Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - What are the ringing sucesses of the United Nations.

Publius · 11-10-2004, 05:53 PM

For my two-cents I would first like to compliment Mr Mephisto on a job well done so far in defense of the U.N. Bravo.

To all you UN haters our there I would like to ask you, what has the UN done for you today? Can’t think of anything? Maybe that the problem and why much of the neo-con right are UN haters (Something to do with the idea that if we pay money in we should be getting something back ... hmm isn’t this their same argument against many of the social welfare programs? but I digress).

I always have to laugh to myself when I see UN haters talk out of both sides of their mouth. First, they want the UN to be a strong body capable of rushing into any country (Rwanda, Cosivo, Samolia, etc) the end hostilities and provide effective humanitarian aid. Then, often in the very next breath, they whine and complain how UN policies infringe upon state sovereignty (am I the only one who sees the contradiction here?) Listen people, you can’t have your cake and eat it too. Either states have sovereignty or they don’t. If they do, then any international relief agency (whether run by the UN or not) will have to work within the bounds placed upon them by states. And if they don’t, then open the boarders and strengthen the power of the UN to fulfill the role of a world governing body (something UN haters are adamantly against and yet arguing for in the same breath).

Secondly, I would like to ask all you UN haters out there how much you have really researched this issue and do you really know how the UN operates or are you just blindly repeating rhetoric that you have been feed? Many of you might be surprised to learn that nearly all UN resolution are passed by the unanimous consent of the participating countries (whether the body be the Security Council or the General Assembly), that no country is “forced” to participate in any UN backed program (possibly due to state sovereignty?), that no UN body enters into a country unless expressly invited to do so (again due to state sovereignty) with the only exception being in situations such as Iraq (1) where a country has violated the sovereign right of another or broken international law in such an egregious manner as to bring down the wrath of the global community.

I would challenge everyone (both supporters and haters) to learn more about the UN and its many programs. I personally have had the great fortune to work (albeit briefly) with 2 UN aid programs, UNESCO and UNHCR. It is an amazing experience to be in a room with people from countries all over the world, work together with these people to draft resolutions dealing with global problems, and see these resolutions come to pass by the unanimous consent of the entire body (it is also very humbling to see your hard work come to not and fail miserably because you or your partner countries attempted to push your agenda without gaining the consent of others). I have had the privilege of sitting in the Great Hall in New York during a final session of the General Assembly. This is one of the most awe inspiring moments of my life watching 198 countries and hundreds of NGO’s work together in an attempt to better all of humanity.

Lastly, for all you isolationists out there its time to wake up and smell the hummus. Deny it all you will, we are living in a global community (have been for some time). Actions that we take overseas do have effects here (and visa-versa). I had hoped that people would learn this truth after 9/11 but sadly many have not. And before you go thinking that I am some California globalist hippie, your might be surprised to learn that I was raised in a very rural community in the mid-west (Kansas if you must know). I fully understand how easy it is to buy into the isolationist rhetoric because most of us here in the US are so far removed from world events that it is difficult to see the connection between us and them. It is time for people in the US to wake up and embrace the fact that we are the worlds greatest leader. It is long past time for the US to start leading by example instead of pushing our considerable weight around like a spoiled schoolyard bully. A body is no greater then its parts, and when its greatest part (the US) is ineffectively in fulfilling its role then the entire body will suffer as a result.

11-10-2004, 05:53 PM	#52 (permalink)
Publius Crazy Location: Never Never Land	For my two-cents I would first like to compliment Mr Mephisto on a job well done so far in defense of the U.N. Bravo. To all you UN haters our there I would like to ask you, what has the UN done for you today? Can’t think of anything? Maybe that the problem and why much of the neo-con right are UN haters (Something to do with the idea that if we pay money in we should be getting something back ... hmm isn’t this their same argument against many of the social welfare programs? but I digress). I always have to laugh to myself when I see UN haters talk out of both sides of their mouth. First, they want the UN to be a strong body capable of rushing into any country (Rwanda, Cosivo, Samolia, etc) the end hostilities and provide effective humanitarian aid. Then, often in the very next breath, they whine and complain how UN policies infringe upon state sovereignty (am I the only one who sees the contradiction here?) Listen people, you can’t have your cake and eat it too. Either states have sovereignty or they don’t. If they do, then any international relief agency (whether run by the UN or not) will have to work within the bounds placed upon them by states. And if they don’t, then open the boarders and strengthen the power of the UN to fulfill the role of a world governing body (something UN haters are adamantly against and yet arguing for in the same breath). Secondly, I would like to ask all you UN haters out there how much you have really researched this issue and do you really know how the UN operates or are you just blindly repeating rhetoric that you have been feed? Many of you might be surprised to learn that nearly all UN resolution are passed by the unanimous consent of the participating countries (whether the body be the Security Council or the General Assembly), that no country is “forced” to participate in any UN backed program (possibly due to state sovereignty?), that no UN body enters into a country unless expressly invited to do so (again due to state sovereignty) with the only exception being in situations such as Iraq (1) where a country has violated the sovereign right of another or broken international law in such an egregious manner as to bring down the wrath of the global community. I would challenge everyone (both supporters and haters) to learn more about the UN and its many programs. I personally have had the great fortune to work (albeit briefly) with 2 UN aid programs, UNESCO and UNHCR. It is an amazing experience to be in a room with people from countries all over the world, work together with these people to draft resolutions dealing with global problems, and see these resolutions come to pass by the unanimous consent of the entire body (it is also very humbling to see your hard work come to not and fail miserably because you or your partner countries attempted to push your agenda without gaining the consent of others). I have had the privilege of sitting in the Great Hall in New York during a final session of the General Assembly. This is one of the most awe inspiring moments of my life watching 198 countries and hundreds of NGO’s work together in an attempt to better all of humanity. Lastly, for all you isolationists out there its time to wake up and smell the hummus. Deny it all you will, we are living in a global community (have been for some time). Actions that we take overseas do have effects here (and visa-versa). I had hoped that people would learn this truth after 9/11 but sadly many have not. And before you go thinking that I am some California globalist hippie, your might be surprised to learn that I was raised in a very rural community in the mid-west (Kansas if you must know). I fully understand how easy it is to buy into the isolationist rhetoric because most of us here in the US are so far removed from world events that it is difficult to see the connection between us and them. It is time for people in the US to wake up and embrace the fact that we are the worlds greatest leader. It is long past time for the US to start leading by example instead of pushing our considerable weight around like a spoiled schoolyard bully. A body is no greater then its parts, and when its greatest part (the US) is ineffectively in fulfilling its role then the entire body will suffer as a result.