[Peace-discussion] Re: [usgp-dx] Human rights in Iran, from the outspoken GPUS paid spokeperson
henry duke
henryduke2004@yahoo.com
Sat, 9 Jun 2007 19:28:34 -0700
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Scott and the national GPUS spokes:
Isnt it better to act locally think globally? To take responsibility for
what our government is doing and what we need to change?
Is it helpful to compare people who are cautious about echoing US state
department campaigns of disinformation to wide eyed stalin polyannas?
I see no praise on Michelle's part of the rightist government of Iran, and
yet I wonder why I have not seen a response to my proposal that the GPUS and
GPCA respond to the US release of a fugitive terrorist who was on trial for
blowing up 73 civilians on a commercial jet airliner.
Why the echo of the US state department Scott?
Why no comment on USDOJ / ICE /Homeland Security's setting free / giving
safe harbor to a violent terrorist?
For yourself you can focus on any action, including US state department/FOX
news talking points.
However, if you are paid to be professionally speaking for the GPUS media
committee, I suggest polling more people about drumming up reasons for war
with Iran, Venezuela, or Cuba, and refer you to addressing our governments
role in these wars, these human rights violation contexts, and how we can
advance womyn's rights in Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Venezuela by stopping our
governments covert/overt war against those countries, by not having troops
or sending weapons there, and by funding human, health, and education needs
both here and abroad.
While I do not support al queda, or foreign governments, I am troubled by
the perseverance of mainstream media and even our gpus media on promoting
pro-violence, and pro-war lines of the US State Department.
While the republicans or democrats may lead the anti-war movement vis a vis
Iraq, how about a more courageous and leadership press release calling for
the US troops to exit Afghanistan?
For corrective action,
Henry Duke
California GPUS Delegate
PS: Please refrain from insinuating Michelle or I are on what you call the
so-called "left." If you are fine, but I do not find such labels helpful or
specific.
Date: Thu, 7 Jun 2007 17:06:55 -0700 (PDT)
From: Scott McLarty <scottmclarty@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [usgp-dx] Human rights in Iran
To: lazyangels@sbcglobal.net, natlcomaffairs@green.gpus.org,
MIGreensSCC@yahoogroups.com, GPAX Discussion List
<peace-discussion@lists.gp-us.org>
Message-ID: <920638.94651.qm@web51104.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
Dear Michelle
(1) The fact that the case of the two hanged
teenagers was a misreport that can be traced to
US propaganda doesn't invalidate the numerous
other reports of human rights abuses, especially
against gay people, in Iran. Are you suggesting
that, because that case was a fabrication, then
all the other reports (including personal
accounts from gay Iranians, such as the one I
described) are also untrue?
(2) Why do you assume that, because I'm willing
to condemn systematic Iranian abuses of human
rights, that I'm willing to ignore such abuses in
the US? I was active in ACT UP and Queer Nation
in Cincinnati and then DC, and I helped document
cases of discrimination & violence against gay
people, in defense of human rights ordinances
that covered sexual orientation. It's not
necessary to write a manifesto describing and
denouncing abuses in the US every time I forward
an article on abuses in Iran or Russia or
anywhere else.
The insinuation that anyone who's concerned about
antigay abuses in Iran & Russia therefore excuses
such abuses in the US is dishonest. It's like
saying that, if I forward a story about China's
disregard for the threat of global warming, it
means I endorse Bush's inaction & lies on climate
change.
(3) The issue here isn't whether the US
government has spread misinformation about the
USSR or modern Russia or Iran. We already know
that that's the case, from the early 20th century
up until now.
The issue here is whether some people on the left
are willing to overlook politically inconvenient
facts, as US leftists did in regard to Stalin up
until 1957. (George Orwell wrote some excellent
essays on this topic.) We're making the same
mistake if we choose to ignore or deny systematic
human rights abuses in Iran, Russia, etc. because
we think the facts might interfere with our
opposition to imperial US policies.
