Posted on 09/29/2009 11:43:26 PM PDT by thecodont
(09-29) 23:08 PDT BERKELEY, CALIF. -- Berkeley became the first city in the United States, and possibly the world, to agree to international human rights treaties on Tuesday night, after the City Council approved a measure usually reserved for countries.
After a brief but spirited debate, the City Council voted unanimously to allow unpaid interns to report to the United Nations on how, or whether, Berkeley complies with treaties on civil liberties, racial discrimination and torture.
The council also agreed to take the first step in raising parking revenue by voting unanimously to add 420 meters and increase the parking meter rate 25 cents an hour, to $1.50.
But the decision to comply with the U.N. treaties generated the most energetic response from council members and the public.
"This is extremely important," said Councilman Max Anderson, who represents south Berkeley. "This is the way Berkeley should be talking. This should be an inspiration to other communities."
Councilman Kriss Worthington called the initiative a creative and important way Berkeley can support the values put forth in the U.N. treaties.
"In our small and humble way, we can submit our own record," he said. "I think this is a wonderful thing for us to do."
The treaties contain high standards, and it is possible Berkeley does not meet those standards, backers of the plan said.
They have used as examples Berkeley's record on homelessness, achievement gaps in the public schools and John Yoo, the author of the Bush administration's justification for torture who teaches at UC Berkeley's Boalt Hall School of Law and lives in Berkeley.
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/09/29/MN6H19UT2J.DTL&tsp=1#ixzz0SZNgVJ5P
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Never thought they were part of America.
It's amazing how far the average I.Q. of a city drops after a university is built there.
I don’t necessarily blame the university, although it is UC Berkeley. I blame all the hippies and communists that infest the city. Bunch of traitors.
This is a 100% meaningless waste-of-time. They are welcome to it.
Well, they're already in violation - just reading about these bozos in Berkeley is torture to me. And I'm sure the UN really cares about a "report" from "unpaid interns" from Berkeley. They're probably holding their breath, waiting to hear how Berkeley is doing. Morons.
“The council also agreed to take the first step in raising parking revenue by voting unanimously to add 420 meters and increase the parking meter rate 25 cents an hour, to $1.50.”
I predict that their revenues from parking meters will actually decrease.
Has Berkeley also indicted all members of the Bush administration for war crimes?
I wonder if they will start trials of any Israelis within their boundaries as war criminals?
I could have SWORN that I read somewhere that no entity within the US could enter into a treaty with foreigners without someone else’s, specific approval AND ratification by some big body of elected officials!
I am trying to remember where I read this and the names of that specific position and that body of elected officials!
Well, I just can’t think this early in the morning (not enough coffee - yet), but it will come to me! /Sarc off
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