U.S. criticised for police brutality, racism at U.N. rights review

[webfact]

U.S. criticised for police brutality, racism at U.N. rights review

By Stephanie Nebehay

 

FILE PHOTO: A person holds a "Black Lives Matter" sign as a heavy cloud of tear gas and smoke rises after being deployed by Seattle police as protesters rally against police brutality and the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Seattle, Washington, U.S. June 1, 2020. REUTERS/Lindsey Wasson//File Photo

 

GENEVA (Reuters) - Major powers, including allies, criticised the United States for its human rights record on Monday during a U.N. review, citing the use of the death penalty, police violence against African Americans and the separation of migrant children from their families.

 

Activists also said that the Human Rights Council's examination of the United States, the first since May 2015, amounted to an indictment of the Trump administration's policies and called for President-elect Joe Biden to usher in reforms.

 

Dozens of delegations took the floor at the half-day session to voice concerns and make recommendations.

 

"What we saw today was unsurprising condemnation by many countries around the world of the United States' human rights record," Jamil Dakwar, director of the human rights program at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), told a news briefing.

 

"We've heard country after country...calling and urging the United States to take serious measures to address structural racism and police violence," he said.

 

The Trump administration, which quit the Geneva forum in June 2018 accusing it of an anti-Israel bias, defended U.S. policies.

 

"Our presence in this process demonstrates our nation’s commitment to human rights," Robert Destro, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, told the talks.

 

The case of George Floyd, an African American who died in May after a police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes, ignited massive protests across the United States and the world, putting the country's human rights record in the global spotlight once again.

 

Alexander Maugeri, U.S. deputy assistant attorney general, said that authorities in Minnesota had filed second-degree murder and manslaughter charges in Floyd's death.

 

"A number of member states raised concerns about discrimination and excessive force in policing. Where there is misconduct by police officers or law enforcement agencies, state and federal law provide remedies," Maugeri said.

 

China and Russia called on the United States to root out racism and police violence, while Cuba and Venezuela said it must provide equal access to health care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

France called on U.S. authorities to halt executions at the federal level, close Guantanamo Bay detention facility, and "guarantee women and girls access to their rights and sexual and reproductive health." Britain called for "ensuring access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services."

 

Joshua Cooper of the US Human Rights Network, a national network of campaigners, said that more than a dozen countries voiced concern at the U.S. position on family planning.

 

"The United States made clear that they don't see abortion as a human right," said Denice Labertew of the Women LEAD network.

(Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Aurora Ellis)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-11-10

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[khwaibah]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

President-elect Joe Biden to usher in reforms.

He is not President Elect until courts such as SCOTUS rule on this and on December 14 for the Electoral College to meet for the Fat Lady to Sing for 270 votes.

[Scott]

1 hour ago, khwaibah said:

He is not President Elect until courts such as SCOTUS rule on this and on December 14 for the Electoral College to meet for the Fat Lady to Sing for 270 votes.

He most certainly is President elect:

 

There is no indication when that person actually becomes president-elect. ... This is based on public election results, and his victory is yet to be officially confirmed by the General Services Administration or the deciding vote of the Electoral College.

 

[mr mr]

ok america is far from perfect sure but are there not MUCH larger issues on this planet that need criticized first ? 

 

the usa takes in more immigrants than any other country on the planet. totally racist. 

 

 

 

 

[Emdog]

"China and Russia called on the United States to root out racism and police violence.."

That's rich.

US is no paradise for sure. But we don't have concentration camps like China in cultural genocide attempts on Muslim minority and murder and attempted murder of political opponents like Russia. Frickin hypocrites

[OneMoreFarang]

5 hours ago, mr mr said:

ok america is far from perfect sure but are there not MUCH larger issues on this planet that need criticized first ? 

 

the usa takes in more immigrants than any other country on the planet. totally racist. 

One problem with many Americans is that they love to criticize almost anybody in the world about human rights, democracy, racism, and many more issues. And at the same time the USA has lots of internal problems.

Many people in this world think the USA should first sort out their own problems. If, and only if they are an example i.e. for human rights or democracy then they have a moral right to criticize others. But looking at the condition of the USA it will be a long time before they will earn that right - if ever.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

15 minutes ago, Emdog said:

US is no paradise for sure. But we don't have concentration camps like China in cultural genocide attempts on Muslim minority and murder and attempted murder of political opponents like Russia. Frickin hypocrites

 

Ya, but with the rise of right-wing extremism encouraged under Trump, the U.S. does seem to be heading in that direction. E.g....

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gretchen_Whitmer_kidnapping_plot

 

Quote

 

On October 8, 2020, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced the arrests of 13 suspects accused of plotting to kidnap Gretchen Whitmer, the Governor of Michigan, and otherwise violently overthrow the state government.^[1][2][3][4] The suspects were tied to a paramilitary militia group that called themselves the Wolverine Watchmen, which was founded by two of the suspects. Six of the suspects were charged in federal court, while the other seven were charged with state crimes.^[4] A week later, a fourteenth suspect was arrested and charged in state court.^[5]

 

 

[OneMoreFarang]

15 minutes ago, Emdog said:

"China and Russia called on the United States to root out racism and police violence.."