For a party that's dedicated to global human
rights, it is certainly not "an abuse of human
rights discourse" to recognize violations in the
throughout the world as well as in the US. On
the contrary, it's our obligation.
Scott
--- lazyangels@sbcglobal.net wrote:
> > From: Scott McLarty <scottmclarty@yahoo.com>
> Date: June 7, 2007
> > 11:31:59 AM GMT-04:00 To: USGP Discussion
> > <natlcomaffairs@green.gpus.org> Subject: Re:
> [usgp-dx] Human rights
> > in Iran (Re: Re: Accounts of
> state-sanctioned anti-gay
> >
> > > Are they real? As real as the WMDs in Iraq
> in 2003?
> >
> > My own knowledge of antigay persecution in
> Iran doesn't just come
> > from reading articles & web sites written by
> journalists like Doug
> > Ireland (who's hardly a patsy for US
> official propaganda).
>
> The fact, Scott, is that human rights abuses
> are commonly fabricated or
> distorted in the service of empire. I take your
> conspicuous silence on
> the case of the two Iranian teens executed in
> 2005, which I mentioned,
> as tacit acknowledgment of that. Interested
> folks can read Richard Kim's
> expose of this affair in "Witnesses to an
> Execution"
> <http://www.thenation.com/doc/20050815/kim/3>
> in The Nation. Suffice it
> to say, Doug Ireland was, by no means, the only
> person to stoke or join
> in this particular feeding frenzy.
>
> > A few years ago I helped an openly gay
> Iranian friend of mine find
> > some legal assistance when he was informed
> that his stay in the US
> > was over and he would have to return to Iran
> in a few months.
> >
> > He was quite realistic, nearly to the point
> of hysteria, about the
> > fate that awaited him on his arrival. He
> knew of gay men in Iran who
> > had suffered rejection from their families,
> police beatings, and
> > jail. (He managed to get some kind of
> asylum in the US and now lives
> > in Chicago.) His story was consistent with
> accounts I've heard and
> > read by other gay Iranians.
>
> " ... rejection from their families, police
> beatings, and jail," Scott?
> All unheard of in the ol' enlightened US of A,
> eh? Certainly, such
> treatment is comparatively rare for American
> LGBT people from the same,
> undoubtedly, elevated social stratum as your
> Iranian friend but,
> speaking as one who was an activist and board
> member at a local LGBT
> community center for several years, I can tell
> you that the experience
> of many poor and working-class LGBT people in
> the US is not so different
> from what your friend feared upon his return to
> Iran. Just today, The
> Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reported on
> allegation that police
> arrested the victims of a gay-bashing incident
> and let the perps go
> free. Also, prison rape is common and
> unofficially sanctioned in the US.
> As the ACLU noted in the case of Roderick
> Johnson
>
<http://www.aclu.org/prison/conditions/19959prs20050916.html>,
> "Gay
> prisoners ... are highly vulnerable to rape and
> exploitation perpetrated
> by prison gangs." True, fours years ago, the US
> Supreme Court, by a 6-3
> decision, did finally invalidate "homosexual
> sodomy" laws, which
> obviously places the US light-years ahead of
> Iran (sarcasm intended).
>
> > Before Stalin died, a lot of people on the
> left in the US preferred
> > to discount reports of his atrocities as
> Western propaganda, until
> > the USSR itself revealed the extent of
> Stalin's crimes in 1957. The
> > revelations caused a crisis in US socialist
> circles and leftist
> > parties lost a lot of membership.
>
> You have selected an interesting case, Scott.
> The American cover up of
> Soviet crimes under Stalin was most pronounced
> and effective when the
> USSR was an American ally, especially before
> and after the German-Soviet
> Non-aggression Pact of 1939, which lasted less
> than two years. Thus,
> for example, when it was revealed that in 1940
> the Soviets had massacred
> thousands of Poles in the Katyn Forest the
> Polish people were betrayed
> by Churchill and Roosevelt, the matter was
> covered up and blame was
> shifted onto the official enemy--Nazi Germany.
