Does put things in perspective a little bit.
But also makes you want to hang on to the rights we have and resist any and all reductions to them all that much more...
Posted by Tex at March 20, 2009 12:53 PMToo bad we have no moral authority in the human rights department or we could, you know, call them on their record, eh? Frankly, I'm more concerned about our prisons than Iran's right now.
But at least we're better in our treatment of women... what's that? A 12 year old honor student beaten in her own yard by police who assumed that because she was wearing shorts, she was a prostitute? And then later tried to arrest her for assaulting an officer because she resisted being dragged away? Didn't I just see a video of a teenaged girl being swung by her hair into a wall because she kicked her shoe into the hallway as ordered?
Sorry, we can't say boo to Iran about human rights. Abu Ghraib put that puppy to bed for good.
Posted by Twinky P* at March 20, 2009 01:30 PMIf you think we live under the same level of personal oppression as those in Iran, you're delusional.
Posted by Tex at March 20, 2009 02:15 PMwe do have credibility on human rights. our government doesn't.
Posted by Turkana at March 20, 2009 02:25 PMExactly, turk
Posted by Tex at March 20, 2009 02:44 PMwe do have credibility on human rights. our government doesn't.
You mean the same people who voted for Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County, AZ?
Posted by Seven of Six at March 20, 2009 02:55 PMwe do have credibility on human rights. our government doesn't.
Apples and oranges. Unless, of course, you will be negotiating with the Iranian government yourself. I had no idea you were so highly placed!
If you think we live under the same level of personal oppression as those in Iran, you're delusional.
I'm sorry, could you point out where I made that claim?
Posted by Twinky P* at March 20, 2009 03:05 PMwell, twinky-
obama seems to understand the difference between the iranian government and the iranian people. i think we should be held to the same standard.
Posted by Turkana at March 20, 2009 03:41 PMBut we should have no illusions about the Iranian government.
Exactly! What with spying on citizen's phone calls and internet communications, limiting freedom of assembly and ability to petition the government to redress grievances, religious tests for employment, sodomy laws to outlaw homosexuality, a government that responds only to the ruling class, limiting travel based on having the wrong name, bloggers being arrested, people facing untimely deaths in prisons...shit...now, were we talking about the United States or Iran? I forgot.
Posted by phidipides at March 20, 2009 03:55 PMobama seems to understand the difference between the iranian government and the iranian people
I should hope so. I wasn't implying that he didn't. I'm not even sure where you got that. I'm glad he's made this overture, though, it's about time we tried diplomacy with Iran.
i think we should be held to the same standard.
I'm confused. I thought that's what I was doing. Their government perpetrates human rights abuses, and as phidipides has pointed out, so does ours.
My point is, if our government tries to negotiate with Iran's government using human rights issues as a cudgel, it won't have any credibility considering the damage the US has done to its reputation these past few years. You know, the old "glass houses" thing? Especially since Obama doesn't seem inclined to investigate the former admin's actions in this regard.
I don't think anyone's under the illusion that Iran is squeaky clean. And it doesn't hurt to shine a light on cases like the one you've posted, but if we're going to assail Iran for its abuses, we're going to have to fix our own first.
Posted by Twinky P* at March 20, 2009 04:32 PMTwinky, exactly! Bush took care of any ability whatsoever to talk to other countries about human rights, torture and abuses.
Posted by Judith at March 21, 2009 08:46 AMwe certainly do have serious dents in our moral armor, but it is absurd to equate the LEGAL subjugation of women in Iran with anything hee that is ILLEGAL. sure we have dickheads, but they arent protected by the law as they are in Iran - a genuine theocracy that hates women.
we got rid of our budding theocracy, a fact thay fills me with pride.
Posted by the young Judith (tyj) at March 22, 2009 10:50 AM