I just got around to reviewing
The State Department's 2005 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. In Secretary Condoleezza Rice's
Briefing on The State Department's 2005 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices she said:
Our promotion of human rights and democracy is in keeping with America's most cherished principles and it helps to lay the foundation for lasting peace in the world. How a country treats its own people is a strong indication of how it will behave toward its neighbors. The growing demand for democratic governance reflects a recognition that the best guarantor of human rights is a thriving democracy with transparent, accountable institutions of government, equal rights under the rule of law, a robust civil society, political pluralism and independent media.
The report seems to provide a detailed assessment of the human rights practices for every country on the planet, except one. Can you guess which country gets a pass? Don't worry, we'll grade that country ourselves in the comments that follow.
First, let's review some of the complaints against various countries. I'll start with our friend to the North:
Canada
The government generally respected the human rights of its citizens, and the law and judiciary provide effective means of addressing individual instances of abuse. The following human rights problems were reported:
- harassment of religious minorities
- violence against women
- trafficking of persons to and from the country
Hmmm. That doesn't sound like anything that would go in the US, right?
c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
The law prohibits such practices, and there were no reports that government officials employed them. However, in September the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) began investigating allegations of brutality in the arrest and imprisonment in the Natuashish community of northern Labrador of an indigenous man with a broken arm who was left overnight in a police station without medical attention; the investigation was pending at year's end.
d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention
The law prohibits arbitrary arrest and detention, and the government generally observed these prohibitions.
Wow, we're getting pretty detailed about specific abuses. I wonder what a report on the US would look like if abuses as bad (or worse) were reported. I'm heartened to see that arbitrary arrest and detention is illegal in
some parts of North America.
Bahamas
Other Societal Abuses and Discrimination
Social discrimination against homosexuals occurred. There was widespread homophobia and religiously based opposition to homosexuality. Although homosexual relations between consenting adults are legal, there was no legislation to address the human rights concerns of homosexuals, lesbians, bisexuals, or transgendered persons. The government actively promoted opposition to homosexuality.
In September Miss Teen Bahamas was stripped of her title after she said she was lesbian. Also in September public school teachers punished students wearing clothing perceived to identify them as homosexual or advocates of homosexuality. There were continued reports of job termination following disclosure of sexual orientation, as well as discrimination in housing.
The
Overview and Acknowledgments section states the following:
The Country Reports on Human Rights Practices cover internationally recognized individual, civil, political and worker rights, as set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. These rights include freedom from torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, from prolonged detention without charges, from disappearance or clandestine detention, and from other flagrant violations of the right to life, liberty and the security of the person.
OK. So the State Department rightly calls out other countries for bad shit, including a lot of
really, really bad shit. So why the fuck doesn't the State Department document US human rights abuses? Judge not, Condie, lest ye be judged. Here are the categories that other countries get evaluated on:
Section 1 Respect for the Integrity of the Person, Including Freedom From:
a. Arbitrary or Unlawful Deprivation of Life
b. Disappearance
c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention
e. Denial of Fair Public Trial
f. Arbitrary Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence
Section 2 Respect for Civil Liberties, Including:
a. Freedom of Speech and Press
b. Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association
c. Freedom of Religion
d. Freedom of Movement Within the Country, Foreign Travel, Emigration, and Repatriation
Section 3 Respect for Political Rights: The Right of Citizens to Change Their Government
Section 4 Governmental Attitude Regarding International and Nongovernmental Investigation of Alleged Violations of Human Rights
Section 5 Discrimination, Societal Abuses, and Trafficking in Persons
Section 6 Worker Rights
a. The Right of Association
b. The Right to Organize and Bargain Collectively
c. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor
d. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment
e. Acceptable Conditions of Work
Do your own review of US human rights practices and post your results in the comments section. Comment on as many categories as you have time to explore. Or, feel free to comment on the bitter irony of the Bush Administration passing judgement on human rights behavior for the rest of the world.