> So, your example actually
> highlights the selective and dishonest
> manipulation of atrocities and
> human rights abuses by the American government.
>
> > Regardless of what kind of response Greens
> should have towards the
> > systematic abuse of human rights in places
> like Iran and Russia, we
> > should not be so dishonest as to sweep it
> under a rug.
>
> You are flailing at straw men, Scott. No one in
> the GPUS has even
> remotely suggested that "the systematic abuse
> of human rights in places
> like Iran and Russia" should be swept under a
> rug. What has been
> suggested is that the GPUS should not be a
> participant in the systematic
> abuse of human rights discourse.
>
> Michelle J. Kinnucan
> GPMI, GPAX
>
>
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<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">Scott and the national GPUS =
spokes:</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">Isnt it better to act locally think =
globally? To take responsibility for what our government is doing and =
what we need to change?</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">Is it helpful to compare people who =
are cautious about echoing US state department campaigns of =
disinformation to wide eyed stalin polyannas?</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">I see no praise on Michelle's part =
of the rightist government of Iran, and yet I wonder why I have not seen =
a response to my proposal that the GPUS and GPCA respond to the US =
release of a fugitive terrorist who was on trial for blowing up 73 =
civilians on a commercial jet airliner.</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">Why the echo of the US state =
department Scott?</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">Why no comment on USDOJ / ICE =
/Homeland Security's setting free / giving safe harbor to a violent =
terrorist?</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">For yourself you can focus on any =
action, including US state department/FOX news talking =
points.</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">However, if you are paid to be =
professionally speaking for the GPUS media committee, I suggest polling =
more people about drumming up reasons for war with Iran, Venezuela, or =
Cuba, and refer you to addressing<B><I><U> our</U></I></B> governments =
role in these wars, these human rights violation contexts, and how we =
can advance womyn's rights in Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Venezuela by =
stopping<B><I><U> our</U></I></B> governments covert/overt war against =
those countries, by not having troops or sending weapons there, and by =
funding human, health, and education needs both here and =
abroad.</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">While I do not support al queda, or =
foreign governments, I am troubled by the perseverance of mainstream =
media and even our gpus media on promoting pro-violence, and pro-war =
lines of the US State Department.</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">While the republicans or democrats =
may lead the anti-war movement vis a vis Iraq, how about a more =
courageous and leadership press release calling for the US troops to =
exit Afghanistan?</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">For corrective action,</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">Henry Duke</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">California GPUS Delegate</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">PS: Please refrain from insinuating =
Michelle or I are on what you call the so-called “left.” If =
you are fine, but I do not find such labels helpful or =
specific.</SPAN></P>
<BR>
<BR>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">Date: Thu, 7 Jun 2007 17:06:55 =
-0700 (PDT)</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">From: Scott McLarty =
<scottmclarty@yahoo.com></SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">Subject: Re: [usgp-dx] Human rights =
in Iran</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">To: lazyangels@sbcglobal.net, =
natlcomaffairs@green.gpus.org,</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN =
LANG=3D"en-us"> =
MIGreensSCC@yahoogroups.com, GPAX Discussion =
List</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN =
LANG=3D"en-us"> =
<peace-discussion@lists.gp-us.org></SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">Message-ID: =
<920638.94651.qm@web51104.mail.re2.yahoo.com></SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">Content-Type: text/plain; =
charset=3Diso-8859-1</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">Dear Michelle</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">(1) The fact that the case of the =
two hanged</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">teenagers was a misreport that can =
be traced to</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">US propaganda doesn't invalidate =
the numerous</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">other reports of human rights =
abuses, especially</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">against gay people, in Iran. =
Are you suggesting</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">that, because that case was a =
fabrication, then</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">all the other reports (including =
personal</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">accounts from gay Iranians, such as =
the one I</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">described) are also =
untrue?</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">(2) Why do you assume that, because =
I'm willing</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">to condemn systematic Iranian =
abuses of human</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">rights, that I'm willing to ignore =
such abuses in</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">the US? I was active in ACT =
UP and Queer Nation</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">in Cincinnati and then DC, and I =
helped document</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">cases of discrimination & =
violence against gay</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">people, in defense of human rights =
ordinances</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">that covered sexual =
orientation. It's not</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">necessary to write a manifesto =
describing and</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">denouncing abuses in the US every =
time I forward</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">an article on abuses in Iran or =
Russia or</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">anywhere else.</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">The insinuation that anyone who's =
concerned about</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">antigay abuses in Iran & Russia =
therefore excuses</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">such abuses in the US is =
dishonest. It's like</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">saying that, if I forward a story =
about China's</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">disregard for the threat of global =
warming, it</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">means I endorse Bush's inaction =
& lies on climate</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">change.</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">(3) The issue here isn't whether =
the US</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">government has spread =