That's rich.

US is no paradise for sure. But we don't have concentration camps like China in cultural genocide attempts on Muslim minority and murder and attempted murder of political opponents like Russia. Frickin hypocrites

"You" have politicians who want to lock up their opponents and/or who spread unfounded lies which inspire their followers to criminal activities like trying to kidnap officials.

And you have GITMO, those cages for the children and and and.

[Emdog]

2 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

"You" have politicians who want to lock up their opponents and/or who spread unfounded lies which inspire their followers to criminal activities like trying to kidnap officials.

And you have GITMO, those cages for the children and and and.

Agreed. That's why I said it is no paradise. GITMO doesn't have a million inmates last time I looked... and the nut bags that tried to kidnap governor weren't working for the government... at least I hope not, but with Trump who knows? Hopefully that criminal gang in WH will soon be out, but I don't see that happening in Russia or China any time soon

[Emdog]

6 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Ya, but with the rise of right-wing extremism encouraged under Trump, the U.S. does seem to be heading in that direction. E.g....

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gretchen_Whitmer_kidnapping_plot

 

 

Note FBI arrested the perps. It was not the FBI who were planning on doing the kidnapping. Right wing terrorism has been said by FBI to be #1 threat. I expect Trump will soon fire head of FBI for speaking truth, like he just did today with sec of defense. Stalin, anyone?

[OneMoreFarang]

30 minutes ago, Emdog said:

Agreed. That's why I said it is no paradise. GITMO doesn't have a million inmates last time I looked... and the nut bags that tried to kidnap governor weren't working for the government... at least I hope not, but with Trump who knows? Hopefully that criminal gang in WH will soon be out, but I don't see that happening in Russia or China any time soon

Ok

 

So when other countries criticize the USA in the UN then maybe the US Ambassador should say something like: Thank you for bringing this up. Currently we do x, y and z to address these issues and rectify them. We will be transparent in our actions and we will publish what we do.

 

Now somehow I don't think I will hear any words like that anytime soon...

[onthedarkside]

False and inaccurate posts of the nature of U.S. political protests and those arrested and charged during them have been removed.

 

https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-race-and-ethnicity-suburbs-health-racial-injustice-7edf9027af1878283f3818d96c54f748

 

Quote

AP finds most arrested in protests aren’t leftist radicals

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump portrays the hundreds of people arrested nationwide in protests against racial injustice as violent urban left-wing radicals. But an Associated Press review of thousands of pages of court documents tells a different story.
 

Very few of those charged appear to be affiliated with highly organized extremist groups, and many are young suburban adults from the very neighborhoods Trump vows to protect from the violence in his reelection push to win support from the suburbs.

 

 

Also:

Quote

FBI Director Christopher Wray recently told a congressional panel that extremists driven by white supremacist or anti-government ideologies have been responsible for most deadly attacks in the U.S. over the past few years. He said that antifa is more of an ideology or a movement than an organization, though the FBI has terrorism investigations of “violent anarchist extremists, any number of whom self identify with the antifa movement.”

 

[Patts]

9 minutes ago, animalmagic said:

In a startling moment during his Michigan rally Tuesday, President Donald Trump implied that the militia that attempted to kidnap and kill Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) was maybe or maybe not all that big of a problem.

“People are entitled to say maybe it was a problem, maybe it wasn’t,” Trump told his rally.

https://www.rawstory.com/2020/10/trump-says-militia-that-sought-to-kidnap-and-michigans-gov-whitmer-was-maybe-a-problem-maybe-it-wasnt/

Trump responded, "Proud Boys – stand back and stand by. But I'll tell you what, somebody's got to do something about antifa and the left."

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/09/29/trump-debate-white-supremacists-stand-back-stand-by/3583339001/

At 2020's first (and perhaps only) presidential debate, President Trump's plea to his "people" to "go into the polls and watch very carefully" got the attention of voting advocates and militia members alike. 

https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trumps-call-militia-watch-polling-places-raises-fears-voter-intimidation-1539900

You have a very poor understanding of english if you think any of that language could be considered "encouraging of right-wing extremists". 

 

Where you mention Proud Boys, Trump also said when asked: "Are you willing tonight to condemn white supremacist and Militia groups and to say they need to stand down and not add to the violence?" Trump replied "Sure I'm willing to do that, almost everything I see is from the left wing, not from the right wing. I'm willing to do anything, I want to see peace". 

 

 

[Traubert]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

Joshua Cooper of the US Human Rights Network, a national network of campaigners, said that more than a dozen countries voiced concern at the U.S. position on family planning.

 

They can't all be wrong.

Edited November 10, 2020 by Traubert
Spelling

[oobar]

8 hours ago, khwaibah said:

He is not President Elect until courts such as SCOTUS rule on this and on December 14 for the Electoral College to meet for the Fat Lady to Sing for 270 votes.

Is this really a big deal to you?

