a stance that could reasonably help
bolster the case for war, sanctions, etc. against an "official enemy"
country. The GPUS should always and only take its lead from grass
roots--meaning, they are local and
have a broad popular base of support--NGOs and parties IN the countries
concerned and not from the Western media and/or Western-based human
rights groups; anything else smacks of imperial hubris.<br>
<br>
Michelle<br>
GPAX<br>
HV Greens<br>
<br>
Sources on Lebanon:<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N25482804.htm">http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N25482804.htm</a><br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/05/23/lebano15992.htm">http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/05/23/lebano15992.htm</a><br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=38028">http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=38028</a><br>
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