misinformation about the</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">USSR or modern Russia or =
Iran. We already know</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">that that's the case, from the =
early 20th century</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">up until now.</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">The issue here is whether some =
people on the left</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">are willing to overlook politically =
inconvenient</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">facts, as US leftists did in regard =
to Stalin up</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">until 1957. (George Orwell =
wrote some excellent</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">essays on this topic.) We're =
making the same</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">mistake if we choose to ignore or =
deny systematic</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">human rights abuses in Iran, =
Russia, etc. because</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">we think the facts might interfere =
with our</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">opposition to imperial US =
policies.</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">For a party that's dedicated to =
global human</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">rights, it is certainly not =
"an abuse of human</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">rights discourse" to recognize =
violations in the</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">throughout the world as well as in =
the US. On</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">the contrary, it's our =
obligation.</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">Scott</SPAN></P>
<BR>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">--- lazyangels@sbcglobal.net =
wrote:</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> > From: Scott McLarty =
<scottmclarty@yahoo.com></SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> Date: June 7, 2007</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> > 11:31:59 AM =
GMT-04:00 To: USGP Discussion</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> > =
<natlcomaffairs@green.gpus.org> Subject: Re:</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> [usgp-dx] Human =
rights</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> > in Iran (Re: Re: =
Accounts of</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> state-sanctioned =
anti-gay</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> ></SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> > > Are they real? As =
real as the WMDs in Iraq</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> in 2003?</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> ></SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> > My own knowledge of =
antigay persecution in</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> Iran doesn't just =
come</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> > from reading =
articles & web sites written by</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> journalists like =
Doug</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> > Ireland (who's =
hardly a patsy for US</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> official =
propaganda).</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> </SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> The fact, Scott, is that human =
rights abuses</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> are commonly fabricated or =
</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> distorted in the service of =
empire. I take your</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> conspicuous silence on =
</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> the case of the two Iranian =
teens executed in</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> 2005, which I mentioned, =
</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> as tacit acknowledgment of =
that. Interested</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> folks can read Richard Kim's =
</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> expose of this affair in =
"Witnesses to an</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> Execution" </SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> <<A =
HREF=3D"http://www.thenation.com/doc/20050815/kim/3">http://www.thenation=
.com/doc/20050815/kim/3</A>></SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> in The Nation. Suffice it =
</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> to say, Doug Ireland was, by =
no means, the only</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> person to stoke or join =
</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> in this particular feeding =
frenzy.</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> </SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> > A few years ago I =
helped an openly gay</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> Iranian friend of mine =
find</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> > some legal =
assistance when he was informed</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> that his stay in the =
US</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> > was over and he =
would have to return to Iran</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> in a few months.</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> ></SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> > He was quite =
realistic, nearly to the point</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> of hysteria, about =
the</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> > fate that awaited =
him on his arrival. He</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> knew of gay men in Iran =
who</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> > had suffered =
rejection from their families,</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> police beatings, =
and</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> > jail. (He =
managed to get some kind of</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> asylum in the US and now =
lives</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> > in Chicago.) His =
story was consistent with</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> accounts I've heard =
and</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> > read by other gay =
Iranians.</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> </SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> " ... rejection from =
their families, police</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> beatings, and jail," =
Scott? </SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> All unheard of in the ol' =
enlightened US of A,</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> eh? Certainly, such =
</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> treatment is comparatively =
rare for American</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> LGBT people from the same, =
</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> undoubtedly, elevated social =
stratum as your</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> Iranian friend but, =
</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> speaking as one who was an =
activist and board</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> member at a local LGBT =
</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> community center for several =