[curlylekan]

 

11 hours ago, webfact said:

China and Russia called on the United States to root out racism and police violence

 

Something is not quite right when China and Russia are the ones being vocal here. Hey, China, what about your issue with anyone who is a minority - Uyghur's, Tibetans, HKers, Taiwanese, Mongolians, gay, transgender, religious, etc. You have very little room to walk on, so I can understand when you want to take the heat off yourself. The same idea with Russia. Both countries: criticize us and we will make you disappear, but hey, as long as the attention is pointed on democratic countries whom actually try to improve human rights through transparency, then we are happy and we will continue to lock up the majority of people who don't kowtow to authoritarian governments.

 

The UN is laughable now and functions like a preschool. I used to believe in the UN, but now, the UNs only power is helping authoritarian governments to push their agenda through. Such a weak organization.

[from the home of CC]

10 minutes ago, curlylekan said:

 

 

Something is not quite right when China and Russia are the ones being vocal here. Hey, China, what about your issue with anyone who is a minority - Uyghur's, Tibetans, HKers, Taiwanese, Mongolians, gay, transgender, religious, etc. You have very little room to walk on, so I can understand when you want to take the heat off yourself. The same idea with Russia. Both countries: criticize us and we will make you disappear, but hey, as long as the attention is pointed on democratic countries whom actually try to improve human rights through transparency, then we are happy and we will continue to lock up the majority of people who don't kowtow to authoritarian governments.

 

The UN is laughable now and functions like a preschool. I used to believe in the UN, but now, the UNs only power is helping authoritarian governments to push their agenda through. Such a weak organization.

I agree with the hypocrisy argument, though other countries failings don't let them off the hook..

[curlylekan]

Just now, from the home of CC said:

I agree with the hypocrisy argument, though other countries failings don't let them off the hook..

Definitely not off the hook, and I think any criticism from democratic, transparent governments is fair, but it is not just about hypocrisy, it is about the disproportionate numbers of human rights violations in the USA vs. those occuring in democratic countries v. the many millions of human rights violations in China and Russia. The disproportionate numbers are the main problem, not the hypocrisy.

[oobar]

2 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

One problem with many Americans is that they love to criticize almost anybody in the world about human rights, democracy, racism, and many more issues. And at the same time the USA has lots of internal problems.

Many people in this world think the USA should first sort out their own problems. If, and only if they are an example i.e. for human rights or democracy then they have a moral right to criticize others. But looking at the condition of the USA it will be a long time before they will earn that right - if ever.

But you have apparently been able to earn that right yourself, so we salute the exemplariness of your life.  Good for you.  We feel honored to have you among us.

[from the home of CC]

1 hour ago, curlylekan said:

Definitely not off the hook, and I think any criticism from democratic, transparent governments is fair, but it is not just about hypocrisy, it is about the disproportionate numbers of human rights violations in the USA vs. those occuring in democratic countries v. the many millions of human rights violations in China and Russia. The disproportionate numbers are the main problem, not the hypocrisy.

the disproportionate number fails to help the Americans who feel this is justifiable criticism - namely the victims of these violations on the streets of the US...

[stevenl]

3 hours ago, curlylekan said:

Definitely not off the hook, and I think any criticism from democratic, transparent governments is fair, but it is not just about hypocrisy, it is about the disproportionate numbers of human rights violations in the USA vs. those occuring in democratic countries v. the many millions of human rights violations in China and Russia. The disproportionate numbers are the main problem, not the hypocrisy.

Which is no excuse.

[KhunFred]

When Rodrigo Duterte criticizes US police for killing blacks, you KNOW you have a problem. ????

[JulesMad]

On 11/10/2020 at 8:09 AM, khwaibah said:

He is not President Elect until courts such as SCOTUS rule on this and on December 14 for the Electoral College to meet for the Fat Lady to Sing for 270 votes.

Maybe he is not President Elect before the Fat Lady sings, BUT he is a million times more human than the present idiot who plays dictator/president.
BTW, who is that famous american Fat Lady?!?

[JulesMad]

On 11/10/2020 at 9:23 AM, mr mr said:

the usa takes in more immigrants than any other country on the planet. totally racist.

Says who?!?!? Come with REAL facts, otherwise it is just more american FAKE-news!

[teacherclaire]

MAGA- Make Americans Genetically Anonymous. 

 

 On 11/10/2020 at 9:23 AM, mr mr said:

the usa takes in more immigrants than any other country on the planet. totally racist.

 

That was 200 years ago. 

Edited November 11, 2020 by teacherclaire

[Dumbastheycome]

Even while I am perfectly aware of the  fact that  many many  countries have human rights problems even as members of the  UN when the US has  for decades promoted itself as a bastion of everything  that is  great in supreme status  and example of   "democracy" while at the same time using  the  presumption  of that status as  universally accepted  to invade and declare war  by contrived  methodology or dishonesty whilst inflicting , enabling, or ignoring suppression of the rights of it's  own citizens I say  Fair Call !

Right by Might is a contradiction and  to  dictate it  is?.... Fascist.