years, I can tell</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> you that the experience =
</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> of many poor and working-class =
LGBT people in</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> the US is not so different =
</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> from what your friend feared =
upon his return to</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> Iran. Just today, The =
</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> Rochester Democrat and =
Chronicle reported on</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> allegation that police =
</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> arrested the victims of a =
gay-bashing incident</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> and let the perps go =
</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> free. Also, prison rape is =
common and</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> unofficially sanctioned in the =
US. </SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> As the ACLU noted in the case =
of Roderick</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> Johnson </SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">></SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"><<A =
HREF=3D"http://www.aclu.org/prison/conditions/19959prs20050916.html">http=
://www.aclu.org/prison/conditions/19959prs20050916.html</A>>,</SPAN></=
P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> "Gay </SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> prisoners ... are highly =
vulnerable to rape and</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> exploitation perpetrated =
</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> by prison gangs." True, =
fours years ago, the US</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> Supreme Court, by a 6-3 =
</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> decision, did finally =
invalidate "homosexual</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> sodomy" laws, which =
</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> obviously places the US =
light-years ahead of</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> Iran (sarcasm =
intended).</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> </SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> > Before Stalin died, =
a lot of people on the</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> left in the US =
preferred</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> > to discount reports =
of his atrocities as</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> Western propaganda, =
until</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> > the USSR itself =
revealed the extent of</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> Stalin's crimes in 1957. =
The</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> > revelations caused =
a crisis in US socialist</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> circles and leftist</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> > parties lost a lot =
of membership.</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> </SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> You have selected an =
interesting case, Scott.</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> The American cover up of =
</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> Soviet crimes under Stalin was =
most pronounced</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> and effective when the =
</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> USSR was an American ally, =
especially before</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> and after the German-Soviet =
</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> Non-aggression Pact of 1939, =
which lasted less</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> than two years. Thus, =
</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> for example, when it was =
revealed that in 1940</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> the Soviets had massacred =
</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> thousands of Poles in the =
Katyn Forest the</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> Polish people were betrayed =
</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> by Churchill and Roosevelt, =
the matter was</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> covered up and blame was =
</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> shifted onto the official =
enemy--Nazi Germany.</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> So, your example actually =
</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> highlights the selective and =
dishonest</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> manipulation of atrocities and =
</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> human rights abuses by the =
American government.</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> </SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> > Regardless of what =
kind of response Greens</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> should have towards =
the</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> > systematic abuse of =
human rights in places</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> like Iran and Russia, =
we</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> > should not be so =
dishonest as to sweep it</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> under a rug.</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> </SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> You are flailing at straw men, =
Scott. No one in</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> the GPUS has even </SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> remotely suggested that =
"the systematic abuse</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> of human rights in places =
</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> like Iran and Russia" =
should be swept under a</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> rug. What has been </SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> suggested is that the GPUS =
should not be a</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> participant in the systematic =
</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> abuse of human rights =
discourse.</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> </SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> Michelle J. =
Kinnucan</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> GPMI, GPAX</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> </SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">> </SPAN></P>
<BR>
<BR>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"> =
_________________________________________________________________________=
__________</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">You snooze, you lose. Get messages =
ASAP with AutoCheck</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">in the all-new Yahoo! Mail =
Beta.</SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us"><A =
HREF=3D"http://advision.webevents.yahoo.com/mailbeta/newmail_html.html">h=
ttp://advision.webevents.yahoo.com/mailbeta/newmail_html.html</A></SPAN><=
/P>
<BR>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN =
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<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><SPAN LANG=3D"en-us">End of Natlcomaffairs Digest, Vol